[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fQfb0ilPsU5D0ITTYJRhMlA4JGYAqFi3ovL-ry3YFLv0":3,"$fNucQoMnF70mK9DoOy4fogqpA6Exuxc5FwnMgZFM5v8s":18},{"author":4,"tags":13},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":10,"slug":11,"image_url":12},9877,"Jason Reynolds","J",137,"When I Was the Greatest, published in 2014, was Jason Reynolds's debut novel and won the John Steptoe Award for New Talent.\n\nReynolds was born on December 6, 1983, in Washington, D.C., and was raised in Oxon Hill, Maryland. He attended Bishop McNamara High School before going on to study within the University System of Maryland. His path toward writing was shaped in part by an early focus on poetry and by an engagement with rap as a source of inspiration. A citizen of the United States, Reynolds works in English as a poet, novelist, and children's and young adult author, writing across both novels and poetry for young adult and middle grade audiences.\n\nReynolds has received recognition across a range of awards throughout his career. He was named a recipient of the MacArthur Fellows Program and has received the Carnegie Medal, the Coretta Scott King Award, the Premio Letteratura Ragazzi di Cento, the Edgar Awards, and a Newbery Honor. His debut novel's recognition with the John Steptoe Award for New Talent provided an early marker of his standing as a writer for younger audiences.\n\nThe breadth of awards Reynolds has accumulated — spanning the MacArthur Fellows Program, the Carnegie Medal, and a Newbery Honor, among others — reflects the range of his output as both a poet and a writer of novels for young adult and middle grade readers. His debut, When I Was the Greatest, and its receipt of the John Steptoe Award for New Talent, remains the concrete foundation from which his subsequent work as a writer and poet has extended.","When I Was the Greatest, published in 2014, was Jason Reynolds's debut novel and won the John Steptoe Award for New Talent.","jason-reynolds",null,[14],{"tag_id":15,"tag_name":16,"tag_count":17},119,"death",7,{"quotes":19,"pagination":83},[20,27,33,39,45,51,57,65,71,77],{"id":21,"quote_text":22,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":23,"author":24,"source":25,"quote_tag":26,"commentary":12},3718025,"If a kid is reading a book about someone who looks like them but doesn't talk like them, we stunt their growth by dissing them.",false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":11,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":12},{},[],{"id":28,"quote_text":29,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":23,"author":30,"source":31,"quote_tag":32,"commentary":12},3718023,"I would go to the store, I would buy cassette tapes, and I would read the liner notes and sort of subconsciously creating the connections between the rappers that I was reading and the poets that they were teaching us in school.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":11,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":12},{},[],{"id":34,"quote_text":35,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":23,"author":36,"source":37,"quote_tag":38,"commentary":12},3718020,"I am a consummate metaphor addict.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":11,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":12},{},[],{"id":40,"quote_text":41,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":23,"author":42,"source":43,"quote_tag":44,"commentary":12},3718017,"I read 'The Young Landlords' and felt almost a chemical change. What I realized while reading that book was that I could write in my voice, use my tongue, my language, my style, and write a story.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":11,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":12},{},[],{"id":46,"quote_text":47,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":23,"author":48,"source":49,"quote_tag":50,"commentary":12},3718015,"I wanted to be a poet. I fell in love with poetry around eight years old, but not through literature. Instead, it came through hip-hop lyrics and my obsession with reading liner notes. Queen Latifah's 'Black Reign' is the album that stands out the most.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":11,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":12},{},[],{"id":52,"quote_text":53,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":23,"author":54,"source":55,"quote_tag":56,"commentary":12},3718011,"Boston is pretty infamous for race relations.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":11,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":12},{},[],{"id":58,"quote_text":59,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":60,"author":61,"source":62,"quote_tag":63,"commentary":64},3718010,"The people who know me do not ask me about the next book or how it's going. They ask, 'Jason, are you sleeping?' because they know my brain will not shut down.",true,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":11,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":12},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nJason Reynolds, a prolific author known for his novels and poetry that delve into themes of identity, community, and social justice, has often spoken about the pressures of being a creative in the public eye. The quote at hand suggests that during this period, Reynolds was likely experiencing the weight of expectation from both himself and others to produce new work, leading to an exhaustion that threatened his well-being.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nWhat lies beneath the surface of this seemingly straightforward statement is a profound commentary on the societal expectations placed upon creatives. Reynolds isn't merely complaining about being asked about his next project; he's highlighting how society values productivity over well-being, forcing individuals into a cycle of constant creation without regard for their mental health.\n\n**How to Use This**\nIn applying this mindset to our modern lives, we must recognize the importance of setting boundaries and prioritizing self-care. For creatives or anyone feeling overwhelmed by expectations, this means being intentional about communicating your needs and refusing to sacrifice your well-being on the altar of productivity.",{"id":66,"quote_text":67,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":23,"author":68,"source":69,"quote_tag":70,"commentary":12},3718008,"I love, loved, loved 'We Real Cool' by Gwendolyn Brooks.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":11,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":12},{},[],{"id":72,"quote_text":73,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":23,"author":74,"source":75,"quote_tag":76,"commentary":12},3718004,"I try to create characters people want to sit with, even if nothing is happening.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":11,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":12},{},[],{"id":78,"quote_text":79,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":23,"author":80,"source":81,"quote_tag":82,"commentary":12},3718001,"We've always been told to pretend as if we're not afraid.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":11,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":12},{},[],{"currentPage":84,"totalPages":85,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":86},1,14,10]