Am I Too Old To Start Writing?

The decision to become writer was an easy one, well mostly.  I also earnestly wanted to become a genetic engineer and develop a cure to genetic diseases using modified viruses.  Sound cool.  Oh ya!  Super duper cool!  Until I sat down and realistically looked at the amount schooling I would need.  The  inevitable fact that I would be competing for research spots with much younger students who don't have commitments like children and family to divide their time.  

Reality check!  

Could it be done, sure!  But did I want to sacrifice the time with my family that it would require.  Nope.  Nopity Nope Nope.  So I chose my first dream, becoming a writer.  

I've been catching up on my Sword and Sorceress anthologies.  I claim it is for research.  At least that is what I tell myself when the dryer dings and I choose to ignore it because I haven't finished the story I'm working on.  I swear that darn thing knows when I'm in the middle of the action sequence.  Who the heck wants to fold laundry when the heroin is about to kick some major bad boy booty?

Marion Zimmer Bradley writes little intros to her chosen nuggets to give you a glimpse of the writer and why she chose the story as part of her anthology.  I've noticed that a lot of the writers are young, or have been published since young, and I started thinking.  Am I too old for this?  Granted 38 is not over the hill yet, but it did start me thinking that I might be behind the power curve.  Do I have anything to offer, now that I'm approaching my fourth decade?

Then I came across this U-Tube interview with R.A. Salvatore

It changed my mind about what I bring to the table.  I'm NOT so fresh behind the ears anymore.  I have more perspective.  I've matured, and as Mr. Salvatore mentions in his interview, the readers of Fantasy Fiction have matured as well.  Listening to his words gives me hope that not only can I become a writer at my age, but my experiences in life will help bring dimension to my characters and to my stories.  In short my age will make me a better writer.  

So self doubt #1 has been squashed.  Renewed optimism has been achieved.  Now on to the other 20 million or so other self doubts and challenges.