(A Writer’s) Age Is Just A Number
By Guest | March 30, 2012 |
Kath here. Today’s guest is WU community member Mary Incontro. Mary is a former federal prosecutor hard at work on her first novel, a work of legal fiction. During her career as a reporter on Capitol Hill, an attorney and public prosecutor, writing has been a huge part of Mary’s professional life; now she is ready to take everything she’s learned about storytelling and dive into writing commercial fiction.
She lives with her husband on the Jersey shore (“I’ve seen Snooki, but we’ve never actually met,” she says ) and is a serious baseball fan. We think you’ll love her first guest post with us. Take it away, Mary!
(A Writer’s) Age Is Just A Number
How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? – Satchel Paige
I have been on Twitter for a couple of years now and realized, a few months ago, that I’ve been somewhat vague about my age. So (heavy sigh) I will reveal my age in this post. I’ll give you some clues:
- The first time my husband asked me out, I already had tickets with a friend to see Perry Como.
- Britney and Justin? When I watched the Mickey Mouse Club, it was Annette and Bobby, Karen and Cubby.
- I stood in line for hours to see the premiere of A Hard Day’s Night. It was the summer before my sophomore year in high school.
You could check with IMDb but I’ll save you the trouble. That movie came out in 1964 when I was 15. So now I am 63. I have never been self-conscious about my age, so why am I now? Because I am writing my first novel and…
Backstory
I have always wanted to be a writer but I took a detour by going to law school. Over nearly 25 years, I was a federal prosecutor and also held various policy level jobs in government. I loved my career.
I never lost the desire to write.
Writing has been a part of every job I’ve had since college. As a radio news reporter, I wrote my own news. On Capitol Hill, I wrote speeches and press releases. As a lawyer, I wrote pleadings and memos and policy documents.
Every time I tried a criminal case, I had to decide how best to tell the jury the story of what happened. Who should be the first witness: the victim or the first person to arrive on the scene? Which witness would have the strongest impact on the jurors, would compel their attention for the duration of the trial? And, of course, I wanted to close each case with as strong a witness as possible. The art of narrative, I found, was essential to presenting a good case at trial.
Story-telling was in my blood.
Plot Twist
So when I finally sat down to write fiction, I thought I had the tools but I didn’t know what I didn’t know. About a year into my writing, I took part in a small group workshop where we critiqued each other’s work. I submitted a story that was a fictionalized version of a case I had handled involving the murder of a toddler. I will never forget the very first comment from a fellow workshopper: “Why did I have to read this?” As the group leader, a noted editor, explained, my writing was good but there was no real conflict to speak of (the defendants confessed) nor was any character changed by the events. And the description of the autopsy may have been a bit too detailed.
I realized that while I could write, I didn’t know enough about the craft of writing. So I’ve spent a lot of time trying to remedy that, reading books on craft, attending conferences and workshops, taking writing classes online, participating in critique groups. I’ve learned how to read like a writer and watch movies like a writer.
In the midst of all this, I discovered Twitter. Mystified by it at first – do people really want to know what I had for breakfast? Um, no – I discovered a world of writers, agents, readers, publicists, people as much in love with books as I am! And it’s such a generous group, giving advice, support, encouragement. I have discovered so many good writers and wonderful books through Twitter.
I have continued to write and, finally, I know I have a better sense of what I’m doing. I’m working now on a novel about a young boy who has to testify against his mom’s accused killer. I am constantly writing and revising this novel and I love the whole process.
Conflict
But recently, as if to mock my newfound writerly confidence, I have read too many articles about agents and publishers who say they are not interested in first-time writers my age. Some of the articles even advise not to disclose one’s advanced age to prospective agents until asked.
I get all that. I really do. Publishing is a business and there are so many talented young writers who have the potential to write several good books in their lifetimes.
But here’s the thing. I don’t feel old. Actually, I’m pretty hip. I love the music of Amy Winehouse and Zooey Deschanel. I like Drake. I cried at the end of Hustle and Flow. Okay, I did have to google Lana del Rey, but I suspect I’m not alone in that.
