From Boredom to Brilliance: Shanti Hershenson on Writing, Motivation, and Success

Today’s episode will leave you feeling one of two ways. I hope you leave feeling fired up about your next creative project, but there’s a chance you might go away feeling like it’s too late to do all the really cool things you always dreamed you would. Truth be told, I’m still on the fence about my own feelings on the subject, but I’m doing my best to lean toward fired up. My guest today is Shanti Hershenson. She began writing in 2020 in her joyful rebellion against the boredom she was experiencing during lock down. Since then she has published over sixteen books. She continues to write at least 1000 words every day, and I don’t think I mentioned it yet, but at the time of this interview, she is sixteen years old. Yeah, you heard that right. ----more---- Website Author | Shanti Hershenson     Shanti Hershenson: books, biography, latest update   Twitter URL Shanti Hershenson (@ShantiHersh) on X Instagram Instagram (@shantihershenson)   ----more----   Writing Through Boredom: The Prolific Young Author Shanti Hershenson's Journey   In this episode, the host discusses the creative journey of Shanti Hershenson, a young author who began writing at 12 during the 2020 lockdown and has since published over 16 books. Shanti shares insights into her writing process, how she handles criticism and how she manages to write daily alongside her school commitments. The episode delves into her inspirations, her reaction to earlier works, and her experiences with marketing and self-publishing, while also highlighting her impactful book on middle-school bullying, 'You Won't Know Her Name.'   00:00 Reflecting on Early Writing 01:16 Introducing Shante Hershenson 02:41 The Birth of a Young Author 05:56 Choosing the Sci-Fi Genre 07:00 Critiquing Early Works 11:46 Support and Reactions 15:09 Finding Inspiration 16:34 Writing Process and Coaching 21:56 Balancing TV and Learning 22:14 Maintaining Writing Discipline 22:41 Overcoming Adversity: Writing Through Challenges 23:15 Exploring 'You Won't Know Her Name' 25:47 Impact and Reception of 'You Won't Know Her Name' 28:22 Navigating School and Writing Success 32:38 Finding Time to Write 33:32 Writing Environments and Productivity 35:54 Connecting with Readers and Future Plans 37:35 Final Thoughts and Encouragement