Is it better to have been a writer in the 1980s, the 1950s, or even the turn of the last century? More to the point, is it easier to get published now than it was thirty or sixty years ago?

Writing

I’m not convinced there is a way to answer this as, essentially, every published author has a slightly different story of how they got there. What I can say is that there are now far more options open to those who want to write than there were in the past.

I can currently give the world access to the stories I write, and while the world may not be interested in them the odd person could (and fortunately does) give them a passing glance and therefore I get some feedback. Not only this, but I can make contact with other writers across the planet, learn from them, and throw in my own experiences.

Go back to the 1980s and none of this was around. There were (and still are) local writers groups, but the cross section of skills on show, interest for work outside of an attendants genre, and knowledge of the industry, is very restricted. If I was trying to become a writer back then I would most likely be ploughing away in a world of isolation, pouring through ‘how to write’ books and then sending my stories off to magazines, agents and publishing houses.

Now days I have all of this as well as all the extra things a worldwide contact list gives me access to. The only downside is that there are far more people who can be inspired into wanting to become a writer than their used to be.