Looking for short snippets of writing advice?

Written by Lisa Clifford, author, journalist, and founder of The Art of Writing, our blogs cover thought-provoking insights about everything "writing."

Articles

The Phone Has Won

Lisa Clifford

Our attention is broken into so many tiny pieces now. I’m bereft at how scattered our minds have become. It’s very difficult to stay on point as writers. When I...

The Phone Has Won

Lisa Clifford

Our attention is broken into so many tiny pieces now. I’m bereft at how scattered our minds have become. It’s very difficult to stay on point as writers. When I...

What Did Zeitgeist Literary Agency say?

Lisa Clifford

What a beautiful three days we had at The Art of Writing in Sydney at Woollahra Library in Double Bay. Seriously, the vibe, the atmosphere was sublime. Twenty writers with...

What Did Zeitgeist Literary Agency say?

Lisa Clifford

What a beautiful three days we had at The Art of Writing in Sydney at Woollahra Library in Double Bay. Seriously, the vibe, the atmosphere was sublime. Twenty writers with...

A Wee Backstory Reminder

Lisa Clifford

RESIST! You know the moment. Your character walks into a room, looks at an old photograph and suddenly we are dragged through her childhood, her parents’ marriage, the death of...

A Wee Backstory Reminder

Lisa Clifford

RESIST! You know the moment. Your character walks into a room, looks at an old photograph and suddenly we are dragged through her childhood, her parents’ marriage, the death of...

If I Wanted a Summary, I'd Read the Back Cover.

Lisa Clifford

Every week I open a manuscript full of promise, only to discover the best bits have already happened. 'They argued.' 'She was devastated.' 'He fell in love.'  Thank you. That's...

If I Wanted a Summary, I'd Read the Back Cover.

Lisa Clifford

Every week I open a manuscript full of promise, only to discover the best bits have already happened. 'They argued.' 'She was devastated.' 'He fell in love.'  Thank you. That's...

Word count and why I keep asking about it.

Lisa Clifford

It always sounds as if I’m hassling everyone about their word count because I'm worried about numbers. That’s not it at all. I look at word count because every stage of your...

Word count and why I keep asking about it.

Lisa Clifford

It always sounds as if I’m hassling everyone about their word count because I'm worried about numbers. That’s not it at all. I look at word count because every stage of your...

Too Much Showing, Not Enough Telling

Lisa Clifford

I've spent the past week reading manuscripts from writers all over Australia and overseas. Fabulous historical fiction from Florence, spot of memoir, quite a bit of climate fantasy, and a...

Too Much Showing, Not Enough Telling

Lisa Clifford

I've spent the past week reading manuscripts from writers all over Australia and overseas. Fabulous historical fiction from Florence, spot of memoir, quite a bit of climate fantasy, and a...