How Rashida Tayabali became a freelance writer and author

Rashida Tayabali had always wanted to write, but had been discouraged from studying journalism at university. While working as a marketing coordinator, she decided her maternity leave would be the perfect opportunity to rediscover her old passion. Inspired by a colleague who had done courses at the Australian Writers’ Centre, Rashida enrolled in Freelance Writing Stage 1 – and immediately her life changed.

Read More

Furious Fiction June 2022 winner and shortlist

A writer (you’ve probably never heard of) once said, “all the world’s a stage” and in this round’s Furious Fiction challenge, all of the entrants were indeed merely players. Here were the criteria: Each story had to begin with a sentence containing exactly SIX words. Each story had to include

Read More »

Video: Kelly Rimmer on her novel ‘The German Wife’

Kelly Rimmer is the author of historical and contemporary fiction, including The German Wife, The Secret Daughter, The Things We Cannot Say, and The Warsaw Orphan, with more than 2 million copies of her novels sold to date. Her books have been translated into dozens of languages and have appeared on bestseller

Read More »

Q&A: The origin of “to a T”

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we’re throwing a T party…

Read More »

How to connect with other writers at a writers’ festival

Ever come home from a writers’ festival disappointed by the number of other writers you connected with? Sometimes it’s got more to do with the actions you should take before and after the event! Join Australian Writers’ Centre CEO Valerie Khoo as she offers tips for preparing before the event

Read More »

Video: Rebecca Lee on ‘How Words Get Good’

Rebecca Lee is the author of author of How Words Get Good: The Story of Making a Book. She’s also an editorial manager at Penguin Random House, with twenty years of experience managing hundreds of high profile books from delivery of manuscript to finished copies, signing off millions of words as

Read More »

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘Lying Beside You’ by Michael Robotham

TWO MISSING WOMEN. ONE WITNESS. SO MANY LIES . . . This week’s giveaway book is the brand-new thriller by the “number-one bestselling and award-winning master of crime”, Michael Robotham. His latest is titled Lying Beside You, and we have three to be won. Here’s a quick synopsis: Twenty years

Read More »

Q&A: The origin of “under the weather”

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we have a weather report…

Read More »

Video: Rae Cairns on ‘The Good Mother’

Rae Cairns is a former youth worker who has turned to a life of crime… writing. She is fascinated with how ordinary people manage when faced with extraordinary circumstances, and the lengths everyday characters will go when all they love is put at risk. She writes crime with heart; thriller

Read More »

COMP CLOSED: WIN ‘The Family Remains’ by Lisa Jewell

Their secrets can’t stay buried forever… This week’s giveaway book comes from British-based Lisa Jewell – the number one bestselling author of thrillers The Family Upstairs and Then She Was Gone. Her latest book is The Family Remains. Here’s a quick synopsis: LONDON. Early morning, June 2019 – on the

Read More »

How to edit your own writing: 7 authors share their top tips

By Allison Tait. “Write as though no-one’s watching.” “Your first draft doesn’t need to be perfect.” “Your first draft is just you telling the story to yourself.” There’s a lot of information around about first drafts and how they can be messy embryos of a polished idea. What’s more difficult

Read More »

Q&A: What do “CC” and “BCC” mean?

Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, you’ve got mail… Q: Hey

Read More »

7 side-splitting tips for writing funny flash fiction

The best stories engage the reader – making you FEEL something. That emotion might involve being nervous for the fate of a character, angry at a detective missing a vital clue, sad at a loss, or rolling in fits of laughter. While most of these emotions must be earned through

Read More »
Browse posts by category

Courses starting soon

×

Nice one! You've added this to your cart