I took seven years to complete my BA. I was about five years older than all the other cadets when I did my official journalism training, taking a pay cut just for fun. I got my first gig on telly at 35 – when most women are giving up the screen. And I only found my “dharma” – what I’m doing now – a few years back, in my late 30s. I’ve been behind the 8-ball the whole way.
And, yep, I’ve fretted that a whole bunch of ships had left the dock without me. I guess, then, I’ve always looked out for tales of successful creatives who also took the long route.
I’ve written about how Leonard Cohen took more than 5 years to write ‘Hallelujah’.
And Bruce Springsteen 6 months to write one of my favourite songs ever, Born to Run.
Ira Glass’ career as a journalist only flourished after 17 years.
And Steve Jobs took 10 years to buy a couch (I took 32).
Recently I learned Kate Grenville did 22 drafts of Secret River. (When I ask her about it, she says: “Good things take time!”)
And Mark Twain fiddled and despaired and revised and gave up on “Huckleberry Finn” so many times that the book took him nearly a decade to complete.