Success stories: Freelance and non-fiction – Page 2

Alumni news

Catherine Rodie: overcoming dyslexia to become a successful writer

Catherine Rodie never thought she would become a writer. This limiting belief, coupled with her experience with dyslexia, meant that she hadn’t considered that writing could be a real career for her. But after completing a course at the Australian Writers’ Centre, that all changed. And now, she’s not only become one of the most prolific freelance writers in Australia, she’s laid the foundations to pursue a career in publishing, recently scoring a coveted part-time role at Bauer Magazines.

22 January 2016

Alumni news

Rob Grant: From nine-to-five corporate cubicle dweller to exotic adventures as a travel writer

Rob Grant loves travelling. But it can be hard to satisfy your wanderlust when you’re consumed by a nine-to-five corporate career. That’s exactly the position Rob was in until he discovered the Travel Writing course at the Australian Writers’ Centre. Now he’s swapped his corporate job for his new path in life – working part-time as a travel writer and part-time as a marketing consultant.

18 January 2016

Alumni news

How Susannah Hardy’s new year’s resolution turned into a new career

One new year’s day, Susannah Hardy made a decision that would change the rest of her life. She decided she wanted to earn money from writing. Already working as an actor, Susannah then enrolled in a course at the Australian Writers’ Centre. That set her on a path where she now has dual careers – as an actor, as well as a successful freelance writer, published in Australia’s top magazines and newspapers.

7 January 2016

Alumni news

Josefa Pete: research scientist becomes freelance feature writer

“Eighteen months ago, if someone had said to me you’re going to be doing freelance writing, I probably would have brushed it off and said ‘no way’…”

And yet today Josefa Pete, busy mum to two boys, proudly calls herself a freelance writer, without a moment’s hesitation. So what changed?

6 December 2015

Alumni news

From social worker to successful freelance magazine writer

Lindy Alexander was working as a social worker two days a week when she decided to take the course in Magazine and Newspaper Writing at the Australian Writers’ Centre. She says it’s the single most important thing she’s done in her life to turn her dream of becoming a writer into reality.

17 November 2015

Alumni news

AWC graduate Megan Blandford: From human resources to successful writer

After becoming a first time mum, Megan Blandford, then 34, surprised herself. She didn’t feel compelled to return to her human resources role in the corporate world.

Her company wanted her to return to work full time. “I remember sitting in front of my computer one day and thinking: ‘what do I do?'” she says. “I always wanted to try writing since I was a little girl and I got caught up in this sort of sensible path of the mainstream thing people do. So I sat there and thought, right it’s now or never.”

24 October 2015

Penny Harrison: Finding success in magazines and picture books

When journalist Penny Harrison made the switch to writing feature stories, little did she know it would lead to the publication of her first picture book. “I had been working as a local newspaper journalist for 10 years and was just thinking about returning to work after my first baby,”

8 October 2015

Alumni news

Changing careers and landing a coveted role in publishing

Courses taken at AWC:
Creative Writing Stage 1
Freelance Writing Stage 1
Grammar and Punctuation Essentials
History, Mystery and Magic

Deadlines. Celebrities. Breaking stories. And a growing audience of women who are clamouring for more digital content. That’s the world of Avi Vince, Managing Editor of iVillage Australia, which is part of the Mamamia Women’s Network. Both iVillage and its sister site Mamamia have carved a firm niche in the Australian publishing landscape, driven by magazine-turned-digital-publishing supremo, Mia Freedman.

3 October 2015

AWC alumni

Blogging to books – Toby Jenkins is a fan.

Toby Jenkins and Adam Franklin wrote a business book about web marketing together. They did a business writing course at Australian Writers’ Centre together. And before that they went to primary school together. So it made perfect sense for Valerie Khoo to interview just one of them. She spoke to

9 February 2015

Heather Smith: Specialising brings writing rewards

When Heather Smith graduated from the Australian Writers Centre’s online course in Magazine and Newspaper Writing in 2010, little did she realise that she would become one of our most published graduates. She is now an author of six books and has been on the business bestseller list for several weeks.

