Shawn Hart's creative journey is a testament to how passion can bloom in unexpected places. What began as a love for music—sparked by watching a classmate perform at a high school talent show—has now expanded into the literary world with his debut novel. Shawn's transition from guitarist to bassist to author reveals the beautiful interconnectedness of creative expressions.
During our conversation, Shawn shares how he picked up guitar in high school, then later found himself playing bass with local musicians after moving to New Braunfels. The musical tangent leads to a fascinating revelation: his novel emerged not from a lifelong desire to write, but from his experience recording audiobooks for others. The desire to narrate his own audiobook became the catalyst for creating a story worth telling.
Drawing from his four years working as an activity director in nursing homes, Shawn crafted a narrative centered on a college student named Olin who participates in an "adopt a grandparent" program and forms a relationship with a grumpy resident named Alf. The prologue Shawn reads during our conversation immediately hooks listeners with its suspenseful setup—the pair in a car with police lights flashing behind them, hinting at an adventure that takes them far beyond the nursing home walls.
What's particularly inspiring about Shawn's writing journey is its organic nature. With no formal training or previous aspirations as an author, he simply began writing during late-night sessions between midnight and 4 AM. He shares valuable advice about embracing what the Duplass brothers call "the vomit draft"—putting words on paper without self-criticism—and the serendipitous meeting with an editor that transformed his manuscript into the polished work now available on Amazon.
Whether you're a musician considering branching into new creative territories or someone with a story waiting to be told, Shawn's experience offers both motivation and practical insights into the self-publishing journey. Follow his musical performances and literary endeavors on Instagram @shawn__hart, and look for his novel "Real World" now available in digital and paperback formats.
Episode Notes
• Shawn began playing guitar in high school after being inspired by a classmate's performance
• Transitioned to bass guitar when playing with Zach's band, which improved his overall musicianship
• Worked as an activity director in nursing homes for four years, providing rich background for his novel
• Started writing his book after recording audiobooks for others and wanting to create his own to narrate
• Novel centers on a college student named Olin who befriends an elderly nursing home resident named Alf
• The writing process took about a year from concept to publication
• Found an editor by chance during a music tour who helped transform his manuscript
• Self-published through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing rather than pursuing traditional publishing
• Currently working on recording the audiobook version himself
• Plans to continue writing with future projects potentially based on his experiences in the music world
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