One of the beauties of increasing age is that we can see the horizon. (I’m resisting the temptation to joke about being over the hill here….). The perspective helps us to focus on what things we still want to accomplish in our lives, what things really matter to us. If we are lucky, or determined (or both), second times around are one of the gifts that can come with aging. I’m on my second time around with this writing career thing. If you count my very first writing stint as a journalist, you might even say this is my third time around!
I wrote romances for the Signet Regency line between 1994-2002. Life interfered—my dad died, my mom, my husband, and my younger child all developed different but serious health complications, and every time I tried to get back to my writing another new crisis seemed to occur. I did not write another new book until 2018.
Do I wish I could have those 16 years of lost writing time back?
Of course. But the only direction to go is forward! Recently I’ve been telling
people that my “biological clock” is ticking again, and since I’m well past any
child-bearing age, it surprises them (at least if they are not fellow aging
writers). What could I possibly mean?
It means I am aware that my brain is not as sharp and quick
as it used to be, and over time that’s likely to get worse. Writing novels
becomes harder, because there is so much we rely on our brains to keep track of
as we go along. What was the hero’s younger sister’s name, and did I mention
her way back in chapter three? (I hadn’t planned on her existence.) Did my
heroine already explain her resistance to the hero, in the same words, 50 pages
ago?
The recall used to be pretty easy. Now I am inventing new ways to help myself keep track of everything –more spreadsheets, different kinds of timelines, etc., not just the chapter outline I’ve always relied on in the past. A time will eventually come when I can no longer produce “book babies” well, or even at all. But in the meantime, I still have a long list of stories I want to tell!
During the gap in my career, the book business turned upside
down. The Signet line closed, my editor retired, ebooks were invented, and
self-publishing became a thing anyone could do. Bookshops closed by the
hundreds (thousands?) and the behemoth of Amazon became a global online book
warehouse. Moving forward meant mastering a lot of new technologies. But with
them came a kind of joyful freedom in creating fuller stories without the
restraints of publishers’ “product line” mentality. I actually love self-publishing
my books and having total control over the stories, the covers, the deadlines,
even though it is a lot more work!
I think a lot of people seize the chance to reset their
lives for second rounds, whether that means a new career or some other new
phase. One part-time job I used to juggle along with writing was managing a
church office. A pastor I worked with there had been a nurse practitioner. As
she got older she decided that she really wanted to go to seminary and become a
clergywoman. So she did! All of the years she had spent in nursing certainly enriched
her abilities as a pastor. Yes, the late start meant she had a shorter career
in the church than in her previous profession, and she eventually retired, but
not before she accomplished some very worthy milestones in her ministry, such
as leading our small church to add an entire new sanctuary to our existing
building, an amazing feat of faith.
Both of the lead characters in my newest historical Regency
romance, His Lady to Love, are attempting to redirect their lives towards new
pursuits, careers of their hearts, so maybe this theme has been in the back of
my mind for a while! My heroine, a young widow, wants to use her new freedom to
become a published artist. My war-weary hero, an ex-army officer, wants to
become a clergyman. Falling in love will be an obstacle neither of them is
looking for! Especially heroine Lissie, whose late husband has left her a
substantial inheritance to free her to do as she pleases. In this time period,
a married woman and everything she owned belonged to her husband. Trying to
protect her legacy and preserve her independence make Lissie very wary when she
finds herself attracted to our hero!
I’m trying to teach myself to write faster (and do fewer
other things!) so the stories on my list will get told. They’re like unborn
children waiting for their turn! I’m grateful that even though I have some
health issues now, none of them prevent me from pursuing my second round at
doing what I love.
Are you in a second
round at this stage in your life, or do you have one in mind when you look
ahead and see the horizon?
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| Tales of Little Macclow |
Tales of Little Macclow:
The Tales of Little Macclow series is set in a small village
off the beaten path, where ancient traditions are still celebrated and people
care about each other–ordinary people living out their lives (or just passing
through). How does Love enter into the lives of those who are lonely? Or even
those who aren’t seeking it at all? And–is it getting a special boost from a
mysterious source found only in Little Macclow?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FPS69P5
Website: www.gaileastwoodauthor.com
Newsletter: https://eepurl.com/gbknuH
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(Picture credits: Pixabay.com and the author)
4 comments:
Gail, great post. I see my writing as a second chance / second career for me. Reality is, it is probably a 5th or 6th chance at a different career. If you count working in the food business, then working at schools in alumni relations and admissions, and other non-profits, and retail...the list goes on and on, as I switched course, using skills I learned along the way. Now all those experiences go into my writing. And when I think about it, I also write in different ways, between self-publishing and traditional publishing romance, writing short on various fictional and non-fiction topics for blogs and a local weekly writing group, and writing very short romances for Woman's World (I have sold 4 over the years since 2010...) All this keeps my brain active, but also gives me a change of pace. I am so glad YOU are back to writing - I LOVE this series and can't wait to read this latest book!
Gail, thank you for this post. I think about the many interests I have -- not just writing -- and how my time to do all of them is getting shorter. Because of that, my writing sometimes takes the backseat. My mom always thought she'd have time to read once she retired and slowed down. But by the time she finally did have the time, she had macular degeneration and couldn't read all the books she'd saved up. It was a regret in her old age. So I'm taking the time to do the reading, needlework and gardening. I love writing, but I equally love all my other interests. With the cooler weather and shorter days, the time in the garden will become time to sit at my computer and write. So I guess I've become a seasonal writer if there is such a thing.
Aw, Deb! You are a poster-child for living an active, vibrant life, with all the things you have done!! Thanks for your kind words about my writing and my series. I do love writing more than anything else I've done, and like you, I've done a few!
Anita, being a "seasonal writer" sounds perfect! I think we all need to pay attention to the priorities our hearts dictate to us. My husband and I both have always shared the aim when we run out of our time in this life, we will have few or no regrets!
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