Comments on: How Old Must You be to Write a Novel? http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/ America's Mad Professor of Fiction Writing Wed, 16 May 2012 17:06:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Pauline Youd http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-10216 Pauline Youd Sun, 04 Jul 2010 00:11:51 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-10216 Randy, I seriously hope what you say refers to fogies, too. Some of what I hear is that agents and publishers want someone young so they can guide their writing career for many years to come. I don't think I write "old," but my name gives me away. Parents don't choose Pauline for their daughters any more. Should I change my name, publish under my first two initials and last name, or just continue to improve my craft and learn to market more effectively? <strong>Randy sez</strong>: Be who you are. You can't be anybody else anyway, so be who you are and don't worry about what you heard somebody thinks the agents and publishers might want. Randy,
I seriously hope what you say refers to fogies, too.
Some of what I hear is that agents and publishers want someone young so they can guide their writing career for many years to come. I don’t think I write “old,” but my name gives me away. Parents don’t choose Pauline for their daughters any more. Should I change my name, publish under my first two initials and last name, or just continue to improve my craft and learn to market more effectively?

Randy sez: Be who you are. You can’t be anybody else anyway, so be who you are and don’t worry about what you heard somebody thinks the agents and publishers might want.

]]> By: Gracie Ingermanson http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-10217 Gracie Ingermanson Sun, 04 Jul 2010 00:36:27 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-10217 I’m Randy’s daughter. Here’s my take on age, from the perspective of a former teen writer. There are unique challenges to writing as a teenager. (There are also unique challenges to writing in any stage of life, but I'm not a good source on those.) I don't think prejudice is one of them. When I went to writing conferences and critique groups, I didn't get the impression that people took me less seriously because I was a teen. The writers that critiqued my sample chapters were encouraging and helpful and gave me suggestions appropriate for my writing level (I was a beginner). For me, there were two major age-related issues, both related to the writing process itself. The first, which my dad alluded to, was the gap between the types of things that happen in my favorite genres and the types of things I'd personally experienced. The second big issue was that my writing style and perspective on life changed faster than I could write. Whenever I got a few chapters into a novel, I found that the ideas I began with no longer made sense or felt real to me, because I saw the world in a different way than I had a few weeks or months before. In the end, I decided to put aside novel-writing for a while, focus on my other interests and get older. That being said, not every teen writer faces the exact same issues and plenty of them work past whatever they're dealing with and finish their novels. I think that's the main area where age/maturity is a factor. I’m Randy’s daughter. Here’s my take on age, from the perspective of a former teen writer.
There are unique challenges to writing as a teenager. (There are also unique challenges to writing in any stage of life, but I’m not a good source on those.) I don’t think prejudice is one of them.
When I went to writing conferences and critique groups, I didn’t get the impression that people took me less seriously because I was a teen. The writers that critiqued my sample chapters were encouraging and helpful and gave me suggestions appropriate for my writing level (I was a beginner).
For me, there were two major age-related issues, both related to the writing process itself.
The first, which my dad alluded to, was the gap between the types of things that happen in my favorite genres and the types of things I’d personally experienced.
The second big issue was that my writing style and perspective on life changed faster than I could write. Whenever I got a few chapters into a novel, I found that the ideas I began with no longer made sense or felt real to me, because I saw the world in a different way than I had a few weeks or months before.
In the end, I decided to put aside novel-writing for a while, focus on my other interests and get older.
That being said, not every teen writer faces the exact same issues and plenty of them work past whatever they’re dealing with and finish their novels. I think that’s the main area where age/maturity is a factor.

]]> By: Colby http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-10218 Colby Sun, 04 Jul 2010 04:56:45 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-10218 Thanks for the help, guys. I've been seriously studying writing for the past year or two, and was pleased to see that the four main writing books I've been studying from were all recommended by Randy: TECHNIQUES OF THE SELLING WRITER, STEIN ON WRITING, PLOT & STRUCTURE, and SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS. That along with the help of Randy's ezines, blog, the Snowflake Pro software, and the soon to be had WRITING FICTION FOR DUMMIES book and as said I'll have the training. Just talent left, along with mustering out a Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius... Thanks for the help, guys. I’ve been seriously studying writing for the past year or two, and was pleased to see that the four main writing books I’ve been studying from were all recommended by Randy: TECHNIQUES OF THE SELLING WRITER, STEIN ON WRITING, PLOT & STRUCTURE, and SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS.
That along with the help of Randy’s ezines, blog, the Snowflake Pro software, and the soon to be had WRITING FICTION FOR DUMMIES book and as said I’ll have the training.
Just talent left, along with mustering out a Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius…

]]> By: Tim http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-10246 Tim Mon, 05 Jul 2010 17:03:08 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-10246 If you want an example of a teen author you don't have to look far. Christopher Paolini the author of the Inheritance Cycle, wrote Eragon at the age of 15 and was was eventually published. Tim If you want an example of a teen author you don’t have to look far. Christopher Paolini the author of the Inheritance Cycle, wrote Eragon at the age of 15 and was was eventually published.

