Maud Light was born at Karaka Hill, Thames Goldfield. She was educated at the Public School, Darling Rd, Balmain, in Sydney. Leaving school at fourteen she began work as a dressmaker. Light describes herself as having a 'checkered career of housework and dressmaking.' (Australian Autobiographies, vol.1) At one time she also worked as a school teacher. In her free time she read and wrote.
In a biographical note in The Bulletin Story Book (1901), Light briefly describes her writing career - her disappointments in not winning a prize in a competition in the Age and her delight in being published in The Bulletin - 'All the paper in The Bulletin office would not suffice to express the hilarity of your humble servant on finding a concoction of her own in the Xmas number of 1899. There's only one thing better - getting the cheque for it.' (The story was 'Sam's Wife'.)
