Maureen Ten came to Australia from Malaysia with her family in 1989.
She was awarded a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from the University of Malaya and a Master of Arts degree in literature from the University of Kent, United Kingdom. She has worked as a reporter, feature writer, columnist, assistant television producer, documentary film maker, copywriter, audio visual manager, university tutor, teacher and book editor.
In 1988, 'Makan Anzin' (an improvisation for five actors) and another piece for the stage, 'For the Time Being', were performed by the British Council in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She has held membership of the New South Wales Writers' Centre and Poets' Union, Australia. From 2001 she has been active in organizing poetry and discussion evenings to bring together poets, artists and other creative people from diverse cultural backgrounds. A portion of her article 'Why I Am So Envious of Woody Allen' was read during the Film Program on Radio National. Her work was read at the Live Poets' Society in 2000-2004, Rudolf Steiner House, Sydney, in 2001-2004, Brett Whiteley Studios, Sydney, in 2000-2003 and the New South Wales Writers' Centre in 2006.