50 plus plus

Welcome to the 50+++ thread, David!!!

O so many of us are the.....{{{Ahemmmm}}}} senior members of our regional write-ins! My motto: I may get older, but NOBODY says I have to grow up!!

Have a blast with NaNo this year & stick around this forum for lots of camaraderie & good tips....oh, & for hijinks too! (-_~)

~Mer

~Mer
ML-Modesto Region, CA
Co-moderator: NaNo Rebels thread
"I'm Gonna Wave my nerd Flag High"
"Put 'em up! Put 'em uuuup!!"

You're only too old when the put you 6 feet under.

Dixiegirl A Dixie Girl's Place
"May you be captured by a dozen ideas that you quickly convert to a good story."
2006: Untitled
2007: Shakedown - Winner
2008:The End of Winter - Winner

That's the way I see it. If you're breathing, you're not "too old."

2005 In Back of the North Wind WINNER!
2006 Leopard's Paw WINNER!
2007 The Old Straight Track (finished) WINNER!
2008 The Other Side of the Wall (finished) WINNER!
2009 Dark Inheritance

Would I be on the mark if I concluded that your "Put 'em up! Put 'em uuuuup" is a reference to Bert Lahr? Now that I think of it, maybe it was just from his role as the cowardly lion, and not a recurring catch-phrase.

While I am but a relative child in this forum (just turned 50 in June), it appears that I am old enough to be the mother of everyone else in the group of wrimos from my neighborhood planning unofficial write-ins.

Go for it, David Paul! After all, Grandma Moses didn't start painting until she was almost 80.

The good ended happily and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means - Oscar Wilde

2009: Swan's Wing

It is indeed a reference to the Cowardly Lion--which back in 2007, when I first signed onto NaNo, is exactly how I felt--timid & cowardly (had never even posted to an online forum before then!) Someone on the "Geezer thread" (who went on to become a great friend & my writing partner!) joked me out of my shell by writing to me saying "You've got courage, Mer...you just need to find it, you know? Put 'em up! Put 'em uuuuup!" & it went right into my sig line! When I began to feel overwhelmed by NaNo (or even life in general) I look at the line, grin and keep on writing.

~Mer

~Mer
ML-Modesto Region, CA
Co-moderator: NaNo Rebels thread
"I'm Gonna Wave my nerd Flag High"
"Put 'em up! Put 'em uuuup!!"

I am always by far the oldest in our regional write-ins. I'm 54 and I think the nearest to my age has been 27. I don't understand half the stuff they are talking about. They all seem to write fantasy, or horror, or fanfic. But I do get a lot of writing done because I really don't have anything to talk to them about. I wish more "mature" people would go to the write-ins.

This is my fourth NaNo, David, and I'm 72, so you don't have to feel alone in advanced seniority. Welcome to the month of craziness, repetitive motion pain, and overconsumption of calorific comfort foods.

Whatever the words say, there's always more beneath.

My writing blog: Words on Top
http://wordsontop.blogspot.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NaNo '09 - Gift of Blood: Beginnings and Endings
NaNo '10 - Gift of Blood: Michel (tentative)

At 53 I am a relative baby in this group. Luckily - if that is the right word - I have no opportunity to meet fellow wrimos in person so I am spared the "I don't belong here" feelings.
As for the over consumption of high calorie, high carbohydrate substances masquerading as food, I have just finished my thesis so I am WAY ahead of everyone else in that department!

I should have taken the blue pill

"They all seem to write fantasy, or horror..."
Amen.
I've noticed that too, and, in fact, it has had a discouraging effect on my attitude towards the novel I've been poking at for more than ten years. My book is about real people with real problems, and I'm beginning to wonder if our younger web-surfing generation has not begun to see story characters as one-dimension cut-outs. If so, where is the market for characters who reflect real people. On the other hand, I'm afraid I'm beginning to see people under thirty as mostly one-demensional, so maybe their writing is realistic.

So many of today's young people get their inspiraton for writing from fantasy, whether it's books, movies, or TV series, that they have little sense of characters as full-dimensional beings with real problems. The market for Harry Potter is much bigger (and more profitable) than for anything approaching realism. And given the current state of our world, I can hardly blame them.

But I agree that it's disturbing. Too many internet discussions bog down in cliches or statements that have been handed down by TV pundits. I don't see an awful lot of insight or evidence of realistic self-awareness. But maybe it was ever thus, and it's just taking a different form than it did in the past. There may not be too much difference between parroting your elders, and parroting the media.

