My guest this week is award-winning journalist and author of the book “Welcome to the Writer’s Life,” Paulette Perhach. Paulett’s work has appeared in The New York Times, Elle, and Slate, among many other places. She also hosts a virtual writing salon called A Very Important Meeting, teaches many online writing classes, and works with folks one-on-one as a writing coach.

We talked about:

- How being a Peace Corps volunteer is like being the village idiot, and why that’s a good thing

- Acclimating yourself to the vulnerability of writing (sometimes very) personal stories

- Thinking about the long tail of having your work findable on the Internet and the possible ramifications of that

- The link between ADHD and financial (mis)management

- Getting over the idea that if you don’t have a degree in English literature, you’re not qualified to be a writer

- Getting more stuff done when you approach your work with self-love rather than self-flagellation

- The website that’s like eBay for businesses that reminds her life could still go in a lot of different directions

- Why she thinks the shows Californication and Sex and the City are harmful to wannabe writers

- The wild story of how she figured out she had ADHD, and how that diagnosis has changed her reality

- Her class for writers with ADHD

Connect with Paulette at pauletteperhach.com or on Instagram @paulettejperhach.

For full show notes with links to everything we discuss, plus bonus photos!, visit katehanley.substack.com.

Thank you for listening!

And thanks to this week’s sponsor, Air Doctor Pro. Visit airdoctorpro.com and use code KATE to save 30% off an amazing indoor air filter *and* receive a free three-year warranty (an $84 value).

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices