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Silver scribblers

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Anchor Marco Werman tells us about a Ukrainian writer who lives in England. Marina Lewycka was nearly 60 when her first book was published. And now she’s backing a British campaign to encourage older people to join book clubs and even write their own novels.

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MARCO WERMAN: Ukraine plays a less political, more comic role in the 2005 novel A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian.  British author Marina Lewycka was nearly 60 when that book, her first, was published.  Now she’s backing a British campaign to encourage older people to join book clubs and even write their own novels.  The so-called Bookbite project will offer advice and competitions through its’ website and magazine.  Lewycka says writers in her age bracket have an advantage over their younger counterparts.

MARINA LEWYCKA: When I was young I was totally earnest.  I wanted the change the world and my books were rather dull and worthy and gloomy an existentialist and introspective.  I think one of the wonderful things about being older is your sense of humor improves and you lighten up.

WERMAN: A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian is based in part of some of the experiences Marina Lewycka’s parents had in work camps during the Second World War Lewycka learned some of those stories from her mother before writing the book.

LEWYCKA: I still get a lot of emails from people in Ukraine and all over the world who have had similar family histories.  I always say well write them down, write them down before they get lost.

WERMAN: Marina Lewycka has some other advice for older writers; be prepared for rejection.  Lewycka tried to publish two books before she hit the mark.

LEWYCKA: The one before the Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, I have 36 rejection slips for and each one is like a dagger in the heart.

WERMAN: Silver Scribblers you’ve been warned.  Bookbite launches today in Britain.

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