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How do you build a writing life when your brain refuses to follow rules? For Paulette Perhach, the answer has always been a mix of creativity, structure, and compassion.
Paulette is an award-winning author, writing coach, and creator of the Writer’s Mission Control Center and Finishing School for Writers. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Vox, Glamour, The Washington Post, and Cosmopolitan. But before all that, she was a gifted kid with a brain full of ideas—and no clue why some things came so easily while others felt impossible.
In this conversation, Paulette shares how growing up with undiagnosed ADHD and without financial resources—shaped her writing path, her self-image, and her relationship with money. She talks with Tracy about the emotional cost of feeling "less than," the unpredictability of social energy, and how finding a creative community changed everything. Diagnosed in adulthood, she finally began to understand the why behind her chaos and built systems that helped her move from intention to execution.
Paulette also breaks down her FINISH framework, a six-part approach to help ADHD writers build structure, create momentum, and finally complete the work they care about. She shares how she bootstrapped her own software tool to support writers like her, and why creating spaces that center neurodivergent needs isn't just helpful—it's transformative.
Whether you're a creative with too many ideas or someone still trying to trust your voice, Paulette’s story will make you feel seen, inspired, and ready to try again, with a little more self-compassion this time.
Resources:
Website: https://www.pauletteperhach.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulette-perhach-23b12832
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulettejperhach
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ADHD for Smart Ass Women with Tracy Otsuka