For the love of writing

Welcome to PCWC!

It’s lovely to have you with us for an inspiring & exploring time of creative writing.

For many writers creativity comes relatively easy. Ideas are often bubbling away in the background of our lives–some we seize on; others are passing thoughts forgotten in the moment, but what makes an idea really come to life is the ability to craft that idea.

In 2025 PCWC’s focus is on building the ‘writing as craft’ skills of our members. We will do this through member only projects, programmed throughout the year, as well as running our groups, workshops, conversation sessions, and our partnership programs.

All writers are welcome at the Peter Cowan Writers Centre. Our home is in Edith Cowan House on the beautiful grounds of Edith Cowan University, Joondalup. PCWC has been in the house since its opening in 1998 and we continue to run our groups and workshops here through the generous giving of the chancellery of ECU.

Member-led and independently run, we are supported by the School of Arts and Humanities, ECU.

PCWC’s members explore all forms of creative writing: flash fiction, short story, fictional novel (both genre & literary), children’s, young readers and young adult, memoir, biography, autobiography, personal essay, screen, theatre, plays, creative non-fiction, and poetry forms.

If you are interested in joining a group click on Groups in the header above. For information about our events and what’s coming up head to our What’s On page.

So, whether you are a writer for pleasure, an aspirational writer, an emerging writer, a developing writer, or an established writer we’d love to see you here sharing, developing, or perfecting your craft!

- Sharon Leahy,

Writer-In-Residence (2025)

PS: 2025 marks thirty years of PCWC connecting writers with their writing, with other writers, and with opportunities. Happy Birthday PCWC! Hip Hip Hooray!!!

WHAT'S HAPPENING!

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WHAT'S HAPPENING! 〰️

Conversations at PCWC - 2025

Next session: No conversation will be held in March, instead our Annual General Meeting will take place on Sunday, March 9.

Conversations at PCWC are a relaxed, informal, Q&A type session where conversations around writing, over a range of topics, will be programmed throughout the year. Occurring, roughly, monthly there will usually be a short presentation about the topic followed by conversation. It’s a great way for members and friends to engage with others about the wonderful world of writing! Updates to our sessions are posted here. Free for members. Non-members $10.

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🌿 Introducing The Treasured Authors Literary Coasters! 📖 ☕ We’re thrilled to be a part of @writingwa ‘s Treasured Authors Literary Coaster initiative. 📚 An extract from Peter Cowan’s “The Unploughed Land” (Angus & Robertson, 1958) will be included, as well as works from: ✨ Alf Taylor – An extract from ‘Stockmen’, a powerful poem from “Cartwarra or what?” (Magabala Books, 2022). @magabalabooks ✨ Katharine Susannah Prichard – The beautiful poem ‘Night in the Garden’, from “ The Earth Lover and Other Verses” (Sunnybrook Press, 1932), illustrated by Eileen McGrath. @ksp_writers_centre ✨ Daisy Utemorrah – A treasured excerpt from “Do Not Go Around the Edges” (Magabala Books, 1991), her beloved children’s book illustrated by Pat Torres. @magabalabooks The Literary Coasters will be printed and distributed from March 2025 as part of Writing WA’s 2025 project Changing the Conversation: Stories in All Spaces, generously funded by the State of Western Australia through @deptlgsc Find out more about these Treasured Authors on the Writing WA website. 💻 Stay tuned for more details on how to get your hands on these special editions! #petercowanwriterscentre #LiteraryCoasters #WALit #ChangingTheConversation #WAAuthors #WritingWA #AustralianLiterature #BookLovers #FirstNationsAuthors #LoveToReadLocal bookstagram, booktok, perth writing groups, perth writing competitions, perth writing events, perth authors

Struggling to decide what software to write your novel with? 🤔 What if the most intuitive, easy-to-use software was right under your fingertips? 💻 Join fantasy writer Ivy Bazley at PCWC to discover how Microsoft Word can help you format your novel! 📚 You will leave the workshop knowing how to refine your writing workflow and improve the organisation of your novel. For more information, click the link in our bio. 🔗 ______________________ Ivy Bazley holds a BA in Writing from ECU. Currently penning a fantasy series called ‘The Burned King Legacy’, she writes short stories as well. Her poems and short stories were published in the Thursday Night Group Anthology two years in a row, and she was accepted into the 2021-22 Emerging Writers Program through the Peter Cowan Writers Centre. Ivy is a co-convenor of PCWC’s Beta Reading Group. Ivy believes in the need to support new Australian writers in order to reflect and grow Australian culture. #petercowanwriterscentre #writingwa #perthauthors #wawriters booktok, bookstagram, perth writing centre, perth writing groups, perth writing workshops, literature, writing tips

We are excited to share the groups that we are offering at PCWC this year! 🎉 Check out our website for more information on each group and to save the dates for each session - link in bio 🔗 #petercowanwriterscentre #writingwa #perthauthors #wawriters bookstagram, booktok, perth writing groups, perth writers centre, perth writing, perth creative writing, perth writing courses

