Who Says It’s Impossible to Start a Writing Career Over Fifty?
On Writing Well
My dad always said I’d be a late bloomer. At the time I didn’t know what he meant but now I think I do.
As a little girl, I lived in a turbulent home. One of my parents wasn’t emotionally available for me during the most crucial developmental years of my life. There were many days I locked myself in my room, at the age of thirteen, where I sat down and wrote stories. Writing, at that time, was my means of escape from the chaos in my home where I jumped into a world of imagination, discovery, and beauty.
Since then, writing has been my main source of expression. It helps me sort out my thoughts and work through dilemmas I’ve run into during the course of my life. As a youngster, there wasn’t a day I didn’t write. My Dad was a writer and my mom, an English Literature Major, loved books. She was an avid reader.
Although they were involved in their personal adult dramas, they instilled their love of writing and books upon me.
At an early age, I knew I wanted to be a writer. Unfortunately, my goals veered off track during high school; married at nineteen with two kids by age twenty-two. Needless to say, I have a wonderful life and a beautiful family but there is a part of me that yearns to develop my lost love. I want to write.
As I write this article I’m fast approaching the age of fifty-five. In order to carve out some time for serious writing, I detached myself from the family business and had to make some big decisions regarding what I wanted to do with the rest of my life rather than doing for everyone else.
It’s not impossible to begin again over fifty but it is hard work and requires tremendous dedication, the will to learn, and a humble heart.
Rules to Writing Well: Actually None of These Rules are Set in Stone…..
Many famous authors give their advice on how they honed their craft to become the successful writers that they are. Stephen King, in his book, On Writing, says he writes 364 days of the year. With the number of books he’s published, I believe it. This is his method and it works for him.
Although we may want to write 364 days a year, life steps in and says, “Not so fast. You have other pressing responsibilities to attend to first.” It’s true, as much as we want to write, express our thoughts and connect with fellow writers, often enough, life won’t allow it. This is why I cherish my writing time.
Rule Number 1: Write when you can and as often as you can. I’m known for grabbing my laptop under my arm while I rush out of my house and drive to the park. There are days you’ll find me hunkered down and pounding away at my laptop inside my car because my household is too busy and the urge to write surges through me with lightning force.
Rule Number 2: Tell yourself Writer’s Block doesn’t exist. I’m a fly by the seat of your pants writer. I put my pen to paper and let it rip but that’s not for everyone. It can be if you allow yourself to get out of the way (your monkey mind) put the pen to the paper, fingers to the keyboard, and allow the words to flow without thinking about it and without hesitation. You’ll be surprised what comes out.
Rule Number Three: A writer is also a journalist, a historian, and a detective of sorts. If you have a topic you want to write about but aren’t sure of specific details, research it. Take notes, learn and then write. We never stop learning. We never stop evolving and growing. As a writer, retaining information, reading and learning is part of the job.
Rule Number Four: We heard this a thousand times but here it is again. Read! Become an avid reader. Read anything and everything you can get your hands on. Reading helps you notice different writing styles, you learn different ways to present phrases and ideas on paper, you may notice some grammar and punctuation styles you can improve on, and most importantly, you enjoy a good story. Some of my favorite authors are Charles Dickens, Jack London, Isabelle Allende, and Jodi Picoult.
It goes without saying, everyone is different. We have extensive backgrounds and different rhythms of lifestyles. Activity during the day doesn’t leave me much time for writing which is why I wake up every morning at 4:30 am while the house is quiet. I make myself a hot cup of coffee, sit down at my desk and write uninterrupted with only myself and my thoughts.
When it comes to writing, happiness is sitting at my desk crafting stories and pieces for readers and for myself. Writing enables me to express my thoughts and ideas while working to improve my skills which I hope will benefit the reader too.
Currently, I’m taking an editorial class while learning to format my own books and write as much as possible (4:30 am). It’s my belief the best way to improve your skill is simply, write. And that’s what I do. My family thinks I’ve lost my marbles while my husband sits on ready for when I become a millionaire. No millionaires here I tell him.
I write because I love to feel my pen flow across the paper. My heart remembers my dream of becoming a writer. Is it possible to begin a career over fifty? If it’s something you love to do, then let nothing stand in the way of your dreams.
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