Writing Articles

Does age make a difference in writing?  Only in so far as experiencing life.  Therefore, I think that each different age bracket has its plus factors that must be taken advantage of by the individual writer.

Mark Twain said over a hundred years ago that "youth is wasted on the young," or words to that effect.  I don't believe it when it comes to the written word.  The young, middle age or older writer all have something different to offer in the form of a story and should be taken seriously.  Every now and then a young person, under thirty years old, will write a novel or non-fiction  (most often a novel) that finds its way into the hearts of the reading public.  It's more difficult for a young person to write a non-fiction piece because they have so many fewer years to draw down experience that readers can relate too.  But, every now and then it does happen.

What youth does bring to the table is boundless energy, limitless enthusiasm, huge computer skills for research and great ambition unfettered by the numerous setbacks encountered in a full life.  Young writers also have a passion that is totally refreshing, especially if channeled in a positive direction.  They must be encouraged to write about something that is important to them, and courageous enough not to be discouraged by rejection that could properly put a damper on their enthusiasm.  But, they should develop: thick skins because life is full of rejection.  Their efforts are first rejected by agents and then publishers.  Fortunately, for them, they should have enough years in front of them to perfect their skills with great success.  Young writers also have the advantage today of being able to skillfully use the Internet to their own work.

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Middle age seems to inspire new writers to share their experiences in the work place as well as the home.

They've now settled down after working a few years - maybe going after and reviewing a Master's or Doctorate, completing their education, and are well on their way to raising a family.

They now feel that they have something to talk about, and maybe have attained a certain amount of confidence achieved through financial stability, moderate or large.

For middle age writers, their experiences or fantasies are a great source of material.  Some find that it is a time to reevaluate their past decisions and cope with making a transition from one plateau to a completely different one.  They have matured enough to frequently be able to make a thoughtful decision on what is really important in their lives and implement it successfully, and that includes a "good" marriage.

Older writers find that they have a great deal to write about because of their personal experiences gained through the years.  They are in a position to relate their stories of loss, success or failure, to the rest of this world.  Each of them has some type of compelling story that the new writer would now like to write about.  And, you know what?  They have the time to carefully think through their subject matter and organize their material.  They are also probably in the position of being able to afford a research assistant to help them use their brand new computer.

Also, most older writers have accumulated sufficient funds that has allowed them to attend either one or more writer's workshops for additional inspiration and assistance, if it's needed.

So all you writers of different ages, rally around the flag and start pounding away on your laptop, computer keyboard…typewriter or maybe even use your favorite ink pen and paper.