So who are “they,” these writers of discouraging articles, to tell older first-time writers that we don’t have much to offer? I think we do. We’ve had a lot of experiences in our lives and we’re able to take the long view. We know how to put things in perspective. I’ll bet that if you’re like me, you can think of lots of other reasons that agents and publishers should give us a chance. I would love to hear them!
Resolution So despite my fear of being written off as an old lady by agents, publishers, and even fellow Twitterers, I intend to keep writing, to write the best book I can write. When I am ready to query, I hope to be judged on the quality of my writing.
I am thrilled to have this opportunity to write my first post ever for Writer Unboxed. I plan now to start a blog and write about things that matter to me (and, hopefully, others), including my thoughts on criminal cases in the news, conferences and workshops I’ve attended, books and movies, where to find story (I can find story in a recipe!), and what happens to my novel. If you leave a comment here or follow me on Twitter (@mincontro), I’ll let you know when I launch. Your feedback will keep me going. And I promise you this: I will write the best blog I can write.
Thanks for a terrific post, Mary! We’ll keep an eye out for your blog. In the meantime, you can find Mary on Twitter (@mincontro) and follow her writer’s journey along with us here at WU.
Photo courtesy Flickr’s Leo Reynolds
Many thanks to today’s guest.
You can read more WU guest posts by visiting this link.
Age is just a number in virtually every situation, writing is definitely one of them. Hey, you have a lot more worldly knowledge than any of us young folk for being in the world longer, and probably even more again because we you went to law school and had a pretty big career there. Touch up on the writing and your novel will go off like a firecracker. Age is nothing! :)
Thanks for the encouragement, Bonnee! And as you continue to write, you’ll be surprised by how many experiences and insights you can draw from. Best of luck to you!
Fantastic! As encouragement, I present for you, Alan Bradley, who had his first novel for adults published when he was 70 — the fabulous Flavia de Luce series, about an 11-year-old chemistry nut and poisons expert who winds up solving murders in her 1950s small town.
I wish you the best as you write and revise and seek publication.
Thanks, Natalie! I’ll check out Alan Bradley. And thanks, especially, for the encouragement.
Thanks Mary,
I too find myself having thoughts cross my mind as to whether I am too old to start this. But I write and always have to sort out thoughts and find out what is there. Adding craft to the writing and writing for others can seem intimidating. Bravo, and thanks for sharing your story. I will be using it to help support my own ambitions. Sounds like you have a life rich to pull from in the area of stories.
Thanks, Marilyn! We all have rich lives to draw from: love, loss, people and places. Keep writing! I look forward to reading your work.
I share your age and your concern that some may dismiss a writer because of it. Bravo to you! Move on, regardless. I spent my career as a journalist, then fell in love with fiction, following many of the same steps. I’m not in love with Twitter, but I do blog.
We can’t help it if agents younger than our children don’t want to represent us, but there are also agents out there who know a good book when they read it. This is a tough time to be publishing anything traditionally–but that’s what I want. A real agent. A real publisher. A real book.
And my first published story, “Samaritan,” was about a 20-something couple. It won a best fiction of the year at the lit journal where it was published: Weber–The Contemporary West (www.weber.edu/weberjournal/Fall09pdf.html).
Sometimes the memory of youth is wiser than the experience of it!
So hang in there, Mary! Only you can tell your stories—at any age!
Thanks, Ann! And congratulations on your success with your first pubbed story! That’s terrific! I just downloaded it to read later today. I’m not surprised that you wrote effectively about 20-somethings. One of the things they don’t tell you about getting older is that your mind still feels young. I can close my eyes and feel and hear all the sensations and excitement of standing in line for the first Beatles movie. Keep writing and thanks for the encouragement.
Like you, I came back to writing fiction after a length of time doing otherwise. Something we (most of us) bring to the table besides our unique experience is a lifetime of reading. Our youth-worshipping culture is a funny thing. In many other cultures throughout history, age is venerated.