Whatever the words say, there's always more beneath.

My writing blog: Words on Top
http://wordsontop.blogspot.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NaNo '09 - Gift of Blood: Beginnings and Endings
NaNo '10 - Gift of Blood: Michel (tentative)

Hm. Our regional meetings have been very small gatherings--we have a small and scattered population--but the average age of those attending has been 30-something, I think. And the "kids" I've talked to have been working on pretty thoughtful novels, even when their setting is fantasy or s/f. But we've usually met in a pub, so that weeded out the teens. ;->

Okay.

So, I'm 54 and yeah, so what? I can outrun (in distance on a long run like a 10K) almost anyone 1/2 my age and (who hasn't been training, hee hee) I'm darn proud of it.

I'm living with cancer, living with mild COPD brought on by 30 years of fairly heavy smoking (quit 2.5 years ago and took up running instead), as well a type 2 diabetes. I have bipolar disorder, too, but that's the least of my worries these days.

I'm off all medications (except for a monthly injection of Faslodex to suppress female hormones -- my personal enemy mine) and I'm off all medications under a doctor's supervision. Seems that when I straightened out my diet and lifestyle and started doing hard exercise on a daily basis -- something very positive happened to my body's chemistry as well as my brain's chemistry and I'm living the life NOW that I should have always lived.

Everything now is well-controlled provided I maintain my diabetic diet and do 45 min to an hour of hard exercise daily. I don't like drugs and I don't like being fat (before I started this change-of-life program I was obese). I'm down to 125 now and have maintained that the entire time.

Can I write a novel?

Right now I think I can do anything I put my heart, mind, and soul into.

If you're interested in more of my story, please see the topic thread: New? Yes -- New? No

Hope to see y'all around these boards and meet a few new faces and make some new friends. For sure I'm feisty and if any of y'all find you need a kick to get you back to planting your backside into the seat of the chair -- send up an SOS my way and I'll be happy to oblige. :)

Johannah

Herein lies the power of fiction -- You know the magic is there when your main character wakes up one day and takes that first faltering and raspy breath on her own and then announces that she has a much better idea than you did. -- JeH

Ahem. (Cough!) I'm 55, and most of my Nanos have been fantasy. I love the genre. And I don't feel that I write about cut-out, two-dimensional characters. My Faerie king, who has wrested the kingdom away from his Shadowlord father, has just as many problems trying to put things back together and run the kingdom well as my two human characters who are trying to run a coffee bar in a bad economy.

If fantasy comes across as too two-dimensional, it's the fault of the writers, not the genre. I hope not to fall into that category.

Johannah, if I may say, your story is an inspiration. My stepfather was a heavy smoker until he contracted lung cancer a couple of years ago. He finally went into remission only to have his wife (my mom) die last spring, so it's been a very difficult time for him.

2005 In Back of the North Wind WINNER!
2006 Leopard's Paw WINNER!
2007 The Old Straight Track (finished) WINNER!
2008 The Other Side of the Wall (finished) WINNER!
2009 Dark Inheritance

You know, I hadn't thought about being the "senior" member of the group in my area. I guess I am though. But, once we've shared caffeine together we're on the same plane. It's exciting to be around the younger crowd and hear them discuss their ideas. I learn from them. It's also nice to see that the horror stories about our educational system aren't entirely true.

I am so sorry about your parents. . . I had one step parent who died of lung cancer -- I loved him dearly. And you'd think that'd have been enough to make me quit then. But I thought I had a lifetime in order to make that decision: Ahh. The illusions of grandeur that youth, itself, can bring on.

I'm grateful I've not had to contend with lung cancer but that threat will always be with me. It's the bane of every ex-smoker out there. But still, with each passing year that I remain both smoke free and lung cancer free is a good year in my favor.

It's an interesting curse to be now horribly allergic to smoke of all kinds (not just cigarette) though cigarette smoke is by far more prevalent than forest fires.

I'm looking forward to nano this year. I'm single and living on my own for the very very very first time in my entire life and doing okay at it. I have my friends, my dreams, and my future whatever they bring.

Someone mentioned horror earlier above -- in a what was it? An almost disdainful manner???? I write horror but I write a lot of other stuff too. I have a mind and a long-standing taste for the macabre and perhaps it all just comes from living a life much more horrible than fiction.

My first real taste of the horror genre came through Stephen King's first novel, Carrie. Of course I could relate to that girl and had lived through a lot of what she had. I knew then, in 1973 that I wanted to write but it still took me a good while to get where I am currently.

