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Australian Writers' Centre

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Australian Writers' Centre

Online and classroom courses in all genres of writing. We would love to post information about events, campaigns and competitions related to writing.

The best way to do this is to email us at courses [at] writerscentre.com.au. We get so many self-promoting posts that we delete any self-promoting post on the wall, but we're happy to promote relevant opportunities once we've been emailed the details.

27/09/2026

“WAIT! I can see a writing competition! And behind it… a residency! Ooh, there’s a giveaway coming over the hill!”

Save yourself the binoculars. Our free weekly AWC newsletter brings writing opportunities, competitions, industry news, tips, giveaways and more straight to your inbox. Subscribe today:
https://www.writerscentre.com.au/newsletter/

26/09/2026

Love day one of the Northern Beaches Readers Festival. What an incredible programme and a fantastic vibe! Well done to the incredible team at NBRF Northern Beaches Readers Festival
So great to catch up with so many incredible authors who are graduates of the Australian Writers Centre. And also with many students who are yet to be published but I have no doubt they will be on a stage like this one day !

25/09/2026

There is nothing to lose and everything to gain by starting your writing journey. Creative Writing Stage 1 helps you build essential storytelling skills, from character and dialogue to structure and voice, so you can begin shaping your ideas with confidence.

This course is all about learning by doing, with practical exercises that help you develop your writing step by step.

After completing the course, Anne Kelly said: “You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking a risk and enrolling in this course. You will be surprised and encouraged by realising that you can learn and hone so many skills needed for great writing. Do it!”

Opens: Monday 28 September 2026. Start any time during the week.
Location: Online with weekly feedback
Tutor: Margaret Whiskin
Duration: 5 weeks. Allow 3-4 hours per week.
Price: $490

If you are ready to give writing a real go, this course is a great place to start. Learn more: https://www.writerscentre.com.au/store/courses/creative-writing-stage-1/

25/09/2026

Thank you to everyone in the Australian Writers’ Centre community!

25/09/2026

Have you got a crime story that will keep readers guessing? The 2026 SD Harvey Short Crime Story Award is calling for unpublished crime fiction from Australian residents. Established in honour of journalist and true-crime author Sandra (Dawn) Harvey, the award celebrates excellence in crime writing and is looking for stories packed with suspense, intrigue, mystery, conflict, crime, punishment or investigation.

Key details:
• Prize: $1,000
• Genre: Crime fiction
• Length: 2000–5000 words
• Eligibility: Writers must reside in Australia
• Entry: Story must be unpublished and original
• Judged on: Story structure, characterisation, plot, dialogue and a great ‘ripping yarn’
• Entry fee: $35
• Opens: 1 October 2026
• Closes: 30 October 2026
• Winner announced: 30 November 2026

Want to strengthen your crime-writing skills before entering? Our Crime and Thriller Writing course can help you develop the techniques behind gripping plots, compelling characters and stories that keep readers turning the page.

Ready to get writing? Learn more here: https://www.writerscentre.com.au/blog/enter-the-2026-sd-harvey-short-crime-story-award/

24/09/2026

Want to discover the secrets of compelling fiction? Our Creative Writing Stage 1 course is transforming aspiring writers into confident storytellers.

What makes our course special:

Master essential storytelling techniques.
Receive expert feedback on your work.
Learn from industry professionals.
Join a supportive creative community.
Develop your unique narrative voice.

Don't just take our word for it – swipe to see what our students are saying! Their writing journeys could inspire your own transformation.

Ready to unlock your storytelling potential? Enrol now and begin your creative writing adventure!

Link: https://www.writerscentre.com.au/store/courses/creative-writing-stage-1/

24/09/2026

Do you have a swoon-worthy romantic short story that you want to share? Romance Writers of Australia invites writers to submit a short romance story for their ‘Sweet Treats Anthology’ 2026. The top 15 stories selected for will be published in this year’s anthology.

Key details:
• For: All writers of romance
• Format: Romantic short story
• Heat level: Low to medium – no sexually explicit scenes
• Publication: Top 15 stories published in the annual anthology
• Entry fee: $30 AUD
• Opens: 7 October 2026
• Closes: 28 October 2026

Want to strengthen your romance writing before submitting? Our Romance Writing course can help you master the techniques behind compelling characters, romantic tension and stories that keep readers hooked.

Find out more and enter here: https://www.writerscentre.com.au/blog/sweet-treats-anthology-2026-share-your-romance-short-story/

23/09/2026

This month’s Furious Fiction challenge began with a simple instruction: open a door. Front doors, back doors, car doors, elevator doors, locker room doors, cellar doors, fridge doors, trapdoors and even doors from the Underworld. Once we’d invited hundreds of writers to let their imaginations loose, we really had no idea what was going to come through!

Now we’re excited to announce that the door to this month’s Furious Fiction showcase is officially OPEN. Step right through and discover our favourite September stories via the link: https://www.writerscentre.com.au/blog/furious-fiction-september-2026-story-showcase/

23/09/2026

Congratulations to AWC graduate Whitney Fitzsimmons, whose thriller 'The Rising' has been published by Ventura Press.

The book opens with a catastrophic flood ripping through the rural town of Birradurra and uncovering the skeletal remains of a baby. Journalist Bec Carter is consumed with getting justice for the victim, but when her friend Harry vanishes in violent circumstances, she becomes the prime suspect. Whitney says that at its core it’s “a story about morally grey areas and what happens when good people do very bad things for good reasons.”

Whitney spent years in television news and had started thrillers before, but kept writing herself into corners. Our Crime and Thriller Writing course gave her the structure to finish. “The course gave me a solid foundation in which to really build a story knowing what the structure is, what the tropes are,” she says. She loved “learning the specific plot points in crime and thrillers so that you can really work with the craft and start to subvert it and surprise your readers.”

Read Whitney’s full story: https://www.writerscentre.com.au/blog/whitney-fitzsimmons-the-rising/

22/09/2026

Red: Stop procrastinating.

Orange: Get ready.

Green: Tell us this week’s writing wins!

Big or small, share yours in the comments below. 🚦

Address

Suite 8 92A Mona Vale Road, Warriewood
Sydney, NSW
2061

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 6pm
Tuesday	9am - 6pm
Wednesday	9am - 6pm
Thursday	9am - 6pm
Friday	9am - 6pm

Telephone

+61299290088

Website

http://www.writerscentre.com.au/

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