Tag Archives: writing

Expanding the Moment

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Karen Whitelaw

Sometimes I come across a passage of writing that stops time. It’s a magical moment where the writing creates a strange paradox: the words go on but time itself stops long enough for me to observe this expanded, intense and … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

500 Characters

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Karen Whitelaw

The swarming crowds on Miyajima Island don’t climb the hill behind Itsukushima Temple. Thankfully. They’re mesmerised by the temple itself which seems to float on water at high tide. From the boardwalks they have an amazing view of the famous … Continue reading →

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

Friday Fictioneers – 8 August

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Karen Whitelaw

Every Friday writers from around the world contribute 100 word stories prompted by a photograph. Rochelle Wisoff-Fields co-ordinates Friday Fictioneers. Thank you, Rochelle. Here’s my story and you can check out the others on Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers blog. Slippages Made … Continue reading →

Posted in Short stories, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 57 Comments

Writing in Digital Time

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Karen Whitelaw

Since I embraced the digital era in the last year – yes, I’m a slow learner – I’ve started to fear my writing has suffered for it. Time I used to spend redrafting stories has gone into writing blog posts. … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Writers’ Secret Weapon: vulnerability

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Karen Whitelaw

I once heard Peter Carey, two times winner of the Man Booker, tell Phillip Adams on ABC’s Late Night Live that the week before a new book comes out he can find himself curled on the floor in a foetal … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 31 Comments

Reading in Public

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Karen Whitelaw

I stand in front of an audience clutching my stories in my shaking hands. My voice trembles in sympathy. You’d think I’d be used to it by now, but no, reading in public always has that effect on me. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Guest Blogger – Jessie Ansons

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Karen Whitelaw

How to keep motivated when you never seem to win I recently came second place in the Newcastle Herald’s Summer Short Story competition with my story, The Deepest of Blues. I won my first ever prize for writing and it … Continue reading →

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