It's Never Too Late: Uncovering the Magic of Writing After Sixty

Hey everyone! 🌞✨What’s up, fellow authors? 🖋️📚 Today, I want to talk about what we value as creators. I got this idea from Joanna Penn. I agree with her. There are three amazing Fs that define our author journeys and why most people write. Most writers are motivated by one of the three Fs. They are Freedom, Fame, and Fortune! Let’s dive in and explore each one! 💪🔥

Freedom

First up, we have Freedom! 🕊️ For some writers the goal is being free. This means breaking free from the day job grind, deciding where we want to live, and choosing when and how we work. It’s all about having enough money to support ourselves and pursuing our passion without limitations. Plus, let’s not forget about being free by maintaining good health by making time for exercise and eating right, so we can continue enjoying life to the fullest even as we get older. We’re in control! 🙌

Fame

Next on the list is Fame! 🌟 For some authors it’s all about wanting our work to be recognized and admired. We seek that special place in people’s hearts where our name becomes synonymous with great storytelling. Winning awards and having our creations resonate with readers are the ultimate goals. Let’s make our mark and leave a legacy for generations to come! 💫

Fortune

And of course, there’s Fortune! 💰💸 Some writers are money driven. Who doesn’t love a little (or a lot) of financial abundance? Some authors aspire to make it rain money, money, money! They want the million dollar book deals and write for the monetary return.  Investing wisely and reaping the rewards of our hard work is the name of the game. They desire more than anything else to create a life of financial stability and abundance, so they focus on what truly matters to them: making money. 💵💼

Of the three Fs, I choose FREEDOM.

99 F degrees = 37.2 C degrees

Speaking of stories, today’s been a hot one! ☀️🔥 In Dallas, we hit a scorching 99 degrees Fahrenheit (that’s a toasty 37.2 degrees Celsius). But fear not! Milestone Electric is coming to my place later today for a preventive maintenance visit, ensuring everything’s running smoothly before the temperature climbs even higher! 🏠⚡

A Tale of Two Tall Blondes

My day started bright and early with the alarm blaring at 7 AM. After taking care of the trash and recycling (gotta stay punctual with the trashcan schedule), I kicked off the morning routine. Meds? Check! Getting dressed? Check! Devotional time? Check! And then, off to my favorite local coffee house where two tall blondes were waiting for me. 😉☕

The first blonde was none other than my beloved blonde roast coffee, my faithful companion in creative endeavors. ☕ The second blonde turned out to be a fascinating woman in her late 40s named Melissa. We struck up a conversation after I helped her retrieve some cash she dropped on the floor. She had a tote bag and on its side was the logo of a software I used to support. Turns out, we both worked on the same software before! She asked two software / development questions to make sure I was being truthful about my background with said software. Good for her for not taking what a guy says as gospel. It’s a small world, right? 🌍

Melissa shared that she’s here at the coffee shop working while her son works out with his friends, preparing for the upcoming football season. We talked about her worries of him getting injured, and I shared my own experience with my son’s knee surgery due to sports. Life’s unpredictable and playing sports is risky.

Curiosity sparked, Melissa said she noticed I wasn’t wearing a wedding ring and asked if I was married. I revealed I was 69 years-old, a widower, and in a committed relationship. She said someone was lucky since I admitted I was in a relationship. She said too many guys would omit that comment. She also said she couldn’t believe my age as I was the same age as her dad! She jokingly mentioned that she thought I was in my early 50s.

Well, thank you for the compliment, Melissa! 😄 I then encouraged her to prioritize self-checks, sharing Miss Benita’s melanoma cancer story. I shared how Benita and my faith in God and our Christian beliefs were a source of strength for both of us during the cancer journey. 🙏

As I headed to my writing spot, Melissa bid me farewell, she said she’ll see me again tomorrow and to please say hello. She settled at a table halfway across the room, and I couldn’t help but appreciate the connection made with a stranger. It’s true what they say: I rarely meet someone I can’t have a meaningful conversation with! 🗣️

All right, time to get down to business! It’s writing / rewriting time, my friends! 📝✨ I’m back to my recommended rewrites.

I hope you all have an incredible day filled with opportunities to explore and create. Keep chasing those dreams and making magic with your words! You’ve got this! 💫🔥