19/04/2025
Spotlight On: Gavin Clifton – The Disabled Writer Who’s Been Amplifying Voices for Years!
At the The WordGroove Collective, we’re here to uplift bold, creatively brilliant voices, and few are more daring or more passionate than Gavin Clifton, known across the creative world as The Disabled Writer.
As a core member, chief wordsmith and co-driver of The WordGroove Collective, Gavin plays a key role in shaping our vision. A creative space where disabled voices are celebrated, not sidelined. He’s a champion for authentic representation, using every platform he has to shift perceptions and open up the world of diverse storytelling to everyone.
But Gavin’s story didn’t start with books; it began with music. A passionate lyricist and songwriter long before he became a bestselling author, Gavin has written lyrics that give voice to emotion, resilience, and the raw reality of life with cerebral palsy. His songs have been performed, recorded, and shared with audiences worldwide, and they continue to resonate with those seeking education, honesty, and heart. He has worked with the likes of 80s hit-making band The Korgis, best known for their timeless Worldwide hit *'Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime'. *(This song has nothing to do with Gavin. The song he's co-written with The Korgis is called 'Fast and Loose.) However, Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime continues to be covered today, with notable versions by Jeff Beck, Erasure, and Queen. Gavin has also written the lyrics for a charity song called 'Dreams and Wishes,' recorded by Peter Karrie from The Phantom of the Opera. He has also collaborated with many talented songwriters, musicians, and artists from around the globe.
His songwriting spark evolved into a broader storytelling mission, one that stems from his own experiences of living with cerebral palsy and a speech impediment, one that led him to write and publish books that educate children about disability, acceptance, courage and kindness, and centre disabled characters not as afterthoughts, but as main characters. His first children's book, 'Max And The Magic Wish,' became an Amazon bestseller in 2021.
And now? He’s gone digital, using online platforms to share his journey, connect with others, and advocate for inclusion through creativity and his lived experience. He currently has over 30,000 followers across all his social media platforms.
Through writing, music, speaking using AAC, and his unfiltered narrative, as well as unapologetic advocacy, Gavin is making space for stories that matter, and we couldn’t be prouder to have him as a leading voice in The WordGroove Collective.
Follow him. Support his mission. And get ready, because he's on a mission to inspire change that makes a difference and strives to make society more accessible and inclusive for everyone.
Gavin's mantra is, 'It's okay to be different, and be accepted for who you are as well as accepting others.' .
https://www.facebook.com/TheDisabledWriter82
