Here's one that has bothered me for a long time... I am writing (as I always am) a children's fantasy novel that I hope to submit to an agent this year. It's a fairly dark, spooky story in a magical setting, starring an ordinary girl. I only have one problem with it...
I'm only 21.
Is that enough life experience to be writing anything? Can a person's style be sufficiently mature by that age? Will an agent look at the DOB and dismiss the submission? I'd appreciate some thoughts on this!
Actually, very interestingly, my leading character is a teenage girl, a sample of humanity which I frankly admit I have rather a limited experience of (long story, don't ask, I might write it one day). But it simply never occurred to me before that writing from a girl's POV would be a problem. How odd. Nor did it ever occur to me to make my character anything other than a girl.
Phsyciatrists must love writers!
Don't see any problems with being only 21. If anything it should be an advantage as you are writing for readers nearer your own age. You should remember being a teenager better than someone in their 50's or 6o's.
Perhaps being male might be more of a problem if you are writing from the point of view of a teenage girl. Have you a wife/girlfriend/sister who could give you some pointers? I read somewhere that Jane Austen hardly ever had scenes in her novels featuring two men together because she didn't know how men talked in a male-only environment.
Mark, I wish you the best of luck!