2025 is in full swing, and at PCWC it is The Year of the Craft! 📝 🌲 Ideas come naturally to any creative person, but how can we alchemise our ideas into words on a page? 🌟 By honing our writing as a crafting process, we can develop the ability to translate our ideas to others; and even uncover new layers to our ideas that will enhance our writing. ✍️ In 2025, we aim to help our members build their skills in this area through EXCLUSIVE member projects, as well as our writing groups, workshops, brand new conversation sessions, and our partnership programs. Stay tuned for more details! 👥 ✏️ How are you perfecting your craft this year? 📝 💫 #petercowanwriterscentre #writingwa #perthauthors #wawriters booktok, bookstagram, literature, perth writing centre, perth writing groups, perth writing workshops, perth writing community

Level up your writing in 2025 with a PCWC membership! 🤩📚 Join a community of like-minded writers and receive benefits such as: ⭐️ A 10% discount on the RRP of books at @dymocksjoondalup ⭐️ Exclusive member prices for our writing groups ⭐️ Discounted member rates - includes a saving of $12 for PCWC workshops, and member rates for workshops at our sister centres: @ksp_writers_centre, @fawriterswa and @wapoets ⭐️ And more! Click the link in our bio to purchase. 🔗 🏷️ #petercowanwriterscentre #writing #perthauthor #writingwa #writingcommunity booktok, bookstagram, writing membership, writing classes perth, writing courses perth, writing groups perth, perth writing community

Curious about what’s involved in The Secrets of Storytelling course? 📚✍️ Join The Story Mentor (@a.r.levett ) and past course participants at PCWC on Sunday, 8th of December for a FREE information session. 📝 ⭐️ Learn about the course content and get your questions answered. No need to book! #petercowanwriterscentre #thestorymentor #writingwa #perthwriters #writingcommunity #perthcreatives booktok, bookstagram, literature, Perth writing workshop, Perth writing groups, Perth writers centres

The Story Mentor (@a.r.levett) will be sharing The Secrets of Storytelling at PCWC again in 2025! 💫📚 Want to start work on your first writing project but don’t know where to begin? The Secrets of Storytelling offers an in-depth teaching of the structural tools used by best-selling authors, as well as creating a supportive and encouraging community of like-minded writers. ✍️ Bookings for this highly comprehensive course are now open - click the link in our bio to secure your place! 🔗 #petercowanwriterscentre #thestorymentor #writingsociety #writingworkshop #perthauthors #perthwriters bookstagram, booktok, writing courses, Perth writing groups, writers centre, literature, writing support, Perth writing community

Having trouble fitting all of your story’s elements together as a cohesive whole? ✍️ Join The Story Mentor at PCWC to learn about the classic Hero’s Journey Structure. During the workshop, you will: ⭐️ Discover how the classic 3-Act Structure works ⭐️ Learn the 12 stages of the Hero’s Journey ⭐️ Map the Hero’s Journey to the classic 3-Act Structure ⭐️ Understand how the Hero’s Journey is used in popular stories ⭐️ Apply the Hero’s Journey to your existing story. Click the link in our bio for more information. 🔗 #petercowanwriterscentre #writingwa #thestorymentor #writingcommunity #perthauthors #perth bookstagram, booktok, literature, writing workshops, writing workshops perth, writing groups perth

📝 PERSONAL ESSAY WORKSHOP 📝 Curious about venturing into personal essay writing? Join Daniel Juckes at PCWC for an informative deep dive into the writing form. Ticket link and further info in our bio. 🔗 🏷️ #petercowanwriterscentre #writingwa #writingworkshop #perthauthors #personalessay booktok, bookstagram, writing workshops ,literature, personal essay, Perth writing support, Perth writing classes

Are you submitting your work into competitions but not finding any success? 🤔 Come to our next Sector Session with Dr Rashida Murphy! 📚 Rashida is a highly experienced literary competition judge. Having judged competitions such as the WA Premier’s Literary Award and The Hungerford Award (and most recently, our 600 Word Short Story Competition!), she offers a wealth of experience to help you get set for success. 📝🏆 Tickets are selling fast - click the link in our bio to book! 🏷️ #petercowanwriterscentre #writingwa #wawriters #perthbooks #perthcreatives #perthwriters #perthauthors bookstagram, booktok, writing workshops, Perth writing groups, writing competitions

There is only ONE PLACE available in Josephine Taylor’s life writing course! ✍️ Swipe to read a testimonial from past course participant, Ally Millington. ⭐ 📚 Click the link in our bio to secure your spot! 🔗 🏷️ #petercowanwriterscentre #writingwa #perthauthors #writing booktok, bookstagram, Perth writing courses, writers centre, Perth writing groups, life writing, biography, non-fiction writing

Writing Life’s Stories with Josephine Taylor begins in ONE WEEK! 🤩 Swipe to read a testimonial from past course participant, Natalie Bock. ➡️ Click the link in our bio to secure your spot in the course! 📝 🔗 @jtaylorauthor 🏷️ #petercowanwriterscentre #writingwa #perthwriters #perthbooks #perthcreatives bookstagram, booktok, literature, writing classes, Perth writing classes, things to do in Perth, writing support, writing groups, writers centre