Very wise words. It's often hard not to feel you've left it too late in a world where being young is everything. I felt my life was over at 19 when I found myself pregnant and married, in that order. Don't get me wrong, I loved my baby, the husband not so much. Over the years I have reinvented myself several times and at the age of 72 I've returned to studying and dabbling with poetry writing.
You are an inspiration, Georgina! And you're absolutely right - that society is youth-centric, and that we can reinvent ourselves at any age (and multiple times over!).
For me, something happened around 59/60. Like a biological process. A real sense of ‘now or never’. A new chapter. I call it a part of menopause that no-one talks about. It was a complete surprise - in a very good way!
Ahh yes a good suprise indeed - I'm so glad that happened for you Nicola! I definitely had a 'now or never' feeling when it came to going for it re. screenwriting. Thanks so much for buying my Mum's book - hope you enjoy it! :)
People love to tell you what you can’t do. They love to hand out expiration dates like they’re runnin’ a damn grocery store. But the truth is, the only real deadline is the one you set for yourself. I can’t even count how many times I’ve heard that load of horse crap. “You can’t do this past 40,” “You’re too old to start that,” “No room for late bloomers.” Sounds like some kinda idiot platitude cooked up by people who quit dreaming before they even got started. If you’ve got a dream that’s been sittin’ on a shelf gathering dust, maybe it’s time to wipe that sucker off and get to work. Because life ain’t a race, and there’s no finish line till you decide to stop running.
Your mum deserves all the accolades she can get. Of course it’s never too late until you’re dead, but ageism is alive and well, even amongst those who call themselves old. At 40. 50. 60…. I started my Substack last November. I just turned 74 today. Also writing 13 books.
Congrats to your mum. Maybe writing could be good therapy for ‘us oldies’! Following two heart attacks in my sixties, I retired to the tranquility of rural France, where I recuperated by writing crime fiction novels. After discovering that I had chosen to live in an area of France where the WW2 resistance had been prolific, I researched their local actions against the occupiers. I was amazed at what had taken place & realising that few ‘foreigners’ like me were totally unaware of their amazing exploits, I decided to write & publish novels based on my research. I was in my seventies & on reflection, it was great therapy following my earlier heart issues!
Definitely good therapy - for anyone at any age, I think, but especially if you've been through a lot, as it sounds like you have! Huge congrats on your books, what a fascinating area/era to research and write about.
Merci beaucoup ! One fascinating expérience during my WW2 research was meeting a young Frenchman at a bar-b-q. He had heard that I was researching the activities of the Resistance in the area. He gave me a small booklet wrapped in brown paper but asked me to return it after reading the contents. I discovered that it was a record of exploits of a group in the area. The accounts were fascinating but surprisingly the names, dates of birth & occupations of those involved were also listed. I photo-copied every page before returning the booklet! One name grasped my attention; it was the name of a 90yr old man with whom I often shared a glass of wine in a local bar. He would never talk about the war but I had so much respect for him, knowing what he had done! Sadly, he died a few years later & I attended his funeral. In my eyes, he was a hero.
Absolutely it's never too late. It's so great to hear you're writing something that you're enjoying so much, especially given your health situation. Bravo, and write on! :)
Thank you for inspiring our joyful fortitude, Andrea 🙏🏼 Your mum's novel may feed my daughter's Jane Austin adoration... is it available elsewhere than Amazon? (oops, my own novel is only on Amazon, too)
Aww thank you Christine. I'm afraid only via Amazon if you're outside the UK? (Although somebody else on here has said they've ordered it through their local bookshop, so if they're able to offer that service..??)
Thnak you, Andrea. How hard it can be to boycott the big boyz. PS: your piece empowered me to write through resistance and edit my supernatural memoir yesterday. Please tell your mom I’m grateful for her example. Thank you 🙏🏼
Glad it resonated, Lisa! It really is SO easy to feel anxious about this, to feel that we've left things too late... we live in an ageist (and sexist!) world. But as long as we have breath in us (and creative fire in our bellies!) we can smash those norms! :)
My mother always said it’s never too late to be who you might have been. She was always an inspiration. She wrote many short stories that were about growing up and growing old. I’m thankful to have them and thankful for her.
