According to Joseph Epstein, “81 percent of Americans feel that they have a book in them — and should write it.” (200 Million Americans Want to Publish Books, But Can They?)

Jeanette E. Martin’s book Write Your Book at Fifty: A Call to Women — Discover your voice. Open new doors. Create your legacy. will inspire you to leave behind the masses and join that small percentage who don’t just dream about writing a book, but do it!  

Being a woman, and being fifty years old, you’ve already done incredible things, things more difficult than writing a book. So what’s stopping you? Fear? Inexperience? Self-doubt? Time? All of those are just excuses. You are worthy. You are capable. You have something to share. You can leave a legacy behind.

While I’m not 50 yet, I am approaching that age. I’ve also just recently begun publishing books. There has been a huge learning curve as I master each technical aspect of publishing, let alone the writing part. I was incredibly inspired after reading Write Your Book at Fifty to keep at it, despite the challenges.

After all, look at the company I keep!

Mary Ann Evans, AKA George Eliot, published her first novel, Adam Bede, at age 40. Annie Proulx, published her first novel, Postcards, when she was 57.  Laura Ingalls Wilder published the first book, Little House in the Big Woods, when she was 65. (15 Famous Authors Who Were Published After 40)

Toni Morrison, published her first novel, The Bluest Eye, when she was 40

Helen DeWitt published The Last Samurai at 41. Anna Sewell published Black Beauty when she was 57. (14 Brilliant Authors who Didn’t succeed until Way after 30)

Elizabeth Jolly published her book of short stories Five Acre Virgin and Other Stories at 53.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas published The Everglades: River of Grass at 57.(Famous Authors Who Were First Published After 50) Harriet Doerr published her first novel, Stones of Ibarra, when she was 74. (11 Writers Who Started Late)

So if you are at all toying with the idea of writing a book, pick up a copy of Jeanette Martin’s Write Your Book at Fifty and get started on your dream!