[kennyc]

Nor is it completely true. Many writers were telling stories to their toys as children, writing secret stories in their notebooks or journals etc.

The problem like many of the arts is that it's almost impossible to make a living at writing fiction so the alternative is to have someone/something support you while you establish yourself or to wait until you have the time and self-support to do it.

Others go to school, take jobs in journalism etc (as Hemingway and other did ) before moving/being able to have the time to write fiction.

WMMV....