Have You Left It Too Late To Be A Writer? (Or To Follow Any Other Creative Dream)

Photo by Karyme França Pexels. In reality, apart from gymnastics, childbirth, or becoming a professional ballerina, most pursuits have no age limit and nearly all would benefit from the wisdom of life experience.

I was barely into my third decade when I was published. In one of the interviews I did early in my career for a metropolitan newspaper, my photograph was captioned: ‘Late Bloomer: Belinda Alexandra.’ 

I was bemused to say the least. But a lot of people do seem to think that all life successes must be achieved before 25 years of age. In reality, apart from gymnastics, childbirth, or becoming a professional ballerina, most pursuits have no age limit and nearly all would benefit from the wisdom of life experience. That is certainly true of writing, where life experience is the same as owning a gold mine in terms of having access to ideas.

Recently I posted this diagram on my social media:

It was met with a sense of jubilation by followers and, in some cases, with relief.  Many felt that the diagram could also apply to other dreams and goals besides writing. Then, when Mary-Lou Stephens posted that she was about to have her debut novel published at 60 years of age, she became an inspiration.

Somewhere along the way many of us have been convinced that life must be lived in some sort of pre-ordained order. But that simply can’t be the case because we all come from different backgrounds and have different priorities. Some writers have dreamed of being an author from childhood, while others stumbled upon writing while they were doing something else. Success is also often built on determination and, very often, a layer of failures that allowed one to learn their craft. That was certainly my case. It took ten years of rejection before my first novel was accepted.

There are many ways to go about achieving things, and often life experience will enable you to start somewhere other than the bottom. For instance, when I went to university, I had to get a certain mark for my higher school certificate to be accepted into the course. Then I did an undergraduate degree and eventually my masters degree. Half of my time at university was spent in earnest study and the other half involved swanning around in a beret, being arty, and having complicated love affairs with dashing international students. My friend, Melinda, on the other hand, worked in various marketing roles from the time she left school. In her forties, and in a stable relationship, she was able to use all her experience as a credit towards an undergraduate degree and therefore go straight into a masters course. She did this online while working in an executive role. Although both of us achieved our degrees, we undertook them in ways that were right for us as individuals. (All that swanning around still serves as material for my books!).

The other thing that has changed is the rise of self-publishing as a viable route to seeing your book in print. Marketing and other business experience are all assets to helping you succeed if you decide to self-publish. Many professional editors offer self-publishing packages, and ebook means your initial run of a book can be done quite cost effectively. The fear of getting rejected by publishers after the effort of writing a book puts a lot of people off from even starting. This is a pity when the truth is many great books are rejected simply because they don’t suit a publisher’s list at a certain point in time. Self-publishing as an option could take away some of that fear.

If you have a strong desire to write books, I hope the above encourages you. There really is no limit to human potential. History is full of writers who didn’t come into their stride until they were in their 50s or 60s and beyond.

Why shouldn’t you be one of them?

I asked three Australian authors about their experiences in coming to novel writing later in life. I think you will enjoy their stories (below):

MARY-LOU STEPHENS

Congratulations on the publication of your first novel, The Last of the Apple Blossom! You’ve had an interesting creative career prior to having your first novel published at 60 years of age. Can you tell us a little bit about it?

When I left school I had no idea what I wanted to do, that was until I went to a Stranglers’ concert and was hypnotised by the sound of their bass guitar. I bought a bass, had a few lessons and started playing (very badly at first) in bands. I also enjoyed acting and studied at the Victorian College of the Arts, but it was music that always pulled me back. When I was in my mid-thirties my band broke up leaving me devastated. Once again I had no idea what I was going to do. That’s when it was pointed out to me that radio would be a good fit for me. It was true. I loved it. I studied at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School and landed a job in commercial radio. After a few years my dream job as a music director and presenter came up with ABC Radio on the Sunshine Coast. I felt as though I’d won the lottery when I was offered the position. I happily retired a few years ago and writing has taken up my time since then.

When did you decide to write a fiction novel and how long did it take you to write The Last of the Apple Blossom?

I was writing a weekly column for the local paper and decided to try my hand at writing longer pieces. I attended courses and workshops and then took six months leave without pay to see if I could write a novel. I did write a novel, which I refer to as my practice novel, and it will never see the light of day. Apparently, I’m a very slow learner and wrote two more practice novels because neither of them found a publisher either.