Welcome to WU! You mention Twitter, but if you’re on facebook, I encourage you to join us in the WU group there, Mary. The group there is great, and has even made an old guy like me feel welcome. ;-)
Thanks, Vaughn! I so agree with you about the value of a lifetime of reading. And thanks for the invite to the WU group on Facebook. I still need to do the Facebook thing. Actually, this was a pretty scary step for me to take. Best of luck with your writing. I look forward to reading it!
Enjoyed this post.
Age is weird.
Before I began writing, I was a dancer and there age really mattered. I retired first around thirty, then went back for another few years, and retired again.
Then i worked a bit in films where your age was anything you could convince casting directors you were.
Then I started writing and I felt like I’d be one of the young tyros, but I wasn’t. I was closer to being one of the grande dames, but still a beginner. Or more like the middle ager-mid-lister.
At which point I had to girl up and realize age is just a number, a person’s youth is inside.
So welcome from another Jersey girl.
Thanks, Shelley! You have quite the background to draw on for your writing. How exciting! Would love to read what you write.
Well if this post is any indication, your writing is excellent, your age irrelevant. :)
And you, Kristan, are a doll! Thanks so much for the encouragement.
First, you don’t look 63 and second it doesn’t matter. That’s the wonderful thing about being a writer…. only the words matter.
Great blog post. I just went over and followed you on Twitter.
Have a great day.
Lou @LouWrites
Thanks, Lou, on all counts! And you’re right: it’s the words that matter.
Great post, Mary. Yes, we absolutely keep adding experiences, insights, and perspective to our “writing arsenal” with each passing year. Best of luck to you!
Thanks, Cindy! Here’s to adding to our writing arsenals! Good luck to you, too.
I, too, was a writer of other things forever–advertising–before I turned to long-form fiction. I had to unlearn brevity–in writing my first screenplay (screenplays should be about 120 pages long) I realized that I was almost halfway through the story on page 9. Oops.
As for age now, well, I guess I could say my hair is prematurely white, but that’s not the case. Still, unless I choose to reveal it on the Internet, no one would know. In my dealings with agents in the past, not one ever expressed anything about my age, one way or the other. It was all about THE STORY.
So keep on keepin’ on, Mary. Readers need writers who can storytell and have the gumption and focus to do it, and stories can use the wisdom that we’ve accrued. Luck.
Thanks, Ray. I laughed out loud at your experience writing your first screenplay. Old habits die hard, don’t they? It’s encouraging to know that agents you have met have been interested in the story. Best of luck to you!
As a former family doc, I’ve met many people for whom 63 is virtual toddlerhood, others whose lives peaked in high school or college. I think you’re smart to discount age as a qualifier. Speaking personally, as one who deferred the writing and has had to work this through, I think self-imposed ageism is an insidious voice of Resistance. (If you haven’t read Steven Pressfield’s War of Art, I’d highly recommend it.)
Thanks for the encouragement, Jan. I have read Pressfield’s War of Art (it’s on my kindle). Thanks for reminding me about its wisdom.
I waited in line to see Star Wars on opening day. Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and I are the same age. The alternative to getting older is death, and I’m not interested in going there. An agent, who doesn’t want to sell the work of a writer with life experience, has two problems.
1. Disbelief that getting older will actually happen to them. (Like I said, consider the alternative.)
2. Money. (They aren’t smart enough to think about the revenue lost because they didn’t sign the writer of a great novel.)
If I’m a grand dame, then I’m in great company. I’m off to Twitter to hit your follow button. I’m @crisplyspoken.
Crisply spoken, indeed! Thanks for the encouragement.
Mary, I suspect that if you continue to write about this online, you could build a good following. There are many, many middle-aged folks coming to writing after having other careers.Then when you go on submission with your well-written novel, guess what? A good book + platform = book deal. I don’t think being older is as big of a negative as some might, but even if it is, you might be able to turn it into an advantage. Wishing you much success!
Thanks, Carleen! I really appreciate the support.
