Never Too Old To Write

A writer I know just turned 80. She's still writing, still blogging, still getting published. Is she too old for all that? Not by a longshot! She's obviously passionate about writing and my guess is that she will keep writing until she physically can no longer do it Hopefully, that will be a very long time from now. I am very close to that same age and I hope I never stop writing. 

What about senior citizens who have never written anything? Can they become writers, too? You bet they can. I firmly believe we are never too old to learn--just like today's poster says. Too many dream of writing for years and years, then they reach a point where they convince themselves that it's too late to begin. Begin today or tomorrow but begin! A writing journey is like all others--it begins at the beginning. If you start writing in your later years, your journey will not be as long as someone who sets out in their twenties or thirties but that's alright. 

I love this photo and quote. As long as we work at something, we're fine. Give up and it's a different story. There are great numbers of older people who are trying their hand at memoir pieces. Tackling a full book might be overwhelming but writing one story at a time is easily accomplished. What do seniors have to do to become a writer? They need to do just what a young writer needs to do--learn by reading about writing, brush up on grammar and other mechanics, maybe take a class and talk with others who've tried writing. 

Lots of senior centers or senior living places across our country now offer classes to help seniors write life stories by bits and pieces. One simple class like this could be the spark that sets your writing desire afire. Writing has no age limit. One does not need to be 100% physically fit to accomplish the craft of writing. 

Are you guaranteed to be a success? Of course not! That is only because no one is guaranteed success in the writing world, no matter what the age. You may not want to be published. you might have the desire to write only your life stories to leave to your family. What a treasure that would be for them. 

A senior writer has one big advantage over the very young writer. Summed up in one word, it's experience. Think of all the things seniors have done, have witnessed in their lifetime. 

You need to have the desire, the courage to try, and the will to jump in now. Not tomorrow or next week or next month. Now!