I must admit there have been many low points in my journey as a writer, where I laid awake at night haunted by unfulfilled expectations. I never dreamed it would take this long to finally see one of my novels in print.  Trying to analyze why only makes it worse.  It’s very easy to think the length of time is a reflection on the amount of success I will have—and so many years have passed.  Am I now too old to ever be relevant?

Then I have to remind myself of the hundreds of people in history who didn’t have instant success, yet left powerful marks on society.  Two that come to mind first are R.H. Macy and Henry Ford.  Yes, I know they aren’t writers, but their struggles, which were well into their fifties before they tasted success, help me push my imagined expectations aside.

There is no magic number.  It will never be “too late” for any of us, even if we fail at first.  If we never give up, there’s always the hope of next time.