Writing at age 65 or Older

Many writers over the age of 65 have experienced great success and even published debut works at that age or older. Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first book, Little House in the Big Woods, at the age of 65. She would go on to publish many subsequent books until the age of 76 and would live to be 90. Frank McCourt published his Pulitzer prize-winning memoir, Angela's Ashes, at the age of 66. Lorna Page published her first book, A Dangerous Weakness, at 96. The list is lengthy and noteworthy.

But what about the many folks 65 and older who have not yet published or are reluctant to try at such an advanced age. And let's not forget, there are many seniors who write but would rather not publish at all. They do not want the hassle of seeking an agent and publisher and have no interest in selling a book. Many times, they are writing for future generations of their own family so as to be remembered and understood. I am a non-continuous member of this last group. I self-published my memoir and placed copies in my grandchildren's time capsule. When each opens his or her own capsule at 18, he or she can find out more about grandpa and his life as a child in Northwest Ohio.

In writing my memoir, I discovered many things about myself as well. Many writers young and old write for this reason: to make sense of themselves and figure out how they fit into the world around them. I have found writing is a sort of therapy where you can examine yourself closely and consider options you may not explore otherwise. Writing helps to "clear out the attic", so to speak, and we all need to perform that activity no matter at what age. These writers need no guidance from me. Simply write what you feel and think without judgement. It's in the reading where one can make sense of these thoughts and even act on them if necessary.

I truly believe, however, that editing and publishing your conclusions based on these writings can be very uplifting and rewarding for you and for your family and friends. It's hard to explain just how satisfied one feels when picking up a book for the first time with one's name on the cover. It's a rare accomplishment whether the book was published traditionally or by oneself, and as I mentioned before, you might be surprised how important the book becomes to your family and to future descendants.

Self-publishing has been made extremely simple and inexpensive thanks to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), IngramSpark, Apple Books and others. I used KDP for my memoir book and can safely say I would have done it all over again. I learned so much about editing and formatting from the experience, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to save their memories in a memoir, biography or novel. Yes, even a novel. Sometimes it helps put a little distance between you and the events of your life when you treat it as a work of fiction.

If you are 65, 70, or even 90, it is not too late to write or to start writing. If you decide to publish, I am certain a friend or relative would be glad to assist. I would love to help, too. At the bottom of every page of this website is a spot where you can contact me and ask questions. Happy writing!!!!!