I get so many tweets, messages and emails from Bang2writers wanting to “start” writing but THEY JUST CAN’T ‘cos … reasons!! Look, no one ever said it would be easy. There WILL be sacrifices and hardships. But if you want to write, then you need to know that you can start anytime … even today. So here’s Simone with some GREAT thoughts on why you can … So GET GOING!

How many of you have been secretly cherishing the dream of a career in writing while working on other projects in your lives? There are lots of people out there who would like to write poems, novels and short stories, but for one reason or another believe that they’re too old to start doing that.

Well, guess what? There’s no age limit when it comes to writing and if you’ve got the passion, you might become a famous writer at practically any age. Examples ranging from Walt Whitman to Charles Bukowski have shown us that writing can become an occupation even for late-bloomers in the craft. Here are 5 good reasons to convince you that it’s never too late to start writing your own masterpiece.

1) Creativity doesn’t depend on age

The media likes to periodically offer lists of “top writers under 30 or 40”, utterly missing the complex trajectory of creative growth in our lives. Creativity isn’t the domain of youth – it’s a feature we CAN develop throughout our lives.

Going through life, we learn many things and examine reality from different perspectives, all of which allow us to have a richer mental life and boosts our creativity. Knowledge paves the way to originality. MORE: It’s Never Too Late To Start Writing Your Masterpiece.

2) Life experience makes you a better writer

Writers who began their career at an older age are frequently asked whether they regret “wasting” all those decades before taking writing seriously (!). Those people who askevidently fail to understand that the writer in question wouldn’t be able to write like s/he does if it wasn’t for the life experience amassed during those years! And this is precisely where the value of their writing comes from – they haven’t led their lives as writers, but as regular people with different jobs. MORE: Unusual Jobs Of Famous Writers 

3) There are no age limits to writing

Writers don’t need to cash out in their 20s. They aren’t Olympic athletes or fashion models. Contrary to many jobs out there, writing poses no physical age limitation whatsoever! Writers have plenty of time to master their craft before they decide to publish their work.

Instead of questioning whether you’ve “missed your chance” of a literary career, stop worrying about it! Just start writing. You’ve got all the time in the world to do it — honestly! MORE: 6 Ways YOU’RE Stopping Your Own Writing Success

4) Having a career grants financial and intellectual independence

Writers who bloom at an early age face a difficult choice. If they happen to be the author of an international bestseller or huge movie, they might end up stuck in the cycle, whether they like it or not. But what happens if the second book or film isn’t as good as everyone expected? What if writing it turns out to be a huge drag for them?

Having years of professional training behind you, you’re actually free to take more risks. You don’t depend on writing financially – you’ve got an independent voice, which is always of value in writing.Starting at an early age might bind you to a certain style, publisher and audience – sometimes we see writers working like machines and regularly delivering work which starts to resemble one another. Use your intellectual freedom and the wonders of self-publishing to bring your ideas into light.

5) The skill of writing develops with age

Many great writers discovered their gift of writing at a relatively late age. The skill of writing requires cultivation. We’re talking about years spent on writing journals, reports and correspondence which amounted together make up for a great writing skill. Mature writers are much less self-conscious and ready to use their voice to fully express themselves in places where young writers might struggle to find the right words.

Writing is something you can do at any moment in your life. If writing is your passion, cherish it and share it with a wider audience – who knows, maybe that half-finished novel at the bottom of your drawer will turn out to be the next bestseller? Good luck!

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BIO: Simone Smith is a writer working at Online Courses Australia. She believes that inspiring people around you and a good coffee are a key to success. She likes to cover stories on careers and business management.