Can you start writing after 40?
If this is a question you have grappled with or are currently wrestling with, I want you to tape this affirmation to your bathroom mirror: “You are not too old, and it is not too late.”
Social media can make us feel like life ends at 35 or sometimes even 25, which is mind-boggling considering your brain isn’t even fully developed until then, but there is no expiration date on your dreams. Emily Dickinson’s writing career didn’t really start until after her death! But let’s not wait that long to share your work with the world.
Plenty of authors got their starts later in life. Toni Morrison was 39 when she published her debut novel, The Bluest Eye. Sue Monk Kidd published her first novel, The Secret Life of Bees, at 54. Margaret Walker wrote Jubilee, her only novel, at 51.
Even though I’ve been writing since I was a kid and I’ve been a journalist my entire adult life, I didn’t publish my first book until I was 41. See Jane Write Collective member Pye Pajewski, who’s 64, didn’t even consider herself a writer until a few years ago. Now her poetry has been featured in magazines and on podcasts and she frequents an open mic night in her hometown. See Jane Write Collective member Margaret Marston, who will be 80 on her next birthday, published her first children’s book two years ago.
Success Secrets for Writers Over 40
Years ago, I created something I call the See Jane Write Success Path. I’d had a top-notch year with writing assignments and prestigious awards landing in my lap. One day, someone asked me what I’d done that had led to all these opportunities and accolades. After giving it some thought, I came up with these things: Get focused, get serious, get noticed, get paid. Eventually, I added “Get connected” because though a lot of our work is done in solitude, writers need community to truly thrive. I will die on that hill!
This same success path can help you start writing after 40 — or at any age.
Getting focused is about getting clear on what type of writer you want to be and what kind of writing you want to do. What are your long-term and short-term visions for your writing life? If you’re a multi-passionate writer and you want to pursue several different types of writing projects, that’s fine. But you can’t do all things all at once. So, figure out which goal and project you want to focus on first.
Establishing a Writing Practice After 40
Getting serious about your writing means you stop making excuses and start making time for your work. You need a writing routine. Figure out when you do your best writing and try to plan your day around that as much as possible. For example, when I was a high school English teacher, I got up at 4 am each weekday because I knew I did my best writing first thing in the morning. So, I got up dark and early to write before going to work. Decide when you’re going to write and for how long, and set goals for each writing session.
Establishing a writing routine is not only practical but can also boost your confidence. When you show up and do what you say you’re going to do, you learn to trust yourself, and you start to believe that you can accomplish your goals.
Get noticed. Your writing practice should also include sharing your work with others. You may want to start small by just getting feedback on your work from your writing buddy or a small writing group. (We have monthly critique sessions in the See Jane Write Collective and accountability small groups that also meet regularly to give each other feedback.) Once you feel more confident, you could try reading your work at an open mic. Or if that makes you want to vomit, try submitting your work to writing contests and literary journals.
How to Keep Going
Getting paid for your writing doesn’t have to be a top priority when you’re getting started, but once you’re ready to move from hobbyist to professional, it’s time to make some coins! I’m not saying you need to quit your day job to be a full-time writer. But getting paid for your work can boost your confidence and give you the momentum you need to keep going.
Get connected. As you’re journeying down this path to success, you need other writers. Your writing community will hold you accountable to make sure you’re showing up for yourself and writing when you say you will. You can even write together with co-writing sessions in person or online. We have several virtual cowriting sessions each month in the See Jane Write Collective.
If you’re ready to stop talking about the book you want to write and start actually writing it, join me on Sunday, June 14 at 4 p.m. CT for my 90-minute online workshop Write Your Book in 90 Days. It’s free for See Jane Write Collective members. If you’re not a member, you can purchase access to the webinar for only $37 (or you can use that $37 to join the Collective and get access to the workshop and SO MUCH MORE! Cancel anytime.)