Ask the Author: Richard Ratay
Answered Questions (6)
Richard Ratay
Thanks so much, Matthew! Glad to know you enjoyed my book and maybe even learned a thing or two! You can keep up with my latest thoughts and historical nuggets about road trips on my Facebook Author page (Richard Ratay, King of the Road Trip) and stay tuned for an announcement about my next book soon!
Richard Ratay
I got the idea to write about family road trips while—you guessed it!—on a family vacation. I had been looking for a subject to write a book about for some time. While on vacation with my family, relaxing on a beach chair under a hot sun, it occurred to me that the vacations I had taken with my family—both while growing up and with my own wife and kids—were some of the most memorable events in my life. I reasoned that was the case for many other people as well. I also concluded that those experiences of traveling together were a big reason why my siblings and I have always remained so close even though we are such different people. Being the curious guy I am, I pondered how those great road trips of my youth (we ALWAYS took road trips) came to be. I wondered how we got things like our interstate highways, drive-thru windows, Fuzzbusters and 8-track tape decks. I puzzled over why our station wagons had fake wood paneling on the sides. And I questioned why it seemed nobody really took those kind of great, long family road trips together anymore. I set out to find the answers. When I did, I knew I had to share them.
Richard Ratay
Honestly, I don't often have a problem getting inspired to write. I love telling stories and I view every opportunity I have to write as a chance to tell a great story. Oh, and deadlines are also great inspiration. Often I set my own deadlines just to make sure I keep making progress.
Richard Ratay
Have fun when you write. Learn to love whatever you're writing about. Approach your subject from an unusual angle. But most of all, I believe in keeping writing SIMPLE. Try writing shorter sentences. Make sure each sentence flows into the next. Make it easy for your readers. Yes, writing can be hard work. But it should never feel that way to your readers.
Richard Ratay
I am a naturally curious person with many interests. Being a writer allows me to explore any subject that catches my fancy—and when I really delve into a subject it's amazing what I so often find. I love to research, I love to discover fascinating people I've never heard of before and learn their stories and motivations. For me, real people and events will always be far more interesting than anything someone can dream up. It's why I can't see myself writing anything other than nonfiction.
Richard Ratay
I write. It doesn't matter if what I write is good or bad, I can always go back and improve it later. The important part is just getting some ideas down on paper. Keep the brain moving even if the words aren't flowing.
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