Home » A Late Start: Writing Your First Book after Retirement

A Late Start: Writing Your First Book after Retirement

January 2, 2026 | By Women Writers Women Books | Reply More

By Mimi Wahlfeldt

Once upon a time, I thought fifty was old. But the joke’s on Time. Life holds second chances, and some of them make you feel young again!

After a long marketing career that meandered through higher education, job services support, commercial real estate, and senior housing, I was unceremoniously pushed into an early retirement. At fifty-six.

I spent the summer of 2021 battling the hurt and angry feelings that rattled my heart and head. You see, I LOVED that job. I planned to retire from that position (and clearly, I did), but I meant to retire in my sixties On my own terms.

As September approached, I made a sarcastic remark to myself: “Maybe I’ll write a book?” It had always been on my Bucket List, but I never considered it an option while I was raising my kids and climbing the corporate ladder. Who had time? (And big props to those of you who HAVE made the time to pursue writing while juggling career and family. I’m in awe.)

Sitting at my computer one day, the blank screen mocked me with nasty taunts—You’ll never write a novel. What do you have to say? Who would care? (What a bitch that HP was) But after a few minutes, I remembered a “thing” I’d written…seventeen years before.

The “thing” was a journal, of sorts. Therapy on the screen. I’d gone to the computer often during a long stretch of insomnia after I’d remarried. I was happy in my new relationship, but unfinished business about my ex kept nagging me. I’d pursued a divorce after his alcoholism spiraled out of control, and our marriage was no longer viable. I had two very young children to raise, and the house was no longer a happy or safe one.

It wasn’t that I pined over the loss of the relationship. Rather, I was plagued by the “what ifs.” What if I’d said something else? What if he’d done this instead of that? I wondered if the outcome might have been different. The ideas had poured from me, a cathartic release, never meant for anyone else’s eyes.

As I wondered about writing a book, I thought, “Is there something here that could become a novel?” I had no idea. My writing experience until then had centered around promotional articles, website stories (before they were called blogs!), and press releases. But I’d never written fiction or taken a creative writing class.

Fortunately, my husband is a retired journalist who transitioned to teaching American Literature at our local high school. He knows writing. So, I asked him to be honest and tell me if what I’d written was good enough to work on or…should I take up knitting in my old age? To my surprise, he said, “Yes, it’s good, but it’s not a novel yet. You should join a writing critique group.” And so I did.

Eighteen months later, with a finished manuscript in hand, I began querying literary agents and small publishing houses. No one was more shocked than I when I received a contract offer from Black Rose Writing, an indie press out of Texas. A year later (August 2024), my debut novel, “Forks & Knives” was published.

But I still wouldn’t call myself a writer. I was plagued by imposter syndrome. It’s a fluke. Until I started working on my second novel, “DARE.” The plot came to me out of nowhere, and I liked the idea of attempting a complete work of fiction, as opposed to the “fictional autobiography” that my previous book was.

When that manuscript was ready to send to my publisher, I was told they were tightening their submission process and couldn’t consider publishing the book until at least the end of 2026.

Well, if you knew me, you’d know I’m not that patient. So, because my husband is also now working on his first novel, we decided to create our own imprint. Easy enough these days. When Little Key Publishing was born, we uploaded “DARE” to KDP, and boom! There it is.

I’m grateful to have had both experiences now, and honestly, I feel there are pros and cons to each. (Always happy to chat about those if you’re interested in reaching out to me at Mimi@AuthorMimi.com.) As for my third novel, “Whatever Comes Next,” I’m not sure which option I’ll pursue this time. As I write this, I’ll be finishing the first draft this weekend – Yay!

When I think of my journey, the phrase “reinventing myself” comes to mind. I’m living a second chapter, one I created after I thought I’d sit on the couch watching reruns of Property Brothers on HGTV for the next two decades. Interestingly, I recently realized that all my female protagonists also face opportunities to push themselves and explore new versions of themselves. The theme wasn’t intentional, but it also resonates with me, so who am I to argue?

We’ll see what happens next, but I can tell you that I finally call myself a writer. I turned sixty this year, have two novels published, and I feel like my career is just beginning. It’s made me feel young again. So, if someone tells you it’s too late to pursue your dreams, I hope you’ll remember my story and know that a late start is not only possible, it’s damn fun!

Visit my website to learn more about me and my work: www.authormimi.com

Mimi Wahlfeldt – Bio

After being nudged into early retirement in 2021, Mimi has focused on writing fiction. Her first novel, Forks & Knives, was published in August 2024 by Black Rose Writing. Mimi and her husband Stephen published her second novel, DARE, under the imprint of their fledgling company, Little Key Publishing, in April 2025. She’ll be looking for a publishing home for her third book, Whatever Comes Next, in the beginning of 2026. Website: authormimi.com

With degrees in communication and organizational leadership, Mimi’s past work positions centered around public relations and event planning, which often focused on promotional writing.

Married to her best friend, Stephen, Mimi enjoys trips to Europe, reading, theater, scrapbooking, and spending time with the couple’s four adult children (all in Colorado!) and their adorable four-year-old grandson, Theo.

DARE

After Jewel Diamond, 28, wakes in the ER with no memory of the trauma that brought her there, she must face the many ways her life will change. Bearing a hideous scar on her cheek that affects her speech, Jewel’s instinct is to isolate and withdraw into her sadness. As memories of the incident that caused her concussion and disfigurement begin to return, Jewel is drawn into the quest to discover who hurt her—the same men who killed a defenseless disabled woman on the bus with her that day.
“DARE” is an emotional fiction that follows Jewel as she heals from physical wounds and the psychological impact of being the victim of an assault. However, her path is not straight or simple. When the legal system fails her, Jewel confronts the nature of justice, actions, and consequences, wondering if sometimes what’s wrong is also right.