Tell Your Story with Faber Writing Academy - Interview with Pip Smith
- Allen & Unwin
- Jul 31
- 4 min read
We chat to Pip Smith, Manager of Faber Writing Academy, the writing school inside Allen & Unwin!
A&U: Hey Pip! Thanks so much for chatting to us. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and Faber Writing Academy?
PS: I am a poet and writer of fiction who was a scholarship recipient in the Faber Writing Academy’s Writing a Novel program in 2015. Since then I went on to publish my first novel, Half Wild, with Allen and Unwin in 2017, and I became a tutor for the academy about six years ago. In that time I’ve also published two picture books and a YA novel, and am now half(ish) way through writing another literary/ historical novel for adults. It’s scary being in the weeds of a draft again, but it puts me on the same page with my students who are all stumbling through, trying to find their way as well.
I absolutely love teaching. I love helping writers hone their voices and sharpen their eye for what makes a piece of writing sing. I am now the manager of the Faber Writing Academy, and continue to teach for the organisation. In this new role I am learning so much about how to tailor our courses to help meet the needs of a wider range of people at different stages of their writing journeys. We have grown our range of advanced courses for Writing a Novel alumni, to help more students reach completion of their manuscripts, and to help open doors for publication. I want to see more quality, home-grown Australian writing on our shelves, and heading up a school that is dedicated to making this happen is my idea of the perfect job!
A&U: What do you think is the best thing about doing a course with FWA?
PS: I have taught at universities, writers centres and for the Faber Writing Academy, and I genuinely believe that we are in the prime position to offer courses designed to create the best, most publishable writing. We have fantastic student-to-tutor ratios, with classes capped at 12. We offer a great deal of tutor attention on students’ works in progress, so that they get practical, actionable feedback that will make their work stronger. We offer many connections with industry, primarily through the circulation of the Faber Writing Anthology, both in Australia and the UK, and through the industry guests who make regular appearances in our long courses. We have a high number of returning students, and this helps turn the academy into dynamic community of like-minded writers all trying to reach the same goals, and further their craft.
A&U: Can you tell us a little bit about FWA’s scholarships?
PS: We offer one full scholarship place in all our long programs – Writing a Novel, Writing a YA Novel, Writing a Speculative Fiction Novel, Writing Creative Nonfiction and Writing a Creative Nonfiction Book. We also offer a scholarship place in three of our short courses: Writing a Literary Essay, Writing Poetry, and Writing and Disrupting Short Fiction. This is our way of ensuring we are reaching talented writers who would not otherwise be able to afford our programs.
A&U: What advice would you give to someone who might be interested in doing a course, but is feeling a little nervous about it?
PS: Know that you are not alone! Everyone who takes a course is feeling nervous about writing – that’s exactly why they’re taking a course! What better idea than to band together, support each other, help each other with your drafts, and share your insights and ideas with each other! You may go on to make connections that will continue to serve you for years to come. I’d also say that if you’re nervous, that is a good sign. It means that you care about the craft, and want to execute it well. Being a writer means learning to live with that vulnerability, and to listen to it, to let it help you write truthfully, and craft your work to a high standard. It’s also about training that inner critic (which is probably the voice that is making you nervous) to be kind and constructive in its feedback, not cruel and destructive.
A&U: What has been the most rewarding part about your work with FWA?
PS: As a teacher, we’re offered a glimpse into the rich imaginative worlds of so many people. You get to know people so well – what they care about and their life experience that they bring to the page. You see the best in people – not the side of them that is a work robot! It’s a very rewarding vocation. Without a doubt the next most rewarding aspect of my role would be seeing my students who I taught in our beginners’ program, Kickstart Your Novel, progress through the longer Writing a Novel course and have their completed manuscript win awards! I love seeing my students build communities with each other, support each other through the otherwise isolating process of writing a novel, and cheer each other on when they meet with success. It’s the best!
A&U: Where would be the best place to go for more information about FWA?
PS: Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for all the latest news, sign up to our newsletter and check out the courses on our website!
For making it to the end of this article, we wanted to reward all you interested readers with an EXCLUSIVE 20% discount on selected Faber Writing Academy courses!
Enter code FABER20 at checkout for any of the selected courses:
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