Writing in Later Life

I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at,
what I see and what it means.

~ Joan Didion

To find your writer’s voice is to find your spine.
It is to connect your breath of inspiration with the world’s breath.

~ Natalie Goldberg

My post-retirement calling is to write and to facilitate writing by other older adults.

Writing groups enable individuals to share in discovering their talents and supporting others. Workshops help people try out creative writing through exercises and learning about the superb resources available to help those who want to start writing memoir or keeping a journal or writing poems.

The Writing Down Our Years Series, which I edit, highlights the achievements of older writers.

A woman in one writing group gave a legacy letter to her 50-year-old son about how he was like his grandfather – gave it to him just months before he died suddenly of a heart attack. It’s never too soon.

Another late life writer selected and polished her writings for a eulogy at her friend’s funeral. Yet another used journaling to work out her adjustment to her move out of province. A grateful family read a matriarch’s late life poems to her when she could no longer read. My evolving poem received a real spurt of energy when a fellow writing group member offered a creative title – My Reckless Shadow. Lots of us are preparing memoirs to pass along to our families – some of us sharing bits over the holidays.

For further information on creative writing, see my website Writing Aging & Spirit

Or this summary article Aging with Spirit Through Writing.