Where did I say that you shouldn't try because you're not an 18 year old prodigy.

What I said was that if one didn't evident the talent by the time one was pre-teen, then one didn't have the talent. I didn't say anyting about you or anyone else. Talent shows very early.

The fact that one didn't publish until after 40 does not mean that the talent didn't show when they were kids. Some people just don't use their talents. There are other explanations than the one that it actually took 40 years to learn to write.

I started doing math (again) at college in the US at the age of 55. The last time I did math I was 17 years old. I still managed to do math papers in half the time other peole did and get 100% for math tests/exams. I didn't take 55 years to learn to do math. I just had a natural ability to pick it up.

What you don't like is my belief/suggestion that writing is a talent, and if one doesn't have it, it can't be learnt. That's an opinion shared by many top writers. It's also refuted by those who teach writing.

JK Rowling's professor said that she already knew how to write before she did her degree in writing.

Writing is a talent. That is it.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/writing-talent-dammit-dina-del-valle

The lady sums it up perfectly. Sure you can learn to paint. Sure you can improve your painting every day, but a Van Gogh or a Da Vinci, you are not going to be. One can learn anything up to a particular level, but to get to the top, that requires talent.