Entertainment Weekly

Grading shows A to F for ten years sharpened Flynn's critical eye. Flynn worked at Entertainment Weekly as a TV, film and book critic for ten years, grading shows from A to F. The habit taught her to see exactly why work falls short.

How I Write

Weekly deadlines taught Flynn that writing is a job, not a muse. Working to weekly deadlines at the magazine taught her to write whether or not she was in the mood. She says this demystified writing for her.

Starting often builds momentum, and a bad day sometimes means working two more hours after dinner. In her words: "there's no muse that's going to come and save you".

How I Write▶ 44:00