Hi Guys,
Do any of you know any famous writers who came to writing late in life - after 50 yrs old? Would be even better if they were poets!

I need answers quick so I can get to work on some advertising for a workshop for older people on national poetry day.

Come on all you brains help out a weary Magi Lane.lol.xxx

Mary Wesley, the novelist, is one. Didn't begin writing novels until she was in her seventies. P.D. James had a career as a civil servant prior to being a novelist. Then there's Anita Brookner, another novelist.
Does it matter if they became famous after they were dead, or is it fame during their lifetime?

Emily Dickinson -- poetry virtually unknown during her lifetime.

Dorothy Nimmo. Dorothy Wordsworth. Hildegard von Bingen.

Hildegard von Bingen was certainly writing when younger but not widely known till older. Dorothy Wordsworth wrote when younger but was eclipsed by her famous brother -- who used her writing to feed his own.

Phyllis Diller. Writes her own material. Does she count? She's pretty terrific.

Baz

Baz? He's only in his twenties, surely?

Thanks guys, Much obliged to you all - I will certainly look up this Tilly Paul thank you, and you of course Moxy - I think it might help us persuade the older people to come to the workshop, if they think that they may have a chance of being published in their life time.

Hope everyone had a great Bank holiday weekend - me and the girls had a fabulous time in London.

Love and laughter to all.

xxxxxxx

UA Fanthorpe is another.

Hi Sophie, I have posted comments to you, on the why do we use chatrooms thread and I sent a big long thread to your selfless man poem but the computer chose to ditch it - thank you for saying hi, hi right back at you - I have to admit to being a bit of a voyeur between you and Moxy as you have such interesting conversations.

xxxx

Hi guys, sorry to show my ignorance but is U.A Fanthorpe who I've chose to use as an example for the older folks workshop - is she still alive or has she died?

Magi
xxxx

Alive! Very much so.

Thanks Moxy, as ever you are my saviour!lol.xxx