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 from her communications degree, worked in sales for a recruitment firm in Sydney. “Deep down, however, I knew that I wanted to write for a living – I was just too scared to chase the dream,” she says. “I also kept telling myself that writing couldn’t possibly pay well.”

Finding just the right course

One day an ad popped up on her browser for the Australian Writers’ Centre. “I clicked through on impulse, booked then and there, and showed up two days later for my first session. That was at the beginning of 2008.” Georgia booked into the Australian Writers’ Centre Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1 course and found the practical structure of the course empowering.

“The structure matched exactly how to pitch story ideas in a compelling way,” she says. Result Georgia says the skills she learned in the Australian Writers’ Centre Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1 course completely transformed her life. Not only did she get her first article accepted on week four of the course, she also rapidly got snapped up as editor for Healthy Food Guide.

Now doing what she truly loves

“Wow… it’s quite amazing to compare the ‘before’ and ‘after’ – now I’m on a completely different life track, doing what I truly, truly love,” she says. “After completing the course, I very quickly built up a steady base of clients and created this wonderful lifestyle of working from cafes, my beautiful little nest and sometimes, on rainy days, from bed.”

From being published for the very first time in Fitness First magazine to editing Healthy Food Guide magazine, Georgia has also written for CLEO, Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health, Life etc, Prevention Magazine, and Body+Soul (The Sunday Telegraph).

From the foundation built on the skills she learnt at the Australian Writers’ Centre, Georgia has continued to develop her career in the media.

“I became a regular guest on several metropolitan radio stations, garnered my own breakfast spot on Sydney’s Classic Rock FM (with Anthony Maroon), appeared on several TV stations as a ‘health expert’, chatting on programs like Sunrise, Kerri Anne and Today Tonight about all sorts of food and health-related topics,” she says. “I was taken on several free trips all around Australia, Japan and New Zealand, became an industry advisor to the NSW government for health and nutrition. I’m now in training to launch my TV career. It’s a beautiful existence.”

Take that first step

“I think the Australian Writers’ Centre is an excellent starting point for anyone looking to springboard into writing – whether as a full time career, or a part time pursuit. It’s full of useful information and advice that’s truly practical,” she says. “Four years later, I look back and I’m truly thankful that I took the first step.

“The only person stopping you from leading the life you want is you, and if writing is part of that dream, then enrolling at Australian Writers’ Centre is a great first step to take. Just do it!”