How to Become an Author Later in Life: A Guide to Fulfilling Your Author Dreams in Your 50s, 60s, and Beyond
Have you always dreamed about being an author, but are worried it’s too late for you to get started?
(Spoiler alert: It’s not!)
Many authors were published when they were above the age of 50, 60, or even 70! One of my favorite mystery authors, Alan Bradley, was 70 when his first novel was published. Laura Ingalls Wilder, known for the beloved Little House on the Prairie series, published her first book at age 65.
And Bonnie Garmus’s 2022 debut novel Lessons in Chemistry, which became a New York Times bestseller, was published when she was 64.
In an interview for People Magazine, Garmus said, “Age will never matter when you're a writer, because no one ever sees you…no one really cares how old you are… Stop telling yourself that it's too late and instead say to yourself, 'It's time.”
If you’re ready to say to yourself “IT’S TIME,” here’s how you can get started on becoming an author:
Step 1: Decide on Your Timeline
Once you’ve decided that NOW is the time to stop dreaming and make it happen, consider what timeline you want to follow for becoming an author – and then commit to it.
(This step is highly recommended. Why? Because it’s all too easy to bum around for 10 years or more, slowly working on a manuscript but never actually finishing it or publishing it. We don’t do that here!)
Do you want to have a book published in 5 years’ time? 2 years? Six months?
It’s possible!
If you feel like becoming an author will take a long time, I get it.
After all, it takes time to:
Come up with ideas
Create an outline
Carve out time to write
Finish the book! (I mean, this can take decades, for some of us)
Edit the book
Format the book
Create the cover
It can be overwhelming! But one of the reasons we started Backlist Builders was to help aspiring authors reach their dreams faster.
If you want to be an established author with multiple books published in only a matter of months, it’s possible!
Get three fully edited, formatted books – complete with book covers – in only six months. Click here to book a free consultation.
A Note on Traditional Publishing vs. Self Publishing
Many aspiring authors have a dream of having their book published by a famous publishing house… but they don’t understand the realities of what that entails.
The first thing to know is, it’s extremely difficult to get picked up by a big publisher. It might happen. But it might not.
The second thing is that the process of getting traditionally published takes a long time – typically up to 3 years or longer.
We once worked with an amazing author who was in her sixties. She had finished her latest manuscript and was pretty darn proud of it. We thought it was top-notch too, so we encouraged her to try getting it traditionally published by shopping it around to agents and publishers.
But this wise author knew about the long timeline that the traditional publishing path takes.
“That could take years,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t want to wait until I’m 70!”
So, she decided to self-publish it. She retained full creative control over the manuscript, cover, and timeline… and now that book is sitting on her shelf (and on the shelves of readers all over the country) – well before she turned 70, by the way.
Now, we love both self-published and traditionally published books, and either option is a fantastic goal to shoot for. But we’ve found that a lot of people share the frustration of not wanting to wait until they’re “70” to reach their author dreams – especially authors that start writing later in life.
For those people, we generally recommend starting with self-publishing and choosing a fast timeline.
Step 2: Consider the Finances
At this point, we recommend making some decisions about how finances will play into this.
Self-published authors can absolutely make money from their books – but not all of them do, and it’s not as easy as we wish it was.
Get clear about your financial goals:
Do you want to make money from your books?
Do you have the budget to market and advertise your books?
Do you plan on doing every part of it yourself or hiring others to help get it done?
Maybe making money from your books is only a secondary priority, and your main dream is to have a stack of books with your name on them sitting on your shelf. Maybe you just have ideas you want to share with the world, your neighbors, or your grandchildren.
Identifying what it is you want will help you make the right financial decisions in your author journey.
Step 3: Decide on Your Role
Remember, you don’t have to do everything by yourself.
You may not have the time or energy to do every part of the book creation process yourself – and guess what? No author does!
A completed book is a result of the efforts of many people, not just the author.
You may want to write the entire manuscript yourself but hire other people to edit and format it, create a cover, and handle the marketing.
You may have the idea for a book but decide to hire someone, like a ghostwriter, to actually get the story down on paper.
A ghostwriter can turn your ideas, stories, knowledge, or rough notes into a professionally written manuscript. But it’s still your book – your voice, your message, and your name on the cover.
Hiring a ghostwriter can be especially helpful if:
You have great ideas but struggle with writing
You don’t know how to structure a book
You have limited time
You want to publish faster
You feel intimidated by the technical side of writing
Just like someone might hire an architect to design a home they envision, many aspiring authors work with ghostwriters to bring their stories to life. It’s one of the fastest ways to become an established author later in life.
At Backlist Builders, we help authors build their backlist by turning their ideas into publish-ready books quickly. Then, whether they’re satisfied with those books or want to keep writing on their own, at least they’re not starting 5 steps behind. They’re authors now.
For many older first-time authors, this removes the biggest obstacle: getting started!
Step 4: Turn Your Idea into an Outline
Every great book starts as a simple idea.
Whether it's a story that's been sitting in your head for years or a lesson you've learned that could help others, don't jump straight into writing chapters about it. Start with an outline.
Your outline will be the roadmap for your book. It shows you where you're going before you start the journey.
Begin by writing down every idea you have. Don't worry about putting them in the right order yet. Just get everything out of your head and onto the page. Once you've captured your ideas, look for patterns and connections.
If you're writing nonfiction, organize your ideas into major topics or lessons. These can become your chapters.
If you're writing fiction, map out the key events in your story, from the beginning to the ending.
Keep your outline simple. You don't need dozens of pages filled with details. A few bullet points under each chapter is often enough to get started.
Many first-time authors skip this step because they're excited to write. But a good outline saves time, reduces writer's block, and helps you stay focused. Instead of wondering what to write next, you'll always have a clear direction.
