MONDAYS IN PUBLISH: What is the right age to get published?

Over the weekend someone shared their fears that they were “too old to publish” on Twitter and, of course, everyone has an opinion.

The idea that everything must be accomplished by a certain age is pushed by ageism and misogyny. This is exceptionally prominent in American culture and for American women who often see themselves erased from the narrative by age 35. It’s hard to remember that Hollywood will show a prominent author being 23 and beautiful but the reality is the majority of authors are over 40 and doing just fine.

So…

WHY AGE DOESN’T MATTER IN PUBLISHING

1. There is no physical fitness test. Yes, sure, some authors run marathons and bench press 350 and are in amazing physical condition. But that’s not actually a requirement. As long as you can tell a story, you can be a writer. Can’t hold a pen? No problem! Can’t type? Not to worry! We have programs that will handle that and editors for every error those programs introduce. Don’t worry.
2. Like all arts, writing gets better with age. The life you have, the more experiences you have to put into books. Maybe you had a very troubled childhood and grew up fast (good job for surviving!), maybe you didn’t. It doesn’t matter. Every day you’re alive you’ll find new things to put in your books.
3. Writing gets better with practice. Okay, yes, there are some wunderkinds who publish at 19 and their books are well-loved. Those authors either burn out before 29 or get better by 79. The same is true for every author. Every book your write makes you a better writer. Every book you edit makes you a better editor. If you publish more than two books in your lifetime your first book will, eventually, be your worst book.
4. The average human life expectancy is pushing 90 years old. With healthy living you could hit the century mark. Publishers know this. Fans know this. You know this. No one expects you to have everything done by age 30. You don’t hit thirty and then spend the next 70 years sitting around waiting to die.
5. No one knows how old you are anyway. Sure, there are things that can give it away. A dated reference somewhere. A preference for telegraph or using a telephone. But, by and large, readers don’t know or care about your age. Neither do publishers. All they care about is your book.

What does matter in publishing is whether you are willing to write a book, edit a book, and adapt to the changing market. As long as you’re willing to change from typewriter to computer, sell in print and ebook, and can tolerate the changing style of covers… you’ll be fine. Focus on your book and writing the best story you can. The rest will come with time.