‘Now is the perfect time to start blogging, the tools and platforms are so much easier. Most are free.’

‘Entertain yourself first. Never write what you think a kid or teen might like if it doesn’t genuinely humour or entertain or thrill or sadden you.’

‘No one knows quite what ‘Australian comics’ are, and everyone is eager to figure it out for themselves, which is a wonderful place to be creatively.’

Portia chats to us about pursuing her deep passion for regional arts development and uncovering budding talents.

‘I want writing to remain a delight, and to remind myself that it is an opportunity to spread love and a few smiles.’

‘At its best the short story can simply stick in the memory and haunt the reader for a long time afterwards…’

‘Find fresh language that only you could write – don’t tell me about a ‘sore throat’, ‘aching back’, ‘supple muscles’.’

‘A critic should set out without too many preconceived notions about what they might find before they’ve begun.’

‘The best picture books often have a beautiful seamlessness between the text and the illustrations, so that a reader can barely distinguish how the story finally comes to them.’