Author Archives: Karen Whitelaw

Writing Colour

Posted on November 11, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

This week I watched my friend Virginia, an intuitive painter, throw aquamarine and cobalt blue onto a green, purple and vermilion background, and then spray on water so the gleaming paint dripped down the canvas like rain. I could drown in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Man Booker Winner 2016

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

I heard Paul Beatty talking about his novel The Sellout on Radio National’s Books and Arts . It’s an insightful interview by Sky Kirkham. The Australian Independent Bookseller had this to say about the novel that won this year’s Man … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Big Journey of a Little Fiction

Posted on September 9, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

Who would have believed that one little 200 word story could travel so far? Other stories I’ve had published, 20 times as big, live in the dark pages on my bookshelf after their five minutes in the spotlight. ‘Koi’ keeps … Continue reading →

Posted in fiction, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Artist Date

Posted on August 16, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

When I ask my inner artist on a date to Carriageworks to see Francesco Clemente’s exhibition Encampment, my critic says dryly, ‘How imaginative! Taking your artist to an art space.’ Does my critic ever wonder why I never invite her? I plan it carefully. I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in art, Short stories, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

What is Microlit?

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

Short shorts/ microlit/ flash fiction/ microfiction/ very short stories, by any other name would be as… umm… short. The deadline for the national Newcastle Writers’ Festival/Joanne Burns Award 2016 is gaining on us – 31st August. See details here. That might … Continue reading →

Posted in Short stories, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Award Winning Australian Writing 2016

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

                Last Thursday I got the exciting news my story ‘Koi’, which won the Inaugural Newcastle Writers’s Festival Microlit Competition has been selected for the Award Winning Australian Writing 2016 anthology! And to top it off … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, short story competitions, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 27 Comments

Speech Recognition Software

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

Over the past year I’ve noticed that my hands and wrists are becoming sore from typing. Not just the soreness from overuse but there’s been some nerve pain too. So I started looking up speech recognition software on the Internet, … Continue reading →

Posted in technology, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

THE NWF/JOANNE BURNS AWARD 2016

Posted on June 16, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

It’s time again for the Microlit Award jointly-sponsored by the Newcastle Writers Festival and Spineless Wonders. Finalists in 2015 saw their work made into visual presentations. Very exciting! Check out my winning story under ‘videos’ here. In 2016 finalists will be considered for … Continue reading →

Posted in competitions, fiction | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

In Defense of Procrastination

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

Some writers think procrastination is the same as being blocked. Some call procrastination thinking. I’ve just watched a Ted Talk by Adam Grant called ‘Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers.’ He conducted a study which makes a strong case for the procrastination-as-thinking camp. Grant is … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, Writing, writing process | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Sydney Writers’ Festival here we come

Posted on April 23, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

Well, dear Reader, I won the Microlit competition! The video presentations of each story were amazing! For me they opened up a whole new range of possibilities for text in multimedia. The words were part of a bigger work of art … Continue reading →

Posted in competitions, Short stories | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments