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The Story Behind William Paul Young's Best-Seller The Shack

Season 8 Episode 801
CC | tv-pg
When William Paul Young set out to write The Shack, he had no idea that his faith-based tale would capture the hearts of 20 million readers around the world. "I've always written," he tells Oprah during their conversation on Super Soul Sunday. "But, you know, like anybody does, you write poetry and songs and short stories, and you give 'em to your friends and family."

Paul says he wrote much of the The Shack while traveling to and from his three jobs on a commuter train. He needed a Christmas gift for his six children, and his wife had been urging him to put his thoughts down on paper for years. Paul never expected his novel to be read by anyone other than his close family and friends.

Here, Paul shares the personal challenges he had to confront before allowing himself to write his best-selling novel.

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