That's wonderful to hear - what a fabulous inspiring mum. And "It's never too late to be what you might have been" is one of my absolute favourite sayings!
Great read. Energizing and inspiring. I’m signing up for writing workshop and feeling confident. Thanks for this post. Both the photos/ comparison was a great hook and the illustration is terrific.
That's so wonderful to hear, Michele - enjoy your writing workshop! And thank you so much for reading, I'm glad it resonated and inspired in some way. :)
This is encouraging and helpful. I remember attending a writers group while in my early 40’s and most of the group was over 65. I was determined to to get my novel published before I got old. Well, shit hit the fan and I was broken and creatively blocked. I’ve been in survival mode for so many years I no longer know any other way. I had four children to raise by myself and life got in the way. I’m 65 and now and not quite ready to throw in the towel. There’s a small spark still alive in there somewhere that just won’t die.
I'm so sorry to hear about what you went through - and I'm not surprised it led to you feeling blocked creatively. Life does indeed get in the way, and tough stuff takes its toll. I'm so happy to hear that the spark in you hasn't gone out, though. Nurture it, keep that flame alive... And you will write your novel :)
Very wise words. It's often hard not to feel you've left it too late in a world where being young is everything. I felt my life was over at 19 when I found myself pregnant and married, in that order. Don't get me wrong, I loved my baby, the husband not so much. Over the years I have reinvented myself several times and at the age of 72 I've returned to studying and dabbling with poetry writing.
You are an inspiration, Georgina! And you're absolutely right - that society is youth-centric, and that we can reinvent ourselves at any age (and multiple times over!).
Woohoo! I am so publishing my first book of poetry at 60 this year even though I’ve been writing poems since age 9. Here we glow!!!
Bought the book too! Excited to read it.
For me, something happened around 59/60. Like a biological process. A real sense of ‘now or never’. A new chapter. I call it a part of menopause that no-one talks about. It was a complete surprise - in a very good way!
Ahh yes a good suprise indeed - I'm so glad that happened for you Nicola! I definitely had a 'now or never' feeling when it came to going for it re. screenwriting. Thanks so much for buying my Mum's book - hope you enjoy it! :)
Indeed - I’ve just gained a doctorate in creative writing at 62…
Fantastic, love it! Huge congrats :)
People love to tell you what you can’t do. They love to hand out expiration dates like they’re runnin’ a damn grocery store. But the truth is, the only real deadline is the one you set for yourself. I can’t even count how many times I’ve heard that load of horse crap. “You can’t do this past 40,” “You’re too old to start that,” “No room for late bloomers.” Sounds like some kinda idiot platitude cooked up by people who quit dreaming before they even got started. If you’ve got a dream that’s been sittin’ on a shelf gathering dust, maybe it’s time to wipe that sucker off and get to work. Because life ain’t a race, and there’s no finish line till you decide to stop running.
Amen to all that!! :)
This is amazing!! Congratulations to your mother for chasing her dreams! A sequel to Persuasion??? I need to read this!!
Ahh thank you! (And I know I'm biased but: it's really good! :))
Your mum deserves all the accolades she can get. Of course it’s never too late until you’re dead, but ageism is alive and well, even amongst those who call themselves old. At 40. 50. 60…. I started my Substack last November. I just turned 74 today. Also writing 13 books.
That's amazing!! Kudos to you, that's just wonderful to read :) (And: Happy birthday!!)
Congrats to your mum. Maybe writing could be good therapy for ‘us oldies’! Following two heart attacks in my sixties, I retired to the tranquility of rural France, where I recuperated by writing crime fiction novels. After discovering that I had chosen to live in an area of France where the WW2 resistance had been prolific, I researched their local actions against the occupiers. I was amazed at what had taken place & realising that few ‘foreigners’ like me were totally unaware of their amazing exploits, I decided to write & publish novels based on my research. I was in my seventies & on reflection, it was great therapy following my earlier heart issues!