When the idea for The Last of the Apple Blossom came to me I knew this was a book that was worth investing a lot of time in. After I got over my fear of writing it (it’s such a big, sad, sweeping saga but it does have a happy ending) the research began in earnest. I spent a year researching, daydreaming, pondering and pussyfooting around the edges of writing. The writing, editing and redrafting process took another year. I worked with Monica McInerney through the ASA’s Mentorship Program from drafts six through to ten until both she and I were satisfied that I’d written the best book possible.

Do you think your life experiences led you to write a different kind of novel to the one you might have created if you had written one when you were in your twenties? In what ways?

Absolutely. My head was in a completely different space in my twenties. I don’t think I would have had the patience or perseverance back then to write a novel as big in scope as The Last of the Apple Blossom. I wrote songs in my twenties and thirties. Song writing is a of a different kind of creative nature. I did mess around with short pieces of writing during that time, but they were abstract and had a stream of conscious edginess to them. I was in my forties when I started writing novels. I think of those three unpublished novels as my apprenticeship. If I hadn’t written them, I wouldn’t have had the capability to write to the depth and breadth demanded by The Last of the Apple Blossom.

Did you have any challenges in writing this novel and how did you overcome them?

My biggest challenge was overcoming the fear I had around telling this story. The novel starts on the day of the 1967 bushfires in Tasmania, a day I remember well as I was six years old at the time. The events and aftermath of the fires were horrific and the drawn-out demise of the apple industry in the Huon Valley was heartbreaking. I knew I needed to be respectful, as many people were still traumatised by the fires that roared through Tasmania over fifty years ago. I also needed to do justice to the struggles of the orchardists, many who, despite being the ones who created The Apple Isle, considered they’d worked their entire lives for nothing. Quite honestly, I didn’t know if I was up to the task. I went to a writing retreat and there, after many tears and much support, I was able to start putting words on paper. Some of those words made it to the final draft.

How did you go about finding a publisher?

I approached agents first. With Monica’s endorsement I thought the novel would get snapped up. I was wrong. Every agent I approached turned me down. I’d attended Fiona McIntosh’s Masterclass years before and she supports all her alumni through their ongoing writing journey. She sent the manuscript to a publisher but again it was a no. I kept pitching. It was an online pitch to Nicola Robinson at

(HarperCollins) that finally broke through. Ironically at the same time another publisher was very keen and I’d received an expression of interest from yet another. Getting rejections is always tough but I encourage aspiring writers to persevere. Your next pitch might be the ‘yes’ you’ve been longing for.

What advice would you give someone who wants to write a novel but thinks that they have left it too late?

Writing is an act of faith for the unpublished author no matter what age they are. We write, never knowing whether our book will ever be in print and read by others. But here’s the beauty of it, writing is a journey, an adventure, and an escape all of its own. It’s never too late to go on a journey (let’s face it in these times writing is about the only journey we can take) and it’s never too late to have an adventure. And don’t we all want to escape sometimes? Yes, writing a novel takes a lot of work and time, plus you may be like me and have to write three unpublished novels before you find the right story. It doesn’t matter. If your manuscript is compelling enough, no publisher is going to worry about how old you are.

What’s your best advice for budding novelists trying to find time to write when they have family and career responsibilities?

Family is important, friends are important, making a living is important. I was in my late forties when I took six months leave without pay to find out whether I could write a novel. I acknowledge not everyone has the luxury of doing that. Having been a musician for so long, I was used to living on very little and was able to budget to make it work for me and my husband. I like the idea of small writing goals. Perhaps it’s 250 words, four days a week. All those words will add up. Someone I know has become a writing coach and she talks about connecting with your writing regularly – not necessarily putting words on paper but thinking about your novel, daydreaming about your characters, researching, or rereading what you’ve written. I like that idea very much. It takes the pressure off while maintaining that vital connection with your creativity.

ALEXANDRA JOEL

You’ve had a triple career life – first as editor of Harper’s Bazaar, then as a psychotherapist, and now as a novelist. Can you tell us a little bit about those first two careers?

It was a great honour to be appointed Editor of Harper’s Bazaar. I’d previously had wide experience in the media and written for a number of magazines and newspapers. I had also authored two books on the history of fashion, with my best known being Parade: The Story of Fashion in Australia. This set me up very well for future novel writing, as deadlines impose great discipline. It also means that you are constantly searching for ‘the story’, plus conscious of the details that illuminate that story to the fullest extent.

I undertook post-graduate study and became a psychotherapist after spending five years as President of the Royal Hospital for Women Foundation. This alerted me to deep needs within the community, and I wanted to make a contribution.

