'Spoken word performer' performs in Beijing

Australian author Maxine Beneba Clarke today talks of the Australian Emerging Writers' Festival and the opportunities it creates for aspiring young writers in her homeland.

Maxine was in Beijing recently as part of the annual Australian Writers Week. In her early days as a writer she was also a poet, or as she explains, a 'spoken word performer'! This was a great way to quickly have her work noticed. Maxine loved performing and during her visit to Beijing she performed in front of student and literary audiences.

Maxine has been described as a 'small tidal wave' within Australia's literary establishment. Talking with Maxine, she comes over as a fascinating person with some fascinating stories.

Maxine was very honoured and pleased to have been invited to participate in the Australian Writers Week and sees this as an opportunity to present a view of Australia from her personal perspective.