Definitely good therapy - for anyone at any age, I think, but especially if you've been through a lot, as it sounds like you have! Huge congrats on your books, what a fascinating area/era to research and write about.
Merci beaucoup ! One fascinating expérience during my WW2 research was meeting a young Frenchman at a bar-b-q. He had heard that I was researching the activities of the Resistance in the area. He gave me a small booklet wrapped in brown paper but asked me to return it after reading the contents. I discovered that it was a record of exploits of a group in the area. The accounts were fascinating but surprisingly the names, dates of birth & occupations of those involved were also listed. I photo-copied every page before returning the booklet! One name grasped my attention; it was the name of a 90yr old man with whom I often shared a glass of wine in a local bar. He would never talk about the war but I had so much respect for him, knowing what he had done! Sadly, he died a few years later & I attended his funeral. In my eyes, he was a hero.
I love that Mary Oliver poem. Obviously, the last two lines resonate but the idea of being idle and blessed is fabulous.
I’ve written things before, even a whole book, but now I’m writing something I really enjoy. I’m 68 and in terrible health. But it’s never too late.
Absolutely it's never too late. It's so great to hear you're writing something that you're enjoying so much, especially given your health situation. Bravo, and write on! :)
Thank you for inspiring our joyful fortitude, Andrea 🙏🏼 Your mum's novel may feed my daughter's Jane Austin adoration... is it available elsewhere than Amazon? (oops, my own novel is only on Amazon, too)
Aww thank you Christine. I'm afraid only via Amazon if you're outside the UK? (Although somebody else on here has said they've ordered it through their local bookshop, so if they're able to offer that service..??)
Thnak you, Andrea. How hard it can be to boycott the big boyz. PS: your piece empowered me to write through resistance and edit my supernatural memoir yesterday. Please tell your mom I’m grateful for her example. Thank you 🙏🏼
Your Mom's a trouper. And is in great company. Ever increasingly with platforms like Substack.
So happy to hear how she's relishing 'her one wild and precious life.'
Thank you so much for reading and commenting, Jeanette :)
Needed to read this today.
Thank you for reading. I’m glad it resonated and helped in some way :)
I love this message that it’s not too late. So easy to get anxious sometimes. & great to hear about the older women reaching their writerly goals :)
Glad it resonated, Lisa! It really is SO easy to feel anxious about this, to feel that we've left things too late... we live in an ageist (and sexist!) world. But as long as we have breath in us (and creative fire in our bellies!) we can smash those norms! :)
My mother always said it’s never too late to be who you might have been. She was always an inspiration. She wrote many short stories that were about growing up and growing old. I’m thankful to have them and thankful for her.
That's wonderful to hear - what a fabulous inspiring mum. And "It's never too late to be what you might have been" is one of my absolute favourite sayings!
Great read. Energizing and inspiring. I’m signing up for writing workshop and feeling confident. Thanks for this post. Both the photos/ comparison was a great hook and the illustration is terrific.
That's so wonderful to hear, Michele - enjoy your writing workshop! And thank you so much for reading, I'm glad it resonated and inspired in some way. :)
Love this thank you. Well done to your mum! I can’t wait to read this - downloading it now :)
Aww thank you!
This is encouraging and helpful. I remember attending a writers group while in my early 40’s and most of the group was over 65. I was determined to to get my novel published before I got old. Well, shit hit the fan and I was broken and creatively blocked. I’ve been in survival mode for so many years I no longer know any other way. I had four children to raise by myself and life got in the way. I’m 65 and now and not quite ready to throw in the towel. There’s a small spark still alive in there somewhere that just won’t die.
I'm so sorry to hear about what you went through - and I'm not surprised it led to you feeling blocked creatively. Life does indeed get in the way, and tough stuff takes its toll. I'm so happy to hear that the spark in you hasn't gone out, though. Nurture it, keep that flame alive... And you will write your novel :)