Is It Too Late to Become a Writer? 2023 Update — The Narrative ARC (2024)

That's the answer, no matter how old you are. Writing isn't only a talent; it's a craft you can master with practice, just like anything else. No one ever wonders if it’s too late to learn how to garden or bake cookies. And writing isn’t a sport where you burn out at age 21 because it’s so physically demanding.

One of my favorite infographics is on the Books on the Wall blog. It categorizes the agewhen 101 famous authors were first published. The ages span from 17 to 40 and beyond.

Some writers begin early in life, others late. There isn't only one path to artistry—that's what makes it artistic.

Learning to write involves three factors: figuring out what kind of writing you want to do, sitting down to practice, and finding the right feedback.

What Type of Writer Are You?

How do you know what to write? A good place to start is to look at what you read.

1. Go to your bookcase or load your favorite ebook app and look at your titles.

2. Sort your books into three piles: read multiple times, read once, and never read.

3. Examine the books you’ve read multiple times. Are there any similarities between them? Are non-fiction and fiction? What about literary or genre?

4. Then, look at the books you’ve never gotten around to reading. Do they share any traits?

The old cliche of writing is to write what you know, but I think a better adage would be to write what you love. Look at the titles you love and seriously consider creating your own. You have to write about something, so be sure to make it something you want to think about—better yet, dream about.

How to Start Writing

The most challenging part of writing is making time for the process. Staring at a blank page or screen has stopped many a budding writer in her tracks.

The good news is that you can train yourself to have good writing habits. Writing a book, like everything else, takes practice. The goal of the Narrative ARC is to teach people how to practice the craft of writing.

1. Start by honing your writing skills with daily writing prompts.

2. Study the techniques and stories of some of the world’s greatest writers.

3. Familiarize yourself with the building blocks of a novel: plot, character, narrative, and setting.

4. Experiment with language and word choice to find your writer’s voice.

After completing these four steps, you are only ready to consider starting a more extensive project like a novel. The good news is that you don’t have to go it alone. We’ve already gathered all the resources to become the best writer you can be.

When Did You Start Your First Novel, Book Or Short Story? Let me Know Below!