If you work with a ghostwriter, your outline will serve as their guide to your story, so that they stay true to the book you want to write.
The outline may change as you begin writing the book–and that’s okay! At least you will start with a roadmap in place.
Step 5: Turn Your Outline into a Book
Once you have an outline, it's time to turn it into a finished manuscript.
If you decide to hire a ghostwriter, the ghostwriter will complete this step (with your input and feedback, of course!).
If you decide to write the draft on your own, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed at the beginning. The solution is simple: focus on one section at a time.
Take the first point in your outline and expand it. Then move to the next one. Think of each chapter as a small writing project rather than part of a massive book.
Don't worry about making every sentence perfect during your first draft. Your job is to get the words on the page. Editing comes later.
Set a realistic writing goal. Maybe it's 500 words a day or one chapter per week. Small, consistent progress beats occasional bursts of motivation every time.
Some days the words will flow easily. Other days writing will feel difficult. That's normal. Professional authors experience the same thing. The difference is that they keep writing anyway.
As you work through your outline, you'll slowly see your book take shape. Chapter by chapter, page by page, your idea will become something real.
The key is to keep moving forward. A rough first draft can always be improved. A book that never gets written can't.
Trust the process, stick to your outline, and focus on steady progress. Before you know it, you'll have something every aspiring author dreams of: a completed first draft.
Step 6: Edit Your Book
When you approach editing, remember it doesn’t have to be perfect. No book is.
Still, a book can be massively improved by a few rounds of revisions.
First, edit it once yourself. Start by taking a short break from your manuscript. Even a few days away can help you see your writing with fresh eyes. When you come back, read through your book from beginning to end. Look for sections that feel unclear, repetitive, or unnecessary.
Don't focus on grammar right away. Instead, make sure the content works. Are your ideas organized logically? Do your chapters flow naturally from one to the next? Does each section move the reader forward?
Once you're happy with the structure, it's time to polish your writing. It’s best to hire a professional editor or proofreader for this stage of editing, because they are trained to find and correct grammatical errors and awkward sentences that can make your book come across as unprofessional.
You can hire editors and proofreaders on websites like Fiverr or hireaproofreader.com.
If your budget doesn’t allow for a professional editor, you can ask a friend to be a second pair of eyes on your manuscript. Work together to fix spelling mistakes, improve awkward sentences, and remove anything that doesn't add value. Reading your book out loud can help you catch issues that are easy to miss when reading silently.
Step 7: Have Fun
We had to throw this step in here: Throughout this process, don’t forget to have a whole lot of fun with it!
I love what author Rick Bleiweiss said: “As a senior, you’re probably past where you need writing to be your vocation, so enjoy the process of writing.”
Write the book you want to read. Do you love heists? Dragon-fighting knights? Supernatural romances? Then write a book with those things in it!
Life’s too short to write books you think others would like. Chances are, if you come up with an idea that you can’t stop thinking about, readers won’t be able to put that book down.
Step 8: Prepare for Publishing
Remember, the best way to become an author later in life is to start by self-publishing, so that you can control the timeline and get published FAST.
Decide on what publishing platform you’d like to use. Most beginning authors stick to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), where you can publish a book that millions of readers can potentially buy. You’ll have to format your manuscript in a specific way. Check the publishing platform’s website to know how to format it correctly.
Most authors don’t complete this step on their own. Hiring someone to format your book is a great time-saver (and headache-saver!). You can find people to do this on sites like Fiverr or Upwork.
You’ll also need a book cover. An amazing cover is one of the most important parts of your book.
It’s what will convince a reader to pick it up
It’s how you tell the world that you are a professional
It’s what you’ll see when you gaze in pride at your book when it’s sitting on your shelf at home
So, invest in a great book cover! Again, authors don’t typically design their own covers. You can hire a professional artist or designer to make sure your book gets the perfect cover it deserves.
Feeling overwhelmed by all the people you need to hire? Backlist Builders is an all-in-one ghostwriting service, so all your ghostwriting, editing, formatting, and book cover creation is included.
Step 9: Publish and Promote
Once you’ve prepared everything you need, it’s time to put your book out there and PUBLISH it.
Remember to follow the directions on whichever publishing platform you choose, whether it’s Amazon KDP, Apple Books, IngramSpark, or another platform.
Many first-time authors believe their work is finished after publishing. In reality, publishing is the starting line. Readers can't buy a book they don't know exists, so start promoting yours!
Begin by telling people in your network about your book. Share it with friends, family, colleagues, and social media followers. Build a simple author website where readers can learn more about you and your work.
You can also create content related to your book. Write blog posts, appear on podcasts, share writing tips, or post behind-the-scenes content about your writing journey. The more value you provide, the easier it becomes to attract potential readers.
Reviews are especially important for self-published authors. Encourage readers to leave honest reviews on the platforms where your book is sold. Positive reviews help build trust and can improve your book's visibility.
Most importantly, don't stop after launch week. Successful book marketing is a long-term effort. Continue promoting your book consistently, test different strategies, and learn what resonates with your audience.
Step 10: Build Your Backlist
This is advice we give over and over on this blog! It is the #1 way to become a successful self-published author.
Building your backlist means to publish more books.
You can’t just write one book and hope to become the next Harlan Coben. Publishing more and more books will allow you to establish yourself as a seasoned author, increase your credibility, and help more readers find your books.
Got more ideas than you have time to write them? Let Backlist Builders help. We will ghostwrite 3 books in 6 months, complete with editing, formatting, and a book cover, so you can be an established author with a robust backlist without waiting 15+ years.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever wanted to be an author, don’t wait any longer! Your ideas deserve to be read and preserved.
Turning your stories into a completed, published book is an amazing process. Whether you hire a ghostwriter or write and publish it on your own, you’ll be glad that you did.