Here, here, Mary. As a 56-year-old first-time author I know the feeling. Kudos to you for pursuing your passion. Good luck with your writing career. Age is truly a state of mind.
You’re right, CG, age is a state of mind! Best of luck with your writing career as well.
Thanks for the inspiring post, Mary. As a fellow writer who is fast approaching the BIG 50, I need to remember your words. Following you at Twitter and looking forward to reading your blog.
Thanks, Christina! Very much appreciate the kind words. Best wishes to you with your writing career.
Mary – so wonderful you shared this (and revealed your age)! I am a firm believer that while age should be irrelevant to a writer’s path, it is far more than just a number: with age, we gain objectivity, depth of understanding, and experience. With age we also gain a clearer sense of our non-writing identity and more confidence in it, which I am convinced makes us better and more honest writers. Finally, only with age do we often have the luxury of putting a paying career and its constraints behind us and gaining the peace of mind this brings — which also makes for better writing.
I think in a way it’s too bad that there are some unwritten standards in the industry about age, and that so many people view a writing path as a “career” that, like other careers, should begin in the 20s or 30s and march forward from there on. How often does that really happen?!?!
Sharon, you are so right! It’s hard to know in your 20s what you will be happy doing your whole life. I often wish I’d gotten an MFA after college and pursued a writing career. While that’s clearly the right path for some, I know I would have missed so much. Thanks for the kind and encouraging words!
Mary,
Thank you, thank you, Thank YOU!
Did anyone read last Sunday’s NYT where a youngish writer, Steve Almond, writes about the upswing of writers and the waning of therapy? The offending line: “Some are young college grads hot to become the next Dave Eggers. Others are grandmas hoping to document or embellish some bit of personal history. In each case, what strikes me aren’t the particulars — age, attitude, ambitions — so much as their essential motive. What they really want isn’t fame or fortune but permission to articulate feelings that were somehow off limits within the fragile habitat of their families. They are hoping to find, by means of literary art, braver and more-forgiving versions of themselves.”
Why are we classified as “grandmas hoping to document or embellish some bit of personal history?”
My first novel, just finished at the ripe age of 54, sparks most people to ask me: Is this about your family? Why are you writing about this topic?
I have started a blog, AhomeforSinger.blogspot.com, because I know agents will find out my age and wonder if this book is a fluke. Do I know how to write? I was a journalist for twenty years, am currently working as an editor.
Mary, you’ve given me and others like me more confidence, and for that I am truly grateful. Your story parallels many others like you. You go, girl!
Thanks, Christine, sounds like your writing career is in full bloom. How exciting! I missed Steve Almond’s article last Sunday (I was probably stuck on the crossword puzzle), but I actually love his fiction. Congrats on your first novel and your blog. You’ve really got it going.
I have to wonder why people think the Baby Boomer generation is going to go quietly into that good night. Do they honestly think that the generations who brought about the massive social changes in the 1960’s are going to give up without a fight when they hear they are too old to do something?
Personally, I’m waiting for the smart publisher and the smart movie CEO who figures out that there is a huge demographic with deeper disposable income pockets than teenagers and that is hungry for entertainment that appeals to them. (hint: books with teenage MCs aren’t it.)
Maybe we should organize a march or a sit in to get the point across…
Hi Diana, we baby boomers are all with you, and proud of it!
Great post! I could relate to a lot of it, especially since I too had another career and went into writing thinking I had the tools, but not realizing how much I didn’t know…
I’m proud of my age, but tend to be kind of vague about it online too… Recently, I heard a (probably 20 or barely 30-something) editor answer the question, “If I’m older, should I hide my age,” question at a workshop about Young Adult fiction.
The editor’s response? “Age doesn’t matter to us. I think we even have a couple YA authors in their forties.”
Um. That didn’t make some of us (including the woman who asked) feel a whole lot better. :)
Maureen, that would be hilarious if it weren’t so pathetic. Best of luck with your writing!
