Our Student Success Stories
Here are some success stories from our students from around the world.
If your story, manuscript or article was accepted for publication after completing one of our courses, please do let us know: info@thewriterscollege.com
How One of Our Students Became New Zealand’s Most Wanted… Author
We are so proud of one of our very own graduates in New Zealand, Gareth Ward, who studied on the Write a Novel Course under the guidance of the wonderful Alex Smith.
Gareth wrote The Traitor and the Thief on the course, described by readers as ‘a cracker’ and ‘a story for all ages’. This thrilling steampunk adventure went on to win the 2016 Storylines Tessa Duder Award, the 2018 Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Youth Novel, and a 2018 Storylines Notable Book Award, as well as being a finalist in two categories at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Not bad for a debut!
But Gareth was just getting started. Since then, he has built an impressive and wonderfully varied catalogue of eight novels, from the steampunk sequel The Clockill and the Thief, to the comic fantasy of the Tarquin the Honest series, to the cosy crime world of The Bookshop Detectives (co-authored with his wife, Louise).
The latest series has taken on a life of its own, with Dead Girl Gone becoming the number one bestselling New Zealand fiction title of 2024, and the follow-up, Tea and Cake and Death, taking home the Booksellers’ Choice Adult Award in 2025.
Gareth, you give courage to every writer who has ever stared at a blank page and wondered what if. We couldn’t be more delighted for you!
From Numbers to Narrative: How a Writing Course Launched an Award-Winning Career
Can a creative writing course transform an aspiring writer into an award-winning novelist? The extraordinary path of New Zealand author Suzanne Main proves that it absolutely can. Before capturing the hearts of young readers nationwide, Main spent her days working as an accountant. However, a deep-seated desire to create led her to enrol in the Basics of Creative Writing Course at NZ Writers’ College, studying under the guidance of tutor Helen Brain.
This decision sparked a phenomenal literary career. Armed with the foundational tools, feedback and confidence gained during her studies, Main channelled her new skills directly into her debut children’s novel. The results were immediate and historic. Her manuscript for How I Alienated My Grandma won the prestigious 2014 Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award. Once published, it became a Storylines Notable Book and a children’s choice finalist in the 2015 NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
Far from a one-hit wonder, Main proved that the discipline and techniques learned in her course created a sustainable path forward. Her follow-up adventure, How Not to Stop a Kidnap, was named an NZ Book Awards finalist in 2018. Demonstrating the massive commercial appeal of her work, both novels were subsequently optioned for film. Main’s literary momentum has only grown, culminating in the 2025 release of her highly anticipated third novel, The Hatchling.
For any aspiring writer sitting on a story idea, Main’s transition to celebrated author is a huge inspiration, proving how structured mentorship and creative dedication can turn a distant dream into a thriving, multi-book career.
From a Stephen King Novel to the Shelves of the World — Celebrating Martin Steyn!
Martin Steyn came to SA Writers’ College to study the Write a Novel Course, and left with the manuscript that would launch one of the most celebrated careers in Afrikaans crime fiction.
Martin’s path to writing was anything but a straight line. As a boy, he wasn’t a passionate reader, but then at age fifteen, he picked up a Stephen King novel at the local library and everything changed. It was while reading IT that the writing bug truly bit. His first story — 26 handwritten pages crammed with devil worshippers and space aliens — was, by his own admission, not particularly wonderful. But he was hooked.
Martin studied at SA Writers’ College with acclaimed Afrikaans author Wilna Adriaanse. Working on his manuscript chapter by chapter through the course, Martin found in Wilna not just a tutor but a turning point. Her sharp editorial eye and unwavering support stayed with him long after the course ended, all the way to the final manuscript of Donker Spoor. In 2013, that manuscript landed on the desk of Cecilia Britz at LAPA Uitgewers. On what began as an ordinary day, an acceptance email arrived and Martin’s dream came true.
Since that debut, Martin has gone from strength to strength. Donker Spoor was published in English as Dark Traces, earning a prestigious Kirkus Star Review in 2017 — a rare honour awarded to only a fraction of books reviewed. His novels Donker Spoor and Skuldig both won the ATKV-Woordveertjie for Spanningslektuur (the top Afrikaans prize for thriller fiction) in 2015 and 2016 respectively. His work has been translated into English, Turkish and Albanian, bringing South African crime fiction to readers across the globe. His most recent novel, Donker Water (2024), was met with rapturous reviews, and his short story collection Skimme en Spoorsoekers followed in 2026.
Six novels. International translations. Award after award. And it all began with a writing course that changed everything.
Martin is proof that the right tutor at the right moment can unlock a remarkable writing career. Explore Martin’s work at martinsteyn.co.za
From Our Courses to the Bookshelves of a Nation — Celebrating Siya Masuku!
Siya Masuku completed our Basic Creative Writing Course in 2017 and then returned to study our Advanced Creative Writing Course in 2020. Because great writers never stop learning!
