I'm sure they prefer the youngsters who are learning proper technique in a professional environment... You probably don't get a look in if you're too old, they're very delicate when it comes to age because of the progression involved during your late teenage years.... once you get to your early 20's your pretty much as good as your gonna get.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.