I've been working at my apprenticeship since about mid- 1989 and continue to work at it. I've been published a few times. I can only get better from here. And at least through the process I can enjoy both the ride and what life brings me.

I have a very special friend and it is to him I wish to dedicate my current endeavor, Living Outside the Box. I've got it listed as mainstream fiction because right now, I simply don't know which direction it will take. But I know that with my penchant for the macabre almost anything can happen with a book of that title. The vast majority of my written work all are created with a title in mind first and from that little seedling a mighty, sprawling oak often grows.

Will see you all around when I'm either not doing school work or getting my daily words in for this project.

Best of luck to you all.
Johannah

Herein lies the power of fiction -- You know the magic is there when your main character wakes up one day and takes that first faltering and raspy breath on her own and then announces that she has a much better idea than you did. -- JeH

Wow.......So cool to know that I am not alone. I am 66. I have to say that I tremendously respect and admire the young folks for their courage and enthusiasm and energy, and the belief that they can do anything. I feel like a wimp in comparison. I think (for the most part) lack of life experience is made up for with imagination. I have life experience which cannot help but permeate my book, and so I will probably be trying to figure which category of novel I am writing right up until I finish - which I definitely plan to do (finish, that is). But I am having difficulty understanding or relating to much of what I have read on this site, especially from younger writers. I think they live in a world that is so different from the one I know. And I guess they truly do.

I am looking forward to meeting a few friends along the way. I am an ex-smoker too, about 10 years sober, or smoke free, or whatever it is called.

I am hoping that honesty, clarity, true to life emotional experience will make up for my lack of formal knowledge of novel writing. I don't think I care to write a perfect novel. I care more to communicate the intensity of real life, the areas some of us walk where reality becomes blurred, or maybe we stumble for awhile into a different reality altogether, the times when life and sanity hang by a thread, the complex emotions of survival - why? What for? Wow! Why me? Small and large successes. Amazing discoveries. It is endless. I am already planning several more books.

Good luck everybody!

fuziblu

Hmmmmm. Okay, I s'pose we're mostly a "down the westward slope" group in this room, so there should be an impressive heap of life experience and a fair grasp of "what is" and "what ain't" amongst us.

That's the base ingredient for some pretty good stories, I'd think, once they're pruned and edited and run through the rock polisher to smooth 'em up. No matter the genre, it's a respectable quality for any tale to have, life experience.

But before we seniors get too complacent in our rockers, there's the story of Admiral Byrd's cook, who went on every expedition. A writer got hold of this long-retired cook, and expected a fount of anecdotes, memories, recollections and such nuggets as no writer ever before had stumbled upon. Alas, the cook's journals were filled with nothing but page after page of grumblings: ungrateful tables, scant supplies, foul-smelling stoves, cramped kitchens, and unreasonable conditions. Not a single word about anything outside the kitchens of all those expeditions ever entered the mind of that self-absorbed, miserable man.

Did we let our curiosity roam outside the kitchen? Did we truly experience the day? Well, B. Franklin is said to have said, "Experience is a dear (costly) teacher, but a fool will have no other!"

I must be one helluva fool, then, for at age 69 hoping for 70, it seems there's a lot of bruises and scrapes and skint places on this old body from a pile of experience. Hopefully, some of that might amount to more than the cook's myopia.

This looks like a likely room. I'll drop in every night or two to stir the pot.

Gray

I seriously thought about removing my age (64) from my profile this year because I'm the oldest in my group. Then I thought, hell's bells, if I can't be me what am I doing here?

NaNo 2009 : The Life Not Lived

Another soon to be 70 (next birthday).

As I was coming up with an idea for this year's NaNo, I realized that I might as well get going on the four other novels that I've abandoned along the way as well as this new one. AFTER NaNoWriMo, I mean.

For once, I have plenty of time.

OK, am definitely in the ++ as I turned 62 this last summer. Some days I could put up my abilities (in some areas) and beat out the youngsters. I don't run due to an old knee injury from HS days. (Slid into a muddy base - playing softball in the rainy - ok off and on drizzle.) Used to run long distance and drove my coach bonkers because I 'loped' but for long distance it ate up ground! I have been bowling since back in junior high and old bowling lanes where we had to hand set pins...okay nuff memories bit.

Been doing NaNo since 03 and have managed to reach 50k every year to date. Been writing since pre-teen days so maybe that is an advantage.

With over a dozen grandkids, gardens, bowling, running a business (DBA), writing books and keeping up with life, I enjoy meeting other writers and remembering the "good old days" as well as talking about things going on today.

