It has been a long time since I studied. That moment I put down the pen onto the table with my cramped and fused hand after my final law exam I vehemently swore that I would never be doing it again.

Listening to Australian YA author, Fleur Ferris, on the So You Want To Be A Writer podcast (Ep. 122) on the road to the Blue Mountains last month, I became intrigued by her mention of doing a Children and Young Adults online writing course with the Australian Writers’ Centre and how it connected her with other writers and helped kick start her journey. It sounded accessible, helpful and achievable.

I serendipitously found and signed up on the evening the course began and deep-dived into a world of creativity, inspiration and epiphanies.

Here are some of the things I have discovered along the way:

1. It can be fun

There is nothing like doing a course about something you are passionate about. You meet people like you, learn more about something you are actually invested in, and returning as an adult can bring a world of perspective and time management skills that you may not have possessed the last go around. I found myself looking forward to the online lectures, completely over-loaded my library account with titles to deepen my knowledge and got into great habits of sitting down with my lap top open every night to throw myself into imaginary worlds of my own creation.

2. You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

The first draft of my middle-grade fiction manuscript seemed pretty good to me. I was proud of finishing, for one, and thought it read reasonably well. I soon discovered that there was a world of knowledge out there – tips about structure, plot, opening scenes, the importance of point of view and perspective… perhaps I would have stumbled across these things along the way but I dare say it would have taken a far more windy and rocky path. Needless to say, I am now on my fourth draft (or is it the fifth?) as I hone the motivations of my characters, add in more depth and figure out how to make the protagonist fight for the outcome (rather than it just happening upon him as he blithely observes – a rookie first time writer mistake apparently!).

3. Personalised Feedback is so important

Sue Whiting – the tutor of the course – brings a world of breadth and experience in the writing industry, making her feedback priceless and invaluable. Up to this point my only readers have been family and close friends, which is nice for the confidence boost, but doesn’t necessarily provide the critique that is necessary to bring out the gold in the work (and gently point out parts that might not be working).

4. Investing in Yourself Pays Off

Maybe not literally (yet!) but the act of backing yourself, being honest about your desires and relocating your internal compass to where you want to end up is always going to be worth something. I have felt so much more fulfilled and satisfied with life since taking the step to study and I can see possible pathways forward where previously it just felt like a hovering haze.

5. The Beauty of Connection

One of the biggest drawcards in joining was the chance to connect with other people crazy enough to pursue this strange and wonderful world of writing. While this has unfortunately not naturally sparked amongst the online students so far, I have been enjoying connecting with people in the So You Want To Be A Writer Facebook group and on Twitter. I hope to join a writing group in which I can contribute and learn by sharing work and giving and receiving feedback. Starting the course has given me the confidence and ownership as part of the community and I hope that this will continue to develop over time.

It doesn’t have to be writing-related, but what have your experiences been with further study as an adult? Let me know down below! And if you are a fellow writer, come and say hello on Twitter! I am very much a novice and am not really sure what I should be doing on there, but hopefully I’ll figure that out too with time 🙂