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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/33238
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/33238
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

If you write a serious book, people will take it seriously. If you write a book that people take seriously at age 13, people will consider you a phenom.

But it almost never happens, and the reason is that a book is a highly complex piece of art that depends both on an in-depth grasp of storytelling and the conventions of the novel and on a keen eye for the experiences of human life that make for interesting reading. These things take a lot of reading and a lot of highly observed living to accumulate and it is difficult to do enough of both by the age of 13 to produce a book that people will take seriously.

This says nothing about your talent, anymore than saying that a 13 year old cyclist is not ready to enter the Tour du France says anything about their talent, determination, or future potential. It simply takes more time to develop body and mind to perform at that level.

Not that this should stop you from trying. Maybe you are a phenom, and you only get better by trying. But having realistic expectations can help you measure your success and your prospects more realistically, which can help you avoid burnout and disappointment as you develop.

Original score: 40