Is it normal to be a semi-professional author at age 14?

My sister is 14, and she's a semi-professional, beyond-her-years writer. She has written 70,000 odd words, and is working to study for a BA (hons) within the year. She knows everything about literature, words, grammar. And her novel is hitting on touchy subjects such as rape, romance, sex and family abuse - she does so much research, interviews, and all.
I also think her novel is the standard of many great authors, and although being her sis I am a little biased, loads of other people have agreed (people who aren't being biased).

Voting Results
45% Normal
Based on 91 votes (41 yes)
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Comments ( 13 )
  • Shackleford96

    Some people discover early what they are destined to do. Some people never discover what they are destined to do.

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    • NoraBaker

      You're so wise, Shackle. It took me years of searching in all the wrong places to discover I am destined to be here, on IIN. Forever. Or until the Nazi kill me.

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      • Shackleford96

        Thanks. Lol, I'm glad you've found yourself. Watch out for those Nazis!

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      • dazjman

        I found out I was a great musician at 15! I just copied my friend while he played grade 4 piano without knowing how tough it apparently is! And according to my relatives, when I was 2 I played a tiny keyboard book thing everywhere I went.

        But it took a lot of time to find the right resources to work with... Now I am 21 and finally able to record songs :) it does happen.

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  • regisphilbin

    How can a 14 year old possibly write about rape, romance, sex, and family abuse? At that age nobody has enough life experience to tackle those mature issues.

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  • mystery7

    Your sister may or may not be a good writer. The proof of that is in the writing - which we obviously don't have a sample of.

    I have met a number of people who think they are (or their best friend/mother/brother/cat) are great writers. 99 times out of 100 they are not.

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  • Avant-Garde

    I'm a few years older than her, but she has certainly done allot more than I have. Some people are destined for certain things. I know this girl online whose a bit older than me and she's been writing a novel. She's been posting chapters online and it's good. She's talented. Some people are destined to be literary genius while some aren't. Your sister's book sounds quite interesting.

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  • GreatArt

    Don't you just burn with envy?

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  • Shnaz

    It just means she'll live 20 years less than other people.

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  • kittylitter101

    Good for her then. As a writer myself that is the dream isn't it?

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  • It's in the nostrils!

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  • TerryVie

    totally normal to be an author at age 14. EVERYBODY is.

    now, after having done away with the futility of your question...to the content itself.
    I think many people are writing SOMETHING, sometime during their puberty/early adulthood.
    Now, the question is not even if your family or other, neutral people think it's great...

    Of course it speaks for her not to avoid certain subjects, and that she's doing research on the things she writes...but the opinion that matters is that of publishers. And the question in-how-far she can create realistic scenarios or sticks to scenarios that she is familiar with...(say, a work environment may not come across as realistic if she never worked/been in one)

    Is there any reason you did not try for a book contract yet and see if she can get it published?

    I am not trying to sound nasty here, sorry if that comes across so...but you should go that extra step and see what THEY say-...here it just seems like "Listen all, my sister is so great!" but ultimately nothing we say will help her with a breakthrough.

    Support her, as it sounds she's doing a great job, but support her properly and get her published, or at least try to!

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  • That's amazing. (: x

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