Many people thought it was strange to go from journalism to psychotherapy, but there is actually a natural affinity i.e. In both professions, you spend a great deal of time alone with a person asking them questions! Every individual has a meaningful story to tell.

When did you decide to write a novel? Was it a dream you’ve had since childhood, or was it an idea inspired by your other two careers?

I learnt to read very young and hungrily consumed every book that came my way. However, I was always so in awe of these amazing people called ‘novelists’ I was far too intimidated to imagine I could ever join their ranks!

There was a point in my life where I had time, and there was a real story I was dying to tell. It was about my outrageous great-grandmother who ran away from her husband and young child for a life of total invention with a half-Chinese fortune-teller called Zeno the Magnificent. The two of them created fictional identities and became the toast of society in Europe and London. My book, Rosetta: A Scandalous True Story was the result.

A significant portion of the book was written using fictional techniques. I ended up having three publishers bidding for it, so I decided maybe I could do this after all. Basically, I think I started channelling my great-grandmother’s powers of invention. I thought, if she did it, perhaps I can too!

The truth is, I discovered that writing fiction was wonderfully liberating.

I learnt a huge amount from my other two careers, but some especially helpful aspects have been an ability to work under pressure, to observe detail and to suspend judgement regarding an individual’s apparent flaws. I have also been blessed by having the privilege of hearing many, many stories, of walking in the shoes of both interview subjects and, to an even greater extent, my psychotherapy clients.

How did you find the time to write? What advice would you give a budding novelist trying to balance professional and personal commitments?

I am extremely fortunate to be able to write full-time. If you are combining writing with other professional and personal commitments I would suggest a combo of approaches.

First, set inviolate time aside during your week when absolutely nothing else is scheduled. Try to stick to this, even though inevitably a work crisis/sick child drama will crop up, sigh…

Second, it’s really helpful if you can learn to write ‘on the fly’. Even ten minutes at the kitchen table after the kids have gone to bed is valuable.

Third, I have a dedicated writing space. This works for me, though I know some authors like to write in different locations with laptop in hand.

 I should note that I have a friend with four children who wrote a very successful book at night in the garage!

What would you say to anybody who wants to write a book but thinks that they might have left it too late?

It’s never too late, however, writing a book is not a hobby. You have to truly commit and approach it as if it were a professional job. Believe me, it is!

DR RICHARD HARRIS

Congratulations on the publication of your first novel, Imagine! You’ve come to writing from a successful career as a surgeon. When did you discover you wanted to be a writer?

Great question. I think it depends on how you define ‘writer’. In most senses I have always loved writing. I was fascinated with books for as long as I can remember. Basically, I’ve always been in love with words and how they are put together well.

I have written published verse and tried my hand half-heartedly at writing in the longer form but decided  five years ago to become a ‘proper writer’ and set time aside every week to be able to produce my first two novels.

With the demands of your profession and a busy family life, how did you find the time to write your novel and how long did it take you?

I think sometimes the busier you are the more you can achieve. I found that I either had to quit surgery for a couple of years or find some other solution. My working week, despite being quite busy, was disorganised and I basically put all of the surgery into Monday to Wednesday and wrote diligently long days Thursday and Friday. It worked. I had a Thursday novel and a Friday novel. I had incredible support from my lovely wife, Tine.

Were there any challenges to finishing your book and how did you overcome them?

I absolutely loved the process of writing. The feedback. The editing process. Doing the marketing (which I am still learning). Trying to format the book. Getting a website together and designing a cover. The beta readers were amazing as well. Everything was a challenge and a joy. Losing my wife has made the entire process of finishing my second book an incredible challenge.

What’s your best advice to budding writers trying to manage writing time along with a busy life?

I think the most important thing is not to half do it. You need a space you feel comfortable in. You need time, dedicated, non-distracted time. You need to just be prepared to put words down and get it done on a background of great reading yourself, good research and a great respect for words. Find time, space and do it.

How did you go about finding a publisher?

I am a self-published author and proud to be so. Not that I wouldn’t rule out traditional publishing at all. It was just that I wanted to do it this way this time. It has been an incredible learning experience and I don’t regret it because I have learnt so much about books and the industry. But if someone could make the whole thing a lot easier for me, I would listen.

What would you say to anybody who wants to write a book but thinks that they might have left it too late?

Some of the most successful authors started very late in life. It is never too late to start anything in life.

Go for it!

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