Who Is Neal Shusterman?
Who Is Neal Shusterman?
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An author
An author
with
with
a Purpose
a Purpose
“I won't tell you what to think, but I will tell you what to think about. That is the job of a writer”
“I won't tell you what to think, but I will tell you what to think about. That is the job of a writer”
- Neal Shusterman
- Neal Shusterman
Neal Shusterman believes in “saving the world one book at a time.” For him, literature is more than storytelling. It’s a way to take uncommon, deeply personal experiences and make them accessible to a wide audience, so that readers can confront real problems through the lens of fantasy and science fiction. He writes the stories that scare him enough to keep him up at night, weaving such real and inspiring tales that his fans write to him to tell him how his stories make them feel less alone (Chidley, 2022 & Waddle, 2017).
This conviction has guided some of his most meaningful works.
Challenger Deep, which won the National Book Award, grew from his journey with his son Brendan's struggle with mental illness, opening a window into experiences often left in silence.
He cowrote Roxy with his son Jarrod, turning his attention to the devastation of drug addiction, with the twist that the drugs themselves are portrayed as actual characters, rather like Greek gods.
Shusterman is passionate about fundraising for the Herron Project, an addiction recovery program that he supports, even offering donors to the cause a chance to have him review their writing or have a meal with him.
Image from Selected Reads -
(Warning - link contains summary with spoilers)
In Scythe, winner of the Michael L, Printz and other awards, Shusterman wove a story inspired by his family’s decision to end his mother’s suffering, exploring mortality, ethics, and the value of life (Chidley, 2022).
"I don't want to speak down to my audience or give them simplistic answers. What I want to do is pose the hard questions, questions we all grapple with."
- Neal Shusterman in an interview with School Library Journal.
A Mentor for Young Writers
A Mentor for Young Writers
Shusterman shares his author journey as a way to encourage new writers. His own path began in science fiction, telling stories as a counselor in summer camp. In college, where he earned degrees in both psychology and drama, he was advised to “stop writing sci-fi and start writing human stories.” He took that to heart, spending a year focused on telling stories rooted in the human condition. When he returned to fantasy and science fiction, his writing had transformed. The problems he addresses in his writing are real, human ones. As he said in an interview in 2022, it is only “the solutions that make them fantasy or science fiction” (Blandon, 2022).
"In ninth grade I had an English teacher who really made a difference in my life. She saw my love of writing, and challenged me to write a story a month for extra credit. Since I desperately needed extra credit in her class, I took her up on the challenge, and by the end of ninth grade, I really began to feel like a writer. That’s when writing emerged above all my other interests as my driving passion." - Neal Shusterman
image by giphy.com
Shusterman lives in Jacksonville, Florida, but spends much of his time traveling the world speaking, exploring, and visiting schools to share his story with young readers and aspiring authors. For more information about Neal Shusterman, visit his website at storyman.com.
Neal's Social Media Links
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