16 October 2014

Thuy Yau: Finding new confidence through freelance writing

Back in 2011, Thuy Yau was a 22-year-old stay at home mum who had settled down early and put her studies on hold. But by discovering blogging, she began a path that would lead to a successful freelance writing future. Her blogging gave her an outlet to write about her

16 October 2014

Jocelyn Pride: Finding the perfect travel writing formula

Jocelyn Pride completed the Australian Writers’ Centre Travel Writing course in the summer holidays of 2011. She grew up in a home where storytelling was prominent. Her mother’s skill of taking people on a journey with her love of words filtered down a generation. With a background in education, evolving

17 February 2014

Victoria Birch: From corporate world to freelance writer

Victoria Birch always wanted to be a writer. She just didn’t know it was a viable option. Until now. The Sydney-based mother has always been interested in music. While living in the UK, Victoria would write music reviews, develop music websites and immerse herself in this artistic world. This passion

17 February 2014

AWC alumni

Sue White: The ultimate success story

Sue White, is now one of Australia’s busiest feature and travel writers. She has an enviable portfolio that includes the country’s most respected publications including The Good Weekend, The Sydney Morning Herald, Vogue Australia, Travel + Leisure (Australia), Sun Herald Travel and Women’s Health, to name just a few. Sue

17 February 2014

Aoife McGee: Getting paid to do what she loves

Aoife, 44, is now a freelance writer living in Sydney. She completed the Australian Writers’ Centre online course Magazines and Newspaper Writing Stage 1. Aoife has written for Body+Soul (The Sunday Telegraph), Echo Paper and TNT magazine. She is also a regular contributor to Australia and New Zealand Magazine in the United

17 February 2014

Susannah Hardy: Combining acting with freelance writing

Susannah Hardy is an actor who always knew she could write, but wondered how she could improve her skills, and if it was possible to make a living from her writing. She had always had a love for writing, often creating material for her performances. But she admits, “I wrote from instinct, and I realised I needed tuition”.

Unsure of how to get that tuition, she says her mother noticed an ad in the local newspaper in 2006 advertising the Australian Writers’ Centre Newspapers and Magazine Writing Stage 1 course. She decided then and there that the course would be the perfect way to polish her nascent skills, and so she enrolled immediately.

17 February 2014

Cassy Small: Writing is her first love

Cassy Small, 32, is a Sunshine Coast health and wellbeing writer. She completed the Australian Writers’ Centre Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1 course online in January 2012. The confidence to get started Like many teenagers, Cassy Small spent hours journaling and writing short stories but the memory was packed away once

17 February 2014

Georgia Rickard: Transformed her life

Georgia, 25, is a successful freelance writer who transitioned from recruitment into full time writing via the Australian Writers’ Centre course Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1. She now writes for a range of glossy magazines and has had articles syndicated all around the world. Georgia was 21 and, after graduating

17 February 2014

Angela Steyn: Successful career change

Angela Steyn, 33, left her job as a lawyer to become an interior stylist and writer specialising in interiors, homes and design … with some help from the Australian Writers’ Centre. In 2007, Angela walked away from her job as a lawyer to follow her passion for interiors. She knew

26 January 2014

Category: Success stories: Freelance and non-fiction

Catherine Rodie: overcoming dyslexia to become a successful writer

Rob Grant: From nine-to-five corporate cubicle dweller to exotic adventures as a travel writer

How Susannah Hardy’s new year’s resolution turned into a new career

Josefa Pete: research scientist becomes freelance feature writer

From social worker to successful freelance magazine writer

AWC graduate Megan Blandford: From human resources to successful writer

Penny Harrison: Finding success in magazines and picture books

Changing careers and landing a coveted role in publishing

Blogging to books – Toby Jenkins is a fan.

Heather Smith: Specialising brings writing rewards

Thuy Yau: Finding new confidence through freelance writing

Jocelyn Pride: Finding the perfect travel writing formula

Victoria Birch: From corporate world to freelance writer

Sue White: The ultimate success story

Aoife McGee: Getting paid to do what she loves

Susannah Hardy: Combining acting with freelance writing

Cassy Small: Writing is her first love

Georgia Rickard: Transformed her life

Angela Steyn: Successful career change

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