Ask the Author: Shayne Whitaker
Answered Questions (4)
Shayne Whitaker
This can be such a challenge. I do a variety of things. I may go shoot basketball alone and get lost in my thoughts. I may take a leisurely drive or go for a walk. It's difficult to explain, but sometimes you have to be patient and wait for the breakthrough. Listening to music helps also. Just pushing away from the keyboard and getting lost doing something else can re-calibrate your mind and get you back on track.
Shayne Whitaker
The best thing about being a writer is knowing you have moved someone. If you write something that receives 3 five-star reviews, but 20 negative ones, you can still relish that you made three people feel something. It's rewarding to know that you may have inspired someone, or simply helped them escape into a story for a brief while. You never know what people may be facing in their lives. Perhaps reading your story is a way for them to escape bad circumstances for a time.
Shayne Whitaker
Inspiration can come from anywhere. I often find inspiration when I am close to nature, hiking in the mountains or driving near the coast. There's something about being in those placid moments that helps to spur creativity. Sometimes it may strike when I read about a subject or historical figure I'm interested in. It's a wonderful feeling when you get that spark of an idea. Even if it doesn't eventually turn into a story, it's nice to know the gears are still turning and the engine hasn't seized, in a manner of speaking.
Shayne Whitaker
As the book is based on my own life, it was easy to come up with the idea. I've seen my story impact people over the years and was encouraged to write about it. I couldn't quite put my finger on how to tell it though. One day I thought about the bus stop where I slept when I was homeless. I thought, what if I had left a notebook with my story at that very place? The idea blossomed from there and it resulted in The Homeless Man's Journal.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more