Tim

]]> By: Heather Ivester http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-10250 Heather Ivester Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:16:49 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-10250 Hey, Thanks for this great article! I have several teens who've written to me asking for advice on writing, and I tell them to work hard and go for it! For any writer, it's easier to publish short non-fiction than a full-length novel, so I think teens should start building a file of clips just like any writer who wants to publish professionally. Write for the school paper, church, magazines that cater to teens, blog posts, etc. Chicken Soup for the Soul is putting out a new book for teens and is looking for stories written by teens. The deadline is December 31, 2010. I think that would impress any agent if an aspiring teen novelist could list this as a clip! www.chickensoup.com Hey, Thanks for this great article! I have several teens who’ve written to me asking for advice on writing, and I tell them to work hard and go for it!

For any writer, it’s easier to publish short non-fiction than a full-length novel, so I think teens should start building a file of clips just like any writer who wants to publish professionally. Write for the school paper, church, magazines that cater to teens, blog posts, etc.

Chicken Soup for the Soul is putting out a new book for teens and is looking for stories written by teens. The deadline is December 31, 2010. I think that would impress any agent if an aspiring teen novelist could list this as a clip!
www.chickensoup.com

]]> By: Obinna Ozoigbo http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-10523 Obinna Ozoigbo Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:10:39 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-10523 No time, no age, is too late for an author to get published. Sidney Sheldon is someone we should learn from. He left Broadway for fiction-writing (novels) at much later age, perhaps fifty. But his works of fiction have sold more than 300 millions copies, and have been translated into so many languages. Some of his books are still selling, especially his autobiography "The Other Side of Me" (I just bought a copy of it). Even if you're 60, therefore, do not relent. Hold the dream! Only determination, in the face of oppositions of all sorts, will make the dream come true. However, if you're 10 or 15, know that life is like a journey; as you keep moving, you keep gathering experience. (But note that you cannot gather experience while remaining at a place for an unnecessarily long time. You must keep moving. When you fall, arise and move on, because that is what life is all about, after all.) You may not make a good writer (or novelist) until you gather enough experience. It is only when you have gathered enough that you can share with people. You cannot give what you do not have. And that is that. But if you know (or you're very sure) you've gathered enough already, like Randy's friend, Mary DeMuth, you're bound to fly beyond limits, definitely--just like the eagle! No time, no age, is too late for an author to get published. Sidney Sheldon is someone we should learn from. He left Broadway for fiction-writing (novels) at much later age, perhaps fifty. But his works of fiction have sold more than 300 millions copies, and have been translated into so many languages. Some of his books are still selling, especially his autobiography “The Other Side of Me” (I just bought a copy of it). Even if you’re 60, therefore, do not relent. Hold the dream! Only determination, in the face of oppositions of all sorts, will make the dream come true. However, if you’re 10 or 15, know that life is like a journey; as you keep moving, you keep gathering experience. (But note that you cannot gather experience while remaining at a place for an unnecessarily long time. You must keep moving. When you fall, arise and move on, because that is what life is all about, after all.) You may not make a good writer (or novelist) until you gather enough experience. It is only when you have gathered enough that you can share with people. You cannot give what you do not have. And that is that. But if you know (or you’re very sure) you’ve gathered enough already, like Randy’s friend, Mary DeMuth, you’re bound to fly beyond limits, definitely–just like the eagle!

]]> By: Heather Ivester » Blog Archive » Summer Reading Links http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-10540 Heather Ivester » Blog Archive » Summer Reading Links Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:24:14 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-10540 [...] Ingermason has written a wonderful post, How Old Must You Be To Write a Novel? I wish I’d read this when I was 15. Pass this along to any teen you [...] […] Ingermason has written a wonderful post, How Old Must You Be To Write a Novel? I wish I’d read this when I was 15. Pass this along to any teen you […]

]]> By: Towards the end. | The Tearing http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-12084 Towards the end. | The Tearing Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:00:27 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/07/02/how-old-must-you-be-to-write-a-novel/#comment-12084 [...] How Old Must You be to Write a Novel? (advancedfictionwriting.com) [...] […] How Old Must You be to Write a Novel? (advancedfictionwriting.com) […]

]]>