Simplify the following text for a Grade 6 native English-speaking person.
Original: Writing in the heyday of the British Empire , Conrad drew upon his experiences in the French and later the British Merchant Navy to create short stories and novels that reflect aspects of a worldwide empire while also plumbing the depths of the human soul .
Simplified: Conrad lived in the time of the British Empire and worked in the British Merchant Navy . So he had experience enough to write novels and short stories about empire and navy .