Quite right. It's not the genre; it's the writers. But fantasy does have the most potential for relying on gimmicks that make character development and real conflict less necessary. After all, if you can get your characters out of a scrape by invoking abracadabra... If the youngsters are shallow in their writing, it's because many of their models are shallow, and (a big and) because they lack a few decades of life experience to flesh out their imagination.

Whatever the words say, there's always more beneath.

My writing blog: Words on Top
http://wordsontop.blogspot.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NaNo '09 - Gift of Blood: Beginnings and Endings
NaNo '10 - Gift of Blood: Michel (tentative)

I still have to disagree. I've seen the "abracadabra" cure used in romance, suspense, mystery, and science fiction. A page appears with the message that so and so is of royal blood, so it's okay for the MCs to marry. The detective's partner rushes in at the last minute and shoots the bad guy just before he kills the detective because an informant suddenly came forward with the damning evidence. The starship engines get fixed just in time to repair life support and speed away from the aliens trying to kill them. I still say it's bad writing that's the cause, no matter the genre. Fantasy readers aren't stupid, and they recognize a deus ex machina as readily as any other kind of reader.

It's very difficult to get fantasy published, as I'm finding out. I just got another rejection this morning on a pre-Nano fantasy novel, and that pretty much finishes it. It's a trunk novel now. :-( I'm very frustrated. It seems like no matter what efforts I put forth, whether it's trying to sell a novel, get a job, or get freelance work, it all amounts to exactly nothing. Doesn't help my self-esteem at all.

2005 In Back of the North Wind WINNER!
2006 Leopard's Paw WINNER!
2007 The Old Straight Track (finished) WINNER!
2008 The Other Side of the Wall (finished) WINNER!
2009 Dark Inheritance

Recently, I met up with two other Wrimo's on my regional forum. One is a male, Doug, I met last year and the other a female, Sarah, who is a recent transplant from the Pacific coast. We talked a bit and decided to form a local writing group. We picked up two other gals in the process so now we are five. I'm the oldest at 53 and they do all seem to be in their 30's.

However, when I pointed out I was the oldest in our group Doug (and my friend from last year's NaNo) cut me a look and said, "Get over it."

I decided it was good advice.

Dixiegirl A Dixie Girl's Place
"May you be captured by a dozen ideas that you quickly convert to a good story."
2006: Untitled
2007: Shakedown - Winner
2008:The End of Winter - Winner

Just dropping in to say hello.

J

Herein lies the power of fiction -- You know the magic is there when your main character wakes up one day and takes that first faltering and raspy breath on her own and then announces that she has a much better idea than you did. -- JeH

I'm sixty four. I figure I have time for at least two more careers and a couple new hobbies. Anybody here drag race or hot rod? My wife and I promote classic car shows --- read street rods. Anything much after 1957 is a late model. One of these days I will figure out what I am going to be when I grow up.

Every day above ground is a good day.

No classic cars, but thinking of becoming a biker chick. My family thinks I might make a good stalker after that. But stalkers are pretty scary for the most part. I don't think I'm scary enough. I giggle at the thought. I don't think I could pull it off.

fuziblu

One of my sisters turns 50 next week and is in complete denial. So much so that she is going on an expensive holiday to avoid being around anyone on the day and told everyone she doesn't want any presents. She soon changed her mind on that one when she realised we were taking her seriously!

I found a card for her without a nice shiny 50 on it but with this statement 'Age is mind over matter - if you don't mind, it doesn't matter'. She'll be furious with me but serves her right for being so silly :-)

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon!

fuziblu

Stick with biker chick. When was the last time you were on one? Stalkers do things alone and in the dark. Not fun. The dark is fun. Ya, just need to be going fast in it. Bikes help that happen.

Hey Dixie Dawg. Been a really long time. But I had a great time. Just seems the people I've been meeting lately that I seem to feel a connection with are local Vietnam Vets who are bikers. Makes me want to join them.

The stalker thing is sort of a joke(I think). My less adventurous family thinks I went too far trying to locate an acquaintance, hopefully to become a friend. Said call me, I' m in the book. But hearing not so good, probably didn't get the name right. I felt it was important, so tried over avenues to locate this person. Family said I was acting like a stalker.

Do you ride? I never had anything like a Harley, just an Italian bike I can;t remember the name of. Joined a club. Lots of weekend rides, poker runs, stuff like that. Had a lot of fun. I miss it.

fuziblu