Hi – I could almost pin point your age after you listed the Mickey Mouse
Club characters and I knew for sure when you mentioned standing in line for tickets to “A Hard Days Night”. I’m 62 and I cried when George died and it shocked me that I cried. I called my mother and she told me that I was crying because I was dying too my life was leaving me.
Like you I want to write, but unlike you I’ve not had an interesting life. I worked for most of my career at at facility for the mentally retarded in Virginia (the one where the woman in the a case called Buck vs Bell lived). She was sterilized because she was feebleminded. But I didn’t write much and definitely never tried to move a jury with a story (what a great job! I love Law and Order).
Anyway you have made me think that maybe I have a place among the young whipper-snappers who have a whole life ahead of them to write. I will add you to my twitter list and will be following you. I already like your writing
Marianne
I was watching football the night that Howard Cosell announced that John Lennon had been shot. I was devastated! Anyway, you have led an interesting life and have a lot to offer. You have had a chance to watch and work with people who struggle in ways most of us never have. Take what you know, add your imagination, and you could tell amazing stories! Good luck.
You look amazingly young, and I’m not just saying that! I’ve recently jumped into the world of writing and I’m loving the process so far. I’m meeting authors who have ALL published their first books later in life. These are the best. They have experience and emotions to draw from, along with the humor it takes to find the joy in life. Best wishes on your blog! I just started one, and it’s fun plus great practice. Connecting with people IS the best.
Thanks, Christina! (What woman doesn’t love to be told she looks young?) Sounds like you have a wonderful and supportive community of writers. What a treasure! Best of luck to you.
Mary—
Thanks for a terrific post! I too am “of a certain age,” and I’ve been concerned about a sort of unspoken prejudice against older writers because we don’t bring the possibility of a long career. I will share an experience that changed my outlook: I had a face-to-face with a good agent a while back (she asked for the full manuscript of my first novel but ultimately turned it down), and I asked her about the age factor, platform, etc. She said, “Don’t worry. Your age IS your platform.” I believe that was great advice.
I came to fiction writing after a long career as a high school teacher. I so agree with some of the other comments here about life experience. I went back to school for a Master’s degree when I was past forty. I was scared to death to be in the classroom with all those kids, but I quickly discovered I had advantages: I brought more experience to the table, and as someone else commented, I brought many more years as a reader. Those things matter.
We need to stay confident and keep on loving what we do. I’ll go over to Twitter and follow you! Good luck!
Thanks, Gerry! What great advice! Best of luck with your writing career!
Mary,
Great post. Can’t wait to read your novel! Best of luck in your new career.
Thanks, Denise! You’re so kind.
Hello Mary, I had to run over here after the intro from Marcy Kennedy. What I find interesting is not your age (as she mentioned, I write about people who find their creative calling later), but the fact that you were an attorney.
I can’t tell you how many extremely creative people detoured to law school first (including, for instance, Goethe, Jules Verne and of course, Wallace Stevens, who never stopped practicing). It’s a mystery I haven’t solved :)
Please do start that blog. You’d have an avid follower here!
Thanks, Debra! I think a lot of attorneys wish they were anything else. I loved my career but am so excited to have the chance to write. I’ve been inspired by your tweets and posts.
I taught high school and college for 40 years, started my novel 10 years ago and finished it when I retired in 2010. I’m 3 years older than you and have finished my first in a series novel. It is with an editor now and then I’ll present it to the world.
People are seeming to read more today, probably because of the economy. Just keep learning and writing. When we stop learning, we vegetate and die.
You’re ahead of me with this blog. I have to get into this social media thing. I avoided it when I was working–no time.
Don’t worry about age. We’re not older, we are better and much wiser.
Thanks, Janys! Good luck with your novel. That’s exciting!
Wonderful post, Mary! Thanks so much for being with us.
Hi Mary:
Good luck to you on this blog. You’ve gotten many responses on just the first day! I know there’s a literary blog called ‘this old hag’ on which there are reviews of fiction etc. I believe the blog’s creator is a writer of literary fiction and is specializing in young adult fiction. I think that is an interesting market to plum. But as someone else said on your blog, the baby boomers are a good source of revenue and should not be dismissed by agents and publishers. I agree w that person. Carole
Thank YOU, Therese and Kath. It’s an honor.
from Carole
Re: plumb not plum Sorry for leaving off the silent ‘b’.
