An Older Writer Beats the Odds
If you feel like you’re in a writer’s race against time, take heart. Practice, persistence, and support will get you further faster than you might think! Here’s a success story from an older writer who beat the odds.
Jim Shipley, writing as Dirk Stimson, is published! His first story for Cobblestone Press, “A Race Against Time,” is available on Kindle. Jim learned romance is the #1 selling genre, according to Writer’s Digest. He researched romance subgenres and publishers—including Harlequin and Avon—wrote a couple of stories to test the waters, then submitted to all-digital Cobblestone. I’m so happy he’s crossed the finish line in his writer’s race against time.
Jim says, I wrote advertising copy for years, then started a political column, now syndicated on a monthly basis. I found Jamie Morris, and she taught me structure, plot, setting, and a few other things one should know before attempting to write a story.
A Writer’s Race Against Time: It’s Never Too Late
One of the most encouraging things about Jim’s story is that he didn’t let his previous writing experience limit what he could do next. Writing advertising copy and political commentary requires a different set of skills from writing fiction, but Jim was willing to learn the techniques that would help him tell a compelling story.
And that’s an important lesson for writers at any age.
You don’t have to begin writing fiction in your twenties or thirties to become a published author. Nor do you have to know everything about storytelling before you begin. Writing is a craft, and like any craft, it can be studied, practiced, and improved.
Jim also did something smart: He researched the market before submitting his work. Understanding the conventions of a genre and identifying publishers interested in that kind of writing can help writers make informed decisions about where to send their manuscripts.
Of course, learning to write fiction takes patience. Developing characters, structuring a plot, creating believable settings, and bringing a story to a satisfying conclusion are skills that take time to develop.
But Jim’s experience demonstrates what can happen when a writer combines determination with a willingness to learn.
Sometimes the best way to win a writer’s race against time is simply to get started!
And now Jim Shipley is published!
Practice, persistence, and support are all key in a writer’s race against time. Wondering how a writing coach might help you get across the finish line? Visit my contact page, and let’s connect. You might also be interested in my books: Plotting Your Novel with the Plot Clock and Jamie Helps Mel Write a Novel.