By Allison Tait. Rejection is part of every writer’s life. Published or unpublished, beginner or established, every writer experiences the crushing emotion that accompanies a “sorry, not for us” or a “thanks, but no thanks”. The difference between writers who go on to have successful careers and those who don’t
We know what you’re thinking. Ask a writer for writing tips and chances are they’ll say “read more” and “write more”. There’s a good reason for that. Reading widely and getting the words written are two cornerstones of every successful author’s career. But every week on the So You Want To
By Angela Slatter So, you’ve got an idea that won’t leave you alone – not the one about how winning Lotto would make your life so much easier, no, the other one. That story with those characters and that immersive setting, with all the action and the witty dialogue. The
It’s no exaggeration to say that author Nicola Marsh is a doyenne of romance writing. In fact, she’s published more than 75 books, including rural romance for Harper Collins Australia, domestic suspense for Hachette UK’s Bookouture and Grand Central Publishing USA, and contemporary romance for Penguin Random House’s Berkley imprint
If you’ve been swept up in the spectacle of Netflix’s Bridgerton, you’re not alone. More than 63 million households have tuned in to the pomp and romance, and many people who’d never heard of a ‘Regency romance’ before are now addicted. So what exactly is a Regency romance? And how
Here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we’re in the privileged position to chat regularly with successful authors, talented freelancers, world-class presenters and our amazing students. And although everyone approaches writing differently, it’s clear that there are common truths that can be helpful for all. Most importantly, if you want to
By author, Nat Newman Following the traditional route to publication can be hard work. Not only do you need to write a fantastic book, but you also need to resonate with an agent or publisher at just the right moment. For some people, self-publishing is a Plan B – the
Pamela Freeman (also known as Pamela Hart) never ceases to amaze me. I’ve known her for the past 16 years, first as a brilliant author, then she became a presenter of our creative writing courses at the Australian Writers Centre. And then she took on the role of Director of
There’s no better way to improve your writing than to share and workshop it with other writers. This idea can terrify some people, but once you conquer your fear, you’ll find it invaluable. However, you need to find the right group for you, and your writing group should have clear
Scenes are the building blocks of stories. No matter how much planning or plotting or character development you do, sooner or later you have to dramatise that story via scenes. We sat down with bestselling author (and creator of our Fiction Essentials: SCENES course) Pamela Freeman to find out more,
Finishing your book will feel like a huge achievement, and it is. You’ll have learnt a lot along the way. But the learning doesn’t stop there! If you’re submitting your book to get published, or you already have a book deal, there’s still plenty for you to learn. Here, five
A good romantic thriller is more than the sum of its parts. More gripping than a romance novel and with more emotion than a thriller, mastering the genre is no easy feat. You can’t just add a menacing character to your love story, or a love interest to your crime
So you’ve joined a local writing group or enrolled in one of our creative writing courses. Bravo! You’ve made the first and most crucial step on your way to becoming a writer. There’s just one thing that’s giving you pause: actually sharing your writing with other people. Eek. Fear not!
Australia produces some fantastic, bestselling authors; and they’re a supportive bunch, always keen to lend a helping hand. We’ve collected 20 top writing tips from Australian authors to help you with your own creative goals. 1. Never give up Susan Francis, author of memoir The Love that Remains, says other
Writing is a rollercoaster. To an outside observer, it looks like you’re sitting quietly in your chair tapping or scribbling away. But on the inside, you’re riding highs and lows of inspiration and despair, taking on loop-the-loops of panic and frustration, holding on for dear life while wondering when on
Historical fiction novels frequently top bestseller lists because readers love the chance to time-travel. A good historical fiction book allows the reader to escape and immerse themselves in a setting which is more glamorous, more dangerous or just more interesting than their own. It’s safe to say author Kirsten Alexander
So you’ve followed all the advice you’ve heard from published authors and smashed out your first draft. You’ve struggled through various pits of despair and soared to lofty heights of ecstasy and finally reached the end of your manuscript. Now what? It’s time to sharpen your pencils and pull out
If we told you there was one simple thing you could do which would take your writing to the next level – and you already knew how to do it, it was enjoyable, and could often be done for free – would you believe us? It’s one of the top
British-Australian crime and thriller writer L.A. Larkin – who teaches the Australian Writers’ Centre’s popular Crime and Thriller Writing course – is an expert in the art of building suspense and high stakes in a thriller novel. Read on for her top 5 ways to turn your thriller into a
By award-winning author, Allison Rushby. We’ve all been there. It’s Sunday. Your chores are done. Everyone else in the house has gone out. The dog/cat/ferret has been walked/played with/whatever you do with a ferret. You’ve got a few hours up your sleeve. Uninterrupted time! You were all set to write
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