Thanks, Carole!
Your post is very encouraging to those of us who are in the second half of our lives and embarking on this writing journey.
I look forward to reading your blog and watching you blossom.
Thanks, Sue! We’re all in it together.
Hi Mary,
Yes, of course I am interested in reading this and would love to talk to you sometime….I live in Jersey too, Monmouth County!
This is a great post!
Shelley
And PS…this is Shelley from Writers Studio!
Thanks, Shelley! We’re practically neighbors! I’ll leave you my info on the WS message board. Appreciate your encouragement.
Mary, what a great post.
I won’t say the age concern has never crossed my mind (I just turned 57) but it doesn’t stop me from writing. For one thing, people my age like to read, and I don’t think we’re all necessarily interested in reading about teenagers and 20-somethings, at least not all the time.
Just today, I heard this quote on Barbara DeMarco Barrett’s Writers on Writing podcast. I believe Carolyn See was speaking, but you know, my memory’s not so good…
The quote is from Mickey Spillane:
“If you’re a singer you lose your voice. A baseball player loses his arm. A writer gets more knowledge, and if he’s good, the older he gets, the better he writes.”
Thanks, Petrea! That’s a great quote! And while I dream of writing a great novel (or a really, really good one) and would love to be published, I know I am writing because I love to write. Good luck with your writing.
Mary,
You’ve been an inspiration to our online writing group, and how about this: though I knew you’d had a career as a prosecutor, I’d assumed it a short one and that you’d seen the light and outed yourself early-on so that you could get to the business of writing. I pegged you as the youngster in our crowd. That’s so because your writing is fresh and provocative and compelling and so much fun to read! Thanks for sharing this and congratulations on your first blog. Can’t wait to read the novel!
Kathi
Thanks so much, Kathi! Your writing inspires me every week! It’s our writing group that keeps me going. Your support means so much!
Mary, you write extremely well. You have shared so much additional information in your thoughtful replies to all those who have left comments for you. You must start your blog. You have me beat by six years age-wise. My blog has been a “do the math” blog from the beginning with regard to my age. Its title is WCHS, MPHS and Park College … Diary Writing 1960-1965. I wish you all the best with your fiction writing career.
Thanks, Barbara! I look forward to checking out your blog.
Mary,
Your writing voice is so clear and so fun. I don’t think that you should worry about being “an old lady”. If a story is brilliant fun or engrossing, who cares the age of the writer? You should definitely get going on your blog.
Where you may worry about coming off as older, I’ve been the youngest person in any writing group I’ve ever been in. I joined my first writing group at 14 and the people in it were 25-60. Now I’m in a group where I’m 28 and everyone else is between 55 and 83. I find that it always takes people a little bit of time for people to get used to me and while they are I get cracks like “You’re young! You’ve got time” or “You write so much because you’re young” or “Science fiction and fantasy are young people’s genres.” After I’m comfortable enough to read and voice my opinions people see the value in my being there and friendships develop.
You may have to wear people down for a few weeks, a few months, or a few years, but I don’t see why the situation wouldn’t work the same for the exact opposite issue. Keep working. You’ll do great, I’m sure of it!
Thanks, Christiana! You are at a wonderful age and I’m so glad you are writing. We all have so much to learn from each other, regardless of age. Some of my best times are spent with my nieces and nephews. Their ideas are so fresh and, like me, they love baseball. Best of luck with your writing!
Bravo! My retirement party is next week and I am just finishing up my first novel. Like you, I have been writing all my life and have even published three nonfiction books. Novel writing is an altogether different skill set and I’m having a great time stretching my mind to learn.
Writer Unboxed has been helpful since I first started back in 2008 and I’m tickled to see another Perry Como fan join the writers here.
