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Malcolm Robert Lambe's avatar

Mate I've been working 30 years on one novel and I'm still only halfway.

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Daisy Alpert Florin's avatar

Needed to hear this today!!

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Jennifer Silva Redmond's avatar

My memoir took 30 years to write, and then I found the perfect publisher. I wouldn't change a thing about the process or the result...readers like it!

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Missy T's avatar

Good things take time, they say. I admire your patience. I'm twice as old as you but I've learned that patience is very important ... don't rush your novel. You're on the right track.

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Nid B's avatar

Some of the best advice ever dispensed.

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Annie Gottlieb's avatar

Such a relief to hear this! 😂

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Marianna Busching's avatar

I restrained myself from chuckling. I am just finishing up my 4th novel and just had my first chapbook of poetry accepted by a respected publisher, and the chapbook won't come out for at least a year. And I'm 86 years old. Really. I am diligently taking my vitamins. One leg is weak, but the brain seems to be working, so.... I'm going to put a poem I wrote about all this on my platform "Forging Ahead...." if I can get on to it. I'm still having trouble learning all about the computer, at my age. I began publishing on a Selectric typewriter.

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Waving from a Distance's avatar

So well said, Richard. From a woman who is closer to 80 than 70 and still working on that ONE book, it takes whatever time it takes :-) Thanks for reminding everyone, including me!

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I am, Therefore I write's avatar

My first novel took 20 years. But when I finally published I didn’t realize I had turned 69 and I don’t have 5 years to finish the next one. So yes, take your time. But also remember that time is short.

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Ann Hutton's avatar

Thanks Rich! Just this morning I was pondering "flash memoir" writing. And whether or not I could accumulate enough thousand-word flashes to amount to a book, perhaps to be published posthumously, as my days truly are winding down. I should be in a panic to get one (memoir) done before I can no longer think clearly and write what I'm thinking. But I will take your sage advice to be patient and stop worrying about it. We only have the present. XXX

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