How to stop thinking you’re too late

Do you feel like you’re playing catch-up in your writing career? If so, you’re in good company. 

I’ve worked with hundreds of writers at this point, and one of the most common things I hear—even from successful career authors—is, “I should’ve started sooner.”

I get it; I sometimes have this thought, too. But then I remind myself that one of the main reasons this thought is so painful is because of its subtext: that somehow more time writing would have equaled greater success. 

Except that’s not necessarily true.  

Yes, experience can make a difference. But it doesn’t make the difference, and the “10,000 hours” rule has been repeatedly challenged and debunked (here’s a good writeup on this if you’re interested in learning more). 

As author and organizational psychologist Benjamin Hardy, Ph.D., points out in several of his books, exponential growth can happen in a year or less. And that sort of growth requires two things: a complete commitment to creating it—and believing it’s possible. 

By the way, Bonnie Garmus was 65 when she published Lessons in Chemistry, which has been one of the biggest bestsellers of 2022.

Delia Owens was 69 when Where the Crawdads Sing was published, and like Chemistry, it was a runaway bestseller (and is now a movie, too).  

Likewise, Toni Morrison was 39 when her debut came out; Sue Monk Kidd was 54, while Annie Proulx was 57, and Laura Ingalls Wilder was 65.

It wasn't too late for them—and it isn't too late for you. 

If you’re ready to create exponential growth and go for even your biggest writing and publishing goals, I’d love to work with you in the 2023 Career Author Mastermind. The group is already 2/3rds full, so I encourage you to apply now if this is of interest to you. Email me if you have questions.