Thanks, Carolyn! Writing fiction is different and I know you will love working with it. Perry Como – I have a boxed set. Best of luck with your novel. Looking forward to good news!
I was 72 two years ago when my wife gave me encouragement/permission to sit down and WRITE. I cranked out 15 novellas and two books during the first 18 months. It just gushed forth. Why not earlier? I had always felt I didn’t have anything of value to say. With Barbara’s encouragement, I rolled back the tarp on a deep vat of accumulated experiences and observations and mined that trove. It’s been surprisingly easy.
Wow, Alex, you are an inspiration! Keep writing!
This is a lovely post and I can SO relate to everything you said, Mary. I got married later than “normal”, gave birth to my son later than “normal”, adopted our daughter at a later than “normal” age, and started my career as a writer WAY later than “normal”. But what’s normal these days? I think life is all over the map in terms of what people do and don’t do in comparison to the past. There is no “normal” any longer, thank goodness, and we don’t have to feel any weirdness about what we do and when we do it. Most of the people I know have no idea how old I am because not only do I not look my age (and neither do you, by the way), but I don’t “act” the way people think women of my age conduct themselves. Age is all in the head and, like you, I can recall vividly going to a Monkey’s concert and screaming and crying over Davey Jones! And he just died! AACK! You are a testimonial to life in the 2000’s. You go, girl!
Patti
Thanks so much, Patti, and you are so right about normal, what’s normal and what’s not. Pursue your passions as long as you can. That’s the way I look at it.
Of course I’m exactly in the same situation as you: I’ve always wanted to be a writer – all.my.life. – but had a long and fruitful career at the United Nations as an…economist!
Age does seem to matter to a lot of people and I’ve decided that they must be the wrong people, full stop. Just forge ahead and disregard any comments and above all any rejection once you start querying.
And if traditional publishers don’t pay attention after a year or two, don’t give up, the stigma attached to self publishing is gone thanks to e-books and you can go ahead and self-publish. Particularly if you’re big on Twitter and you’ve got a good blog going, you’ll find that your book marketing is all that much easier. And you’ll find Amazon’s KDP very supportive and easy to use. That’s what I’ve done and I don’t regret anything (plus the royalties go to me and don’t get “eaten” up by agents and publishers on the way…)
So good luck, I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
Thanks, Claude. Good advice! Your career path is inspiring.
I can remember telling fairy-tales, since I can first remember talking. I was that kid who wrote poetry, and song lyrics, and stories, for the school papers. However, somewhere along the line I became a single mother raising four children. I put my dreams of a writing career on the back burner in the interest of keeping a roof over their heads. A few years ago, when my kids became more self-sufficient, I began to take my writing seriously, again. I recently signed publishing contracts for my first novel, and am just about to start the editing process with the publisher. And you know what? I am more prepared through my experiences in life to handle this than when I was that kid with a dream of becoming a novelist. I remember being in college (the first time around) and a professor telling me I had a gift for writing but nothing to say, that I hadn’t lived enough. Writing is the one career that seasons with age and experience to produce fine wine. Congratulations Mary, here’s to picking up the pen and writing your dream into reality.
Thanks, Bernadette, for all the encouragement. I’m very excited about your publishing contracts. That’s terrific! Best of luck.
Thanks so much for sharing your story, Mary! I’m a little bit behind you, but definitely consider myself in the “older” category (50). So I completely relate. But I would never want to go back. What we old folks bring to the table is a lot of years of experience, which I believe gives us great insight to people, relationships, and life experiences. And we worry a lot less about some of the little stuff of life.
You’re right, Diane, we gain a lot of perspective on what’s worth worrying about and what isn’t. And you’re still young! Growing wiser by the day.
Hi Mary,
Like most people our age I have done so many things, had so many jobs, travelled to so many places, known so many people in so many ways. It is all grist for the mill.
I’m writing a trio of books set in a village I lived in many years ago. I find pulling from my life works best at some distance. Hard to do when you’re twenty. And lets face it – who can afford to put in the time at that age, or usually thirty, or often at forty when our children are getting only more expensive every day…
Anyway, as I told my son recently in some other context – with the way things are going I could easily live to be 150. You’re only as young as you feel.
