I call myself “Libby the Late Bloomer” after the children’s book “Leonard the Late Bloomer” that I read to my classes when I was a student teacher. The reasons: I did not decide to become a writeruntil I was 35, and I did not publish my memoir “What Lies Within” until I was 65.
What was I doing in the years between? Learning my craft. I was an English teacher in my first career, but educational writing does not lend itself to feature stories and biographies. I spent years taking classes and re-learning how to write. I soon discovered my forté was human interest stories.
I sought jobs that would allow me to showcase my talents and spent years working for nonprofits, businesses, community newspapers, and organizations. My work became recognized and someone asked me to write their parent’s life story. That’s when I found my true calling. I’ve been ghostwriting others’ books since 1997. While doing so, I started to write the story of my youth.
Nearly ten years after I began, I published “What Lies Within”.
My advice: it’s never too late to become a writer. When you do, learn your craft and find your calling.
