Wm. Paul Young is a Canadian author. Young originally wrote as a way to create unique gifts for his friends until his wife urged him to write something for their six children in order to put down his perspectives on God. The resulting manuscript, which later became The Shack, was intended only for his six kids and for a handful of close friends.

Young initially printed 15 copies of his book. Two of his close friends encouraged him to have it published. After rejection by 26 publishers, Young and his friends published the book under the name of their newly created publishing company, Windblown Media, in 2007. Word-of-mouth referrals eventually drove the book to number one on the New York Times trade paperback fiction bestseller list in June 2008. The Shack was the top-selling fiction and audiobook of 2008 in America through November 30.