Ageless Authors

[Paul Whybrow]

Two days into turning officially old, after my 65th birthday on Monday, I came across a writing competition that reassures me that I'm actually 'Ageless':

Contests | Ageless Authors

Mind you, there have been a few debut authors of mature years, such as Mary Wesley (71, when her first adult novel was published), Tim Finch (debut at 51), Diana Athill (memoir published in her early 80s), Penelope Fitzgerald (60, when her first novel was published) and Kit de Waal was 56, when her award-winning novel My Name is Leon was published.

In my latest querying campaign, I've approached 80 literary agencies and several indies and digital publishers, each time contacting specific agents best suited for my crime novels, none of whom are as old as me. A couple of agents look young enough to be my grandchildren—I own belts older than them!

Researching the success stories of their recently-signed clients, I found just one 64-year-old debut novelist. Having said that, my new source of inspiration is James Oswald, who initially found success for his crime series by self-publishing, before signing to Penguin Books for a six-figure deal at the age of 45:

How a Scottish farmer became crime fiction's next big thing

He still runs a cattle and sheep farm, and I enjoy reading the newsletters from his blog, telling of how he juggles tending livestock with writing and promoting his latest title. He comes across as a nice man, hard-working and humble.

James Oswald

If you're of mature ageless years, there are a couple of writers' groups of interest:

Prime Writers: theprimewriters

Bloom: Bloom

 

[DRFerron]

The Prime Writers site doesn't look like it has had any activity (that I've found) in a few years, but Bloom is current and interesting. Thanks for the links.

I'm 52. One day I woke up and realized that I now feel like I have direction in my life after wandering from one thing to the next. Not aimlessly but curiously. I tend to get curious about something, research it to death, and then jump in. The upside is the experience I gain that can be turned into writing content. The only constants have been writing, sailing, and my work (day job). I'm looking forward to making the last half of my life just as full and hopefully it will include being a published author.

And happy late birthday Paul!!

 

[Dan Payne]

As part of a backlash against millenialism, you may find that being from the pre-internet generation becomes an advantage.

Might it also be a disadvantage? The newer generations (of which I am not a part ) have entirely new vocabularies and different ways of consuming media, including the written word. I am not yet 50 and I work in the field of technology and I still find Millennials akin to an alien species. These are the readers of the future. More scary, they're the parents of the readers of the future and their children will have a different approach again. As an ageless writer, you don't want to find yourself in a position where you're only writing for an ageless reader.

That said, people have said these things about the written word before, and books still exist. Perhaps what we need is for someone to write the next Harry Potter series - and only ever publish the last volume in print.

 

[DRFerron]

Might it also be a disadvantage? The newer generations (of which I am not a part ) have entirely new vocabularies and different ways of consuming media, including the written word. ...

Pretty sure my 83-YO mother said and still says the same about me. She's a curiously selective consumer of media. If it suits her purpose, she figures it out.

 

[RK Wallis]

Happy belated birthday for Monday.

 

[Carol Rose]

Well, anyone who's been here a while already knows I scoff at the notion of age defining us, especially as writers.

I'm 61. I've had the writing bug since I was 8. I finally wrote a full length novel when I was 43. I wasn't published until I was 54. What do all those numbers mean? Nothing. Not unless I let them mean something. They have no power unless I give it to them.

Write because you love it, not because there's a magic age to do it or not do it.

As for Millennials, my daughter is one, and I have no trouble relating to her or her friends. People are people, no matter in which decade they were born.

 

[KG Christopher]

As you age, agility of thought will stand you well. Also, cod liver oil as a preventative strategy against arthritis will allow you to tap away endlessly...

 

[Tim James]

In my younger days I never had the time or the interest to write creatively. Too busy working, building a career and exploring the world. Only when I was in my 40s and doing a lot of commuting to work did I start first reading a lot and then writing my own stories on the train. I caught the bug and have been writing on and off ever since. As for being published, well, maybe one day, but I'm in no hurry and I'm not sure I've come up with a really saleable story idea yet.
But I feel age gives you a good vocabulary (I'm a crossword addict and I think that helps a lot as well.) and also the one thing that writing needs - spare time.

 

[Barbara]

The older I get, the less I remember how old I am. Now I just need to remember what the hec I'm supposed to be writing about. Brain like a colander these days.

If I'm still writing when I'm 90, I shall do this:

If it's good and popular: 'Oh, yes I wrote that.'
If it's rubbish: 'Me? Written that? Oh, I don't remember that.'

 

[Patricia]

It’s very heartening to read the replies on this thread. As someone who worked full time while bringing up a family, it took me over twenty years to write my first (not very good) novel. Now the kids have left home, I’ve finally got more time to devote to writing, but can’t quite shake the nagging feeling that I’ve left it too late. It’s good to see that I’m not alone.