Daniel Keene won the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards for best Drama Script. 70510 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By Vanessa Chircop
DANIEL Keene was one of several talented writers to be awarded a Queensland Premier’s Literary Award.
His script, ‘Life Without Me’, scored him the best drama script at the awards.
But the veteran theatre writer is no stranger to these awards, also bagging the New South Wales Premier’s Literary Award three times and the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award twice.
The Spotswood resident told Star even though he has been writing for a long time the awards are still encouraging.
“It’s also gratifying winning an award when other really good work has been nominated,” he said.
Daniel began in the theatre industry as an actor and director but quickly realised his talents better suited him as a writer.
His writing, which has been predominantly performed on the stages of Europe, is quite diverse with his winning script being performed by the Melbourne Theatre Company last year.
“The play that won is a comedy, it’s about seven people who get stuck in a hotel lobby and about how they end up relating to each other,” he said.
Despite 30 years of writing under his belt and countless scripts and awards, Daniel said he doesn’t believe in writer’s block.
“I think that sometimes there’s just nothing to write about.”
The father of two agreed staying motivated can be difficult and advises other budding writers to be persistent.
“I think it’s a matter of creating a kind of habit and rhythm,” he said.
“It’s easy to say and hard to do.”
Overall there were 13 winners recognised by the 2011 Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards with a total prize pool of $230,000.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said all the winners have unique and exceptional talents and form part of an impressive roll call of writers producing Australia’s finest literature.
