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Does Age Matter?
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Personally, I couldn't care less about an author's age as long as he or she writes well. I think most readers would probably feel the same.
I don't think it matters. It's the book readers are interested in, after all! But I do understand the need to brand yourself, as an author. As for what to reveal about yourself... I've seen some authors fully engage, while others are more private. Two authors I know and work with have little more than an artfully altered bio pic out there. Branding, like an appealing book cover, can help attract your audience. But in the end, it's the author's work that matters most.
Age never comes to mind when I'm checking out new authors. I don't think it should have anything to do with your work as long as it's written well. I think the vast majority of my authors are all over the map as far as age. I will say this though I don't think an author who can't relate or connect to that particular audience has no business writing for them. An author that tries too hard with collequialisms and mannerisms in their younger characters because of the age gap if that makes sense.
*dammit it wouldnt let me finish my thought!!!!Basically that is when your age would be held against you
to me age doesn't matter, as long as the story is there and such. I can see where people may think otherwise about an older person with a series out. But then again, that's the risk any person takes with any series. Just take Stephen King and that car accident for example, the Dark Tower series would have been left hanging and shit. So write what you write, pay no attention to the age. if the story's good, then that's all that matter
Age isn't a concern for me at all when choosing books. An author can be 90 years old and still be a terrible writer or a 15 year old can write a literary masterpiece. What matters is the story and the author's ability to write it.As they say, you're never too old to follow your dreams.
Generally, the average consumer doesn't picture the author beyound the official photo, if it's given. I would be quite pleased if no one could guess my age or even my gender based on my writing. That would tell me I did my job by believing in the story 100%. From an author's perspective, age is irrelevant.Having said that, and switching to my marketing hat, I would say your age might be a huge advantage with online publishing. You're not some random twelve year showing off for mommy and daddy and spamming the whole internet, you know what I mean?
I say, use what you've got. Being older and experienced usually gets automatic respect, or at the very least, awe. Work it. No, I don't mean wave your age around like a self-important banner, because that would get annoying rather fast. But, in my opinion, presenting yourself as an elder might generate some positive attention for your writing.
I don't know if revealing your age can be a disadvantage—at the least, if any agent/publisher were to reject an author on that criterion, regardless of the quality of his/her writing, I'd question the agent's skills, for starters.As a reader, I couldn't care less about the author's age. The most important thing for me will always be the story.
When I'm looking for a book to read I look at the rating stars first, then the cover and the description. If that looks good I buy it without even knowing who the author is. If the book turns out to be good enough that I want another by the same author then I look at the name (at which point I realize the person's gender if the name makes it obvious) and look up his/ her other books. When I find that I really love an author's writing that's when I get curious and start looking for a bio. If it turns out the writer's a thirteen-year-old, who cares, the book was good. I don't know if this method is typical for other people, but I see no reason for anyone to care how old you are. If it worries you, or you don't want to be prejudged then just don't put too much info in your bio. Now guess my age ;)
I don't care about the author's age.And you might actually be surprised at how many older people are doing exactly this, self-publishing after years of putting off their dreams or getting burned out on the query-go-round. You'll be in good company :)
Kyra wrote: "I don't care about the author's age.And you might actually be surprised at how many older people are doing exactly this, self-publishing after years of putting off their dreams or getting burned ..."
Agreed. I've personally met three people in their mid-sixties who decided to wait until they retired before trying their hand at writing or publishing a whole novel, and by that time, lo and behold, ebooks!
Mod
Age would only matter to me in one very limited sense, longevity. A much older author might be less likely to complete a series. Much as I appreciate Brandon Sanderson's work, the Wheel Of Time series final few books were not the same. I am thankful that the series was completed, but a lessor series might not be.
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Wren wrote: " Now guess my age ;)..."
Twenty-two. (My standard answer whenever a woman asks me to guess her age)
Twenty-two. (My standard answer whenever a woman asks me to guess her age)
Ken wrote: "Wren wrote: " Now guess my age ;)..."Twenty-two. (My standard answer whenever a woman asks me to guess her age)"
LOL, safe guess, but not close :)
Personally an author's age doesn't matter to me at all. If the book is good I don't care if the author is 10 or 100 :D
About 20 years ago, after being in the game for 18 years, I stopped writing. I had published some stories in a few limited-circulation magazines, but getting published was still an uphill battle, and I was burned out from trying. Then, last year, I bought a Kindle. I saw all those books on display, and saw how easy getting published was nowadays, and I thought, "I can do that." So now I have a novel and two short-story collections listed, and I'm working on another novel. Trouble is, I'm old. I'm retired, on Social Security and Medicare, and in less than two years I'll hit the big (and I mean big) seven oh. I'm not yet senile (but what senile person knows he's senile?), and after years of composing on a typewriter in the "old days," I've discovered that my writing method has changed with the advent of computers. However, I still seem to write as well as ever, probably better, and I've become a much, much better editor of my own work, which is the key to writing well. I don't expect to start any long, involved series, but I'm healthy and I might write a sequel or two. My question is: Can you be too old to be accepted as a "new" writer? Should you reveal your age at all?--or is that a disadvantage in selling your work these days? Would love opinions.