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Retirees and the "Write" Stuff
Although my comments in this article are primarily directed
toward senior citizens sixty-five and above, they could also
apply to virtually anyone over fifty-five who is retired or
semi-retired and has a lot of extra time on their hands.
The music business began to dry up for me when I was in my
mid-fifties and over ten years away from full retirement age.
Fortunately, my business included a couple of music publishing
companies from which I continue to earn a good living to this
day without having to put in long hours.
Once it became abundantly clear that my music career was behind
me, I was faced with a new challenge: what am I going to do
with all this free time? Well, I considered starting another
business and actually looked into a few possibilities-but
nothing seemed to interest me. So, in my spare time (and
believe me, there was plenty of it), I became a pretty doggone
good gardener and eventually dubbed myself "Chauncey" (you
know, like in the movie "Being There"). However, my yard isn't
that big and gardening wasn't something I could do every day of
the week.
Having been a recreational poker player for several year, I
soon discovered online poker. If you've ever played online
poker, you know how addictive it can be. I must point out,
however, that I wasn't playing for real money. In no time at
all, I racked up over 200K worthless credits. Even though I was
having a moderate amount of fun, I was never tempted to plop
down the entrance fee and play in the World Series of Poker,
nor was I interested in going out on the Worldwide Poker Tour.
What I realized was that I needed something more productive to
do with my time.
And then last year, at the age of sixty, I discovered the joy
of writing. It all started with an article I wrote and had
published in the San Diego Union-Tribune. I then began writing
my first novel, Pinch Hitter, which was just recently
published. I'm now working on my second book, which I hope to
publish in early 2009. Whether or not I'm any good at it is a
matter of opinion. However, while maintaining the discipline of
writing every day, I stay out of trouble and keep my mind
sharp.
So, here's what I want to say to the retirees who are
constantly looking for something to do: even if you're able to
keep yourself fairly busy, why not at least consider sharing
some of the knowledge you've accumulated throughout your
lifetime with others? Whether it be of a personal or business
nature or a combination of both, everybody's life experiences
are unique. Perhaps you have an idea for a work of fiction or
just want to publish a book that features your all-time
favorite recipes. Or, maybe you would simply like to write your
memoirs. Several years ago, my sister and I encouraged our
mother to do just that. Her life was filled with many
interesting experiences, and we begged her to write it from her
perspective. What better way to preserve your life story for
your children, grandchildren, and all future generations.
Unfortunately, she never got around to it. And when she left us
three years ago, she took with her all of those unique
experiences.
While I can think of many legitimate reasons for retirees to
write, I cannot think of any reasons NOT to write. And it
doesn't necessarily have to involve money; in other words,
don't worry about selling it. The process alone will give you
great satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. Remember,
like virtually everything else, the more you do it, the better
you will become.
So, how does one get started, you ask. Well, if you don't
already have one, I would recommend getting a computer and
becoming familiar with a good word processing program. I use
Word 07 and love its features. And then you need to do a ton of
research on two things: writing in general and the subject on
which you have chosen to write. Here's a good tip: the internet
has all the resources you will ever need (just Google it,
already). Of course, you'll also find some terrific books about
writing in your local bookstore.
My older brother -- a retiree who was undoubtedly inspired by
my book -- recently mentioned that he had a great idea for a
novel. Being that he has a tendency to get bored easily, I
encouraged him to at least start the process by putting his
idea down on paper. He hasn't taken that first step yet, but
I'll continue to encourage him as I do everyone with the time
and the willingness to try their hand at
writing.
by Dean Whitney - 11th November 2008
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Dean Whitney, a semi-retired music producer & publisher and
avid baseball fan, recently self-published his debut novel,
Pinch Hitter, through http://BookLocker.com
. Dean also writes a baseball blog, which can be found at
http://deansbaseballblog.mlblogs.com/
. To learn more about Dean and his baseball novel, visit
http://www.deanrwhitney.com/
Article Source: http://www.over40sclub.com
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