1st Edition
Writers Have No Age Creative Writing for Older Adults, Second Edition
Writers Have No Age: Creative Writing for Older Adults, Second Edition is a book for writers by writers. Unlike the first edition, which was aimed at teachers of writing, this edition is aimed at writers themselves. This book will help older writers value themselves and their potential, and increase the pleasure and satisfaction found in writing. It provides both information and inspiration gained from the authors’ own writing lives and from observation of their students that will help boost writing confidence.
Write your way to success—at any age!
“We who come to writing do not have to be convinced that there are rewards in store for us. We sense good things ahead and believe in writing’s benefits.”
“In this book we have put together some of our own best writing and teaching ideas to help you enjoy the re-creation and stimulation of writing, whatever your age.”
“Older writers though we are, we do get better at it all the time.”
—the authors
This book combines personal accounts of the authors’ writing experiences as well as writing instruction and information. It contains numerous writing exercises and assignments to get you started and techniques to keep you at it. It also includes sections that cover all types of writing, including poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Marketing resources for writers who wish to be published are included.
In Writers Have No Age, you will find:
- authors’ personal anecdotes—from disappointment to success
- writing exercises and techniques
- marketing resources and mediums for writers
- an editing checklist
- a list of books and periodicals to help hone writing skills
- suggestions on teaching or volunteering in nursing homes
- and much more!
- Foreword (James T. Sykes)
- Preface (Karen Updike)
- Chapter 1. Why We Write (Jeri McCormick)
(Discusses the motivations for writing, such as telling stories, the love of language, and sharing history) - Chapter 2. Alone or in a Group: Do Writers Need One Another? (Lenore McComas Coberly)
(Explores the benefits of writers’ groups and includes “We Leave Behind Our Other Lives: An Essay,” by Lenore McComas Coberly and “Kindred Spirits and Acute Listeners,” by Robin Chapman) - Chapter 3. The Work Begins (Jeri McCormick)
(Presents practical steps for getting started by creating a workspace and work schedule and offers advice on approaching a first draft) - Chapter 4. Writing’s a Snap (Karen Updike)
(Satirizes distractions that plague the undisciplined writer) - Chapter 5. Come to Your Senses (Karen Updike)
(Explores the value of listening to what our senses tell us) - Chapter 6. Mining Your Memory (Jeri McCormick)
(Includes the topics History Is Not Finished with Us and Childhood: Another Kind of History, as exemplified by the poem “A Girl Running,” by Jeri McCormick) - Chapter 7. Focus (Jeri McCormick)
(Explains the various writing forms, including essays, personal experience articles, fiction, and poetry) - Chapter 8. How a Poem Was Made (Karen Updike)
(Tells the story of the creation of Karen Updike’s poem “Villanelle for Dropouts at 8:30 a.m.”) - Chapter 9. Using Artwork As Inspiration (Karen Updike)
(Describes how fine art can lead to inspiration in writing and includes Karen Updike’s poem “Portrait of Mrs. Pearce”) - Chapter 10. Writing Free Verse (Jeri McCormick)
(Explores the literary tradition of free verse and the challenge this presents to modern writers) - Chapter 11. The Long Haul (Lenore McComas Coberly)
(Presents examples of how to continue with the writing process through revision) - Chapter 12. Ah, to See Others As They See Themselves (Lenore McComas Coberly)
(Discusses the necessity of putting ourselves into our characters’ heads in order to know them) - Chapter 13. The Rewards (Jeri McCormick)
(Revisits the reasons for writing and what writers stand to gain by writing) - Chapter 14. Writing Groups in Nursing-Home Settings (Lenore McComas Coberly)
(Examines ways to work successfully in nursing-home settings as professionals or volunteers) - Chapter 15. Marketing Adventures (Lenore McComas Coberly)
(Discusses preparing a manuscript for submission, finding an appropriate market, and different market options, including as an example of the process the essay “Serendipity,” by Lenore McComas Coberly) - Chapter 16. On to Fiction (Lenore McComas Coberly)
(Provides an example of breaking into the fiction market and includes the excerpt “The Fellowship at Wysong’s Clearing,” from The Handywoman Stories, by Lenore McComas Coberly) - Appendix: Resources for Writers
(Includes writing exercises, an editing checklist, and marketing information, such as how to find markets and a list of freelance-friendly publications) - Recommended Reading
- Index
Biography
Lenore McComas Coberly, Jeri McCormick, Karen Updike
