Meet Justin Finley

We were lucky to catch up with Justin Finley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Justin, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
Several years ago, a stranger came to my table at White Castle and asked my friends and I “Which one of you is the writer?” None of us said anything because we didn’t know what his deal was and none of us had mentioned writing at all. All of us had no idea who this man was, but the certainty he asked that question with has stuck with me since. I don’t know if he was a spy or if he saw the copy of The Bell Jar I left in the car, but I often think what would’ve happened if I answered “I am!” My work ethic since that day really stems from my belief that this man was a sign from the world telling me what I’m here to do.I was already writing at 100%, but after that day I went to 300%.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I write fiction, non-fiction, and poetry that looks at life’s nooks and crannies from many different perspectives. Writing initially peaked my interest because of the games Final Fantasy VII. The games didn’t have any cutscenes with voice actors so reading the small boxes of text above the heads of characters was the only way the story could come through. It was amazing to think about the fact that those stories are told entirely through dialog. I’d write small comics on flashcards and enter school writing contests so it wasn’t a secret that I had more fun writing than I did playing sports. In grade school, teachers encouraged me to pursue writing as a career so I kept the thought in my back pocket even in military school. After graduation, I decided to study creative writing at Columbia College Chicago since my eyesight ruled out becoming a pilot. Some of my work has been published in Mixed Magazine, Pest Control, and an excerpt of my book was recently released in Mulberry Literary magazine. I plan on sharing more writing on my website next year.

My debut book “I Saw” will be released in early 2024 through A Jabber Publication. It is a flash non-fiction collection of moments from my coming of age from 1997 to 2022. The cover was designed by two of my incredibly talented friends Cliff Weber and Greg Garibay. This book came about from my good friend Kate Hood was hosting Paper Works, a reading and arts series, and invited me to share some work. I still had a bit of stage fright when it came to reading for a crowd, but the good reactions I received in class pushed me to go and that is where I met my publisher. I always try to encourage writers, new and experienced, to go to open mics or submit pieces for publication since then. You never know who will be listening to or reading what you made.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Editing, journaling, and rewriting are the best takeaways when writing anything. I think everyone should keep a dream journal because dreams could become anything. Dreams were especially helpful when I encountered writer’s block, but still wanted to create a story. The ending of the film Suspiria was based on a dream from a co-writer of the script, Daria Nicolodi.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
Zhuangzi by the philosopher Zhuang Zhou played a big role in opening my eyes up to living a life fulfilled regardless of what cards we were dealt. A poem in the book titled The Butterfly Dream details Zhuang Zhou waking up from his dream of being a happy butterfly, but he is isn’t sure if he was a man dreaming he was a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming that it was a man. Zhuang Zhou’s happiness ultimately mattered more than what form he experienced it in.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Feature photo/I Saw Cover + Back Cover by Cliff Weber and Gregory Garibay

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