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I thought I wanted to write fiction while in middle school. I continued to think that through high school. Then, in a fit of practicality, I decided to work towards a journalism degree in college. Three things weighed in my decision:
1. I couldn’t imagine anyone would want to read fiction by an 18-year-old. I thought I should collect some life-experience first.
2. I wanted to keep my writing skills sharp, maybe even improve them.
3. I wanted to be able to earn a living.
In retrospect, it still looks like a pretty good plan. Except for one thing. In pursuing a degree in journalism, I got burnt out on writing.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that it was only journalism writing that turned me off. The seed of the fiction writer was still there, only dormant.
Fast forward almost 20 years. I finally made the decision to write fiction consistently and with the goal of improving and eventually publishing.
I follow the writing community on the internet via twitter and RSS blog feeds and I see so many writers going for the dream while they’re young. Often I lament the fact that I didn’t work on my writing before I was married, before I had a daughter, before I had one foot in the grave.
But then I tell myself that the advantage to starting so late is that I have a better idea of who I am, of what I believe. I have the experience of having read so many books above and beyond the fantasy genre. I have the experience of working in a field that required me to write every day in clear, concise sentences and paragraphs so that the general public might understand the information I was presenting. I worked in a field where clear communication was so important.
Unwittingly, I had been preparing myself to be the writer I am today.
I don’t know that I would have been able to write anything meaningful at 18, or even 28. And I never will. But I can strive for depth in my writing now. And I can keep writing fiction and keep trying to improve.
That’s the great thing about writing, it doesn’t matter how old you are. There’s no substitute for life experience and I think that might explain why so many first novels tend to be published by writers well into their 30’s or later. Happy writing!
That’s what I’m banking on! I like that Norman Maclean published A River Runs Through It in his 70’s.
Hey JOnathan – one foot in the grave huh? But I do know what you mean. All that free time wasted. lol.
The reason I never seriously wrote when I was younger was because I thought you had to be someone special to write a book. I never realized writers are just people. I began writing not long after the birth of my first child because a story came that had to be written, and that was that.
Nice post. I like what you said here.
I know where you’re coming from. I’m amazed by all of the young (serious) writers out there. “Life” got in the way of me starting as early as I would have liked, but I’m ready now. Best to you~
At this point, I try not to lament the late start too much and look ahead as much as possible. That strategy helps most days 😉 Like you said, I’m ready now. Good luck with your writing and thanks for stopping by!