Siya arrived at SA Writers’ College already on a remarkable trajectory. The year before enrolling, he had successfully crowdfunded his own publishing platform at 113% of his target and released his first book, Siyafunda: isiZulu. He came to us hungry to sharpen his craft, and sharpen it he did. That same year he studied with us, he was honoured with the prestigious David Koloane Arts Writing Award, and went on to lecture at both the University of Johannesburg and North-West University on book arts, identity and cultural preservation.
Since then, Siya has authored, illustrated and published more than 20 works — spanning children’s picture books, young adult graphic novels and short animation film. His most ambitious works, the graphic novels Inhlansi (2022) and ZULOSOFI (2025), are written in isiZulu and English under his pen name KHULZULU, and carry forewords from two of South Africa’s most celebrated literary voices, Gcina Mhlophe and Sindiwe Magona respectively — a remarkable testament to the esteem in which his work is held.
But Siya is far more than a writer. He is a publisher, filmmaker, illustrator, advocate and institution-builder. He has served on the IBBY SA board, including as its Chairperson, joined the board of the National Library of South Africa, spoken at the Gothenburg Book Fair, and delivered the keynote at the 3rd Biennial Reading Summit in 2025. All of this in service of a single, powerful mission: getting indigenous languages — isiZulu, Setswana, isiXhosa, Sotho and Swazi — onto the bookshelves and screens of South African children.
Siya, you are an inspiration to every writer who has ever wanted to change the world, one story at a time. We couldn’t be prouder to call you one of our graduates.
From the TV Screen to the Page: Celebrating Salamina Mosese!
Well-known TV actress Salamina Mosese had a blog she’d been running for years. She even named it A Page In My Book, because she always knew a book was coming. She just kept putting it off. Life, as it does, kept happening.
Then lockdown arrived. With a three-month-old baby, a ten-year-old to homeschool, and a creeping realisation that there were almost no books for South African children who looked like her daughter Tumi, Salamina finally sat down and enrolled in our Write a Children’s Book Course under the guidance of tutor Helen Brain.
‘I challenged myself to try and write a book for a child like my daughter that would be entertaining, light-hearted and entirely South African.’
Written on a barstool, at the kitchen table, from midnight until 3 a.m. each night, Disaster at Gogo’s Spaza was published by NB Publishers in 2022. It’s a warm, funny story of three cousins, their beloved Gogo and the chaos of children left briefly in charge. The sequel, Cook-Off at Gogo’s Spaza (2024), brought the family back together to celebrate South African food, community and the glorious mess of family life.
Her book went on to win both the Children’s Category and the Overall Award at the 2025 SA Book Awards.
Her third book, Neo’s Invisible Blanket (2025), turns its warm gaze to childhood fear and bravery, inspired by watching her nephew and daughters face their own small, daily battles.
One writing course led to three books, two major writing awards and a new generation of South African children finding themselves on the page.
Salamina, you are proof that the book you’ve been meaning to write is just waiting for you to start.
From Stage to Page: The Multi-Talented Literary Journey of Riaan Grobler
In the competitive arena of South African arts and entertainment, few individuals boast a repertoire as diverse and celebrated as Riaan Grobler. Already a household name as a vibrant PretoriaFM radio announcer, TV presenter, actor and chart-topping singer with seven national albums, Grobler recently achieved a thrilling career hat-trick by cementing his status as a bestselling Afrikaans novelist.
Grobler has possessed a lifelong passion for storytelling and enrolled in the Skryf ’n roman kursus (Write a Novel Course) at SA Writers’ College, stdying under the expert guidance of acclaimed romance novelist and tutor Elsa Winckler.
Over an intensive year and a half, Grobler crafted a high-stakes narrative. The result? His debut manuscript, Geheime op Philadelphia, was immediately snapped up and published by Luca, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa. Proving that his SA Writers College training laid the foundation for a sustainable literary career, Grobler penned another two novels, following up his bestselling debut with the hit romance Hospitaal Weltevreden and his third highly entertaining book, Die avonture van Helga Roets, published by Human & Rousseau. Today, alongside his role as a music compiler for RSG, Grobler continues to inspire writers nationwide, proving that structured mentorship can turn talent into commercial success. Read more about Riaan’s books here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.co.za/authors/riaan-grobler/
Juliana Giraldo completed several of our creative writing courses. Juliana let us know,
‘My novel “Ain’t no wave pool” is now finally self published under the pen name JK Starling and earning good reviews. I would particularly like to thank Sonny Whitelaw and Alex Smith, who were amazing tutors.’
Well done Juliana!
Graduate student Catriona Findlay was a co-author of the book Searching for Ann Walker – an historical non-fiction anthology set in 19th-century England. It was published in April 2026. Here is the link to Amazon. https://amzn.eu/d/0cT42GWF.
Isobel Brink recently completed our Self-publish Your e-Book Course. She has now finished and published her first novel, ANNA (Stories of Dingle Bay). under the pen name Isa Brinn.
Abigail Hageman has completed our Short Story Writing Course and the Introduction to Poetry Course. She then went on to do our Self-publish Your e-Book Course and published her first fiction book, Conscience. Well done Abigail!