Goodreads asked Paula Shablo:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Paula Shablo I have been writing almost as long as I have been reading, and I think that was because I wanted to tell stories as well as the people whose books I loved. There always has seemed to be voices in my head--not those voices that tell you to do bad things, thank goodness--voices that asked me "What if?" What would happen, for instance, if I went up to Mr. Cute Guy and told him I liked him? Would he 1. Say he liked me, too? 2. Stare at me, then walk away? or 3. Laugh in my face? This is not something I'd like to try very often in real life, but coming up with answers to the questions is how many stories--my stories, at any rate--begin. The best part of this process is that while posing the questions and composing various answers and outcomes, I have been able to solve a few real-life problems along the way. Some questions are scary, and often the senarios they elicit are even scarier, but when they lead you to take that first step toward a real-life solution, all the scares are worth it. The thing to remember is that writing, like living, is a process, and you can use one to enhance the other. Start with what you know, and then ask those questions and see where they can lead you. You might be surprised at what you learn.

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