Write Now with Paula Finn
A life-long writer shares tips about putting words to page.
Who Are You?
Paula Finn, Author, based in Studio City, CA.
What Do You Write?
I write nonfiction books and consumer-advice magazine articles. I started writing in high school, when a local newspaper published my celebrity interviews. After college, I freelanced for magazines. With today’s emphasis on political correctness, I try to avoid writing anything too controversial. I love what I do. I love the gratification that comes from honing just the right phrase, finding exactly the right word…knowing I’ve made it the best it can be.
Where Do You Write?
I write at home, in my den. When I first started years ago, I wrote my first drafts with a mechanical pencil on lined notebook paper. Now I do everything in Word on a laptop.
When Do You Write?
I’m a night owl, so I tend to work later in the day. My writing sessions are typically unstructured. I write whenever I have a few free hours at a time. If I can’t sleep at night, I get up and write til dawn or later. I set absolutely no time limits! Same for word count goals or self-imposed deadlines. The only deadlines I meet are those set by publishers and/or site owners.
Why Do You Write?
Writing is my most satisfying creative outlet. I don’t often deal with a lack of motivation; my problem is finding the discipline to take a break! I usually can’t wait to get back to my work. What inspires me? The joy I anticipate feeling when I’ve completed a job well done.
How Do You Overcome Writer’s Block?
Going for long walks always clears my head. Re-reading something I’ve written often helps prime the pump. And… just writing.
I agree with Seinfeld producer Larry Charles, who says: “…You just have to stay with it. You have to keep putting stuff down on paper, you have to keep doing exactly what you’ve been doing. Just like if a batter has a slump, he pretty much has to work through the slump. And sometimes you come out the other side much better for it.”
Bonus: What Do You Enjoy Doing When Not Writing?
Hanging out with friends, going for long walks, and art: studying art instruction books, painting with watercolor pencils, and creating digital art.