Looking forward to your blog.
Thanks, Judy. I agree that distance helps, but I do have a lot of favorite writers who are in their 20s and 30s whose skill and imagination help them make the emotional connection we all strive for as writers.
Too young. Too old. Too long. Too short. Wrong style. Wrong topic. Wrong time. If you listen what the most lauded writers say about the beginning of their career, you see that they all have one thing in common: Rejections. Rejections for any reason, or for no reason at all, and for any length of time.
Age has got nothing to do with it. All that matters is not to lose heart and go on.
Well said, Andrea. Thanks for the encouragement!
Age has been on my mind lately, but I’ve always been older than others throughout my ‘writing career.’ I was 30 when I got my B.A. and 40 the year I defended my thesis for my M.F.A. I’m looking at the big 5-0 in a couple of months…I’ve been writing since my late 20s. I’ve had a lot of stories published, have won some awards and grants, but it took me 10 years to write my first novel and recently I’ve been fearful I’ve missed the bus, having spent too much time in the station typing.
In a frantic google search a few weeks ago, I was up into the early morning hours trying to find someone who had began publishing late in life. When I discovered Annie Proulx did not publish her first novel until she was 58, I could finally go to sleep.
Reading your post and reading through the comments has inspired me and given me hope and–more than that–I know I’m not alone in this regard. Thank you.
You are nowhere near alone, Cindy, and it sounds like you are well on your way. Best of luck with your novel! I look forward to your debut!
Mary, you have definitely touched a chord with our community! I’m of the firm belief that writing creatively needs to INCREASE as we approach the milestone ages of 50 and beyond (I say that as one who is *koff* about to leave her 40s in the dust). Not only does writing feed the soul, but it’s so important for brain health. Staying connected to our creativity and enjoying the journey is just as important as signing a publishing contract — if not more so!
Thanks, Kath! I so agree.
Well said – I’m 65 and only started writing seriously in 2010 – for NaNoWriMo.
I’d enjoyed writing in high school, but since then was mostly for work – reports, user manuals, various studies. And the occasional letter to the editor or note in a newsletter.
For some reason I decided to tackle NaNoWriMo – and loved it. Have two draft novels now, editing them both as well as doing weekly short stories and other writing challenges. Have been reading about writing, and found other writers toi talk to. I recently joined ROW80 to push myself a bit, and have come out of the closet to my friends – I now tell them I am a writer. Well, among my many other hats.
Not an aspiring writer – a writer!
Good for you, Mike. I’ve done NaNoWriMo twice, mainly to prove to myself that I could! Best of luck with your writing career. Look forward to seeing you in print.
I too have fought this “age” monster. Along with the “ordinary life,” the “no platform,” the “why do you think you’re so special” monsters. But it all comes down to the writing. And with age comes the freedom of time and money. I have the time and because of savings, I don’t have to make a living. And I love writing. My next fear to overcome is the “how to get it published” monster. Look out! Hear I come!
Hi Mary,
I could really relate to your post. I too always wanted to write but let a great career hold me away from it, as you did. I retired and took up the word processor and have gone through all the same discovery processes. Now, ten years later, I’ve laid down over a million words, never had anything other than short stories published, but still keep writing…and submitting. I have enough rejections to paper my garret wall. I have a great writing group and we keep each other going. By the way, you can do the math on my age…I graduated from college in 1962.
Keep the faith.
Richard
Hey Mary,
Loved the post and am looking forward to the blog. There are some
wonderful novelists who didn’t start writing until the second half
of their lives. Good luck with the book! It sounds engaging–and I
already love your writing.
All best,
Caryl
Thanks again for all the comments.They are dearly appreciated. If any of you, by some slim chance, have wandered back here to check on whether I’ve launched my website, I have. It’s called Book Ends and Odds and it’s at http://www.maryincontro.com. Hope to see you there!