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If writers historically are counseled to write what they know, then it might not seem so surprising that Jeff Daniels acts what he knows while playing frustrated novelist Richard Dunn in his new film Paper Man . Or maybe only partly knows: There might not be a distant wife (played by Lisa Kudrow) who leaves him in a cold Sag Harbor cabin to finish his second, not-so-highly anticipated second book. There isn’t likely the 17-year-old stranger Abby (Emma Stone), roped into the mix as a sort of accidental emotional stabilizer. And there definitely isn’t a cape-and-tights-clad imaginary friend named Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds) coaxing Richard’s conscience along since childhood. But writer-directors Michele and Kieran Mulroney’s curious indie does feature such influences orbiting the solitary, unglamorous head space that Daniels has plenty of familiarity with as the author of 14 plays — and a 15th in the works. Movieline recently spoke with the 55-year-old actor-playwright-songwriter about the quirky dynamics of Paper Man , when it’s OK to have a voice in your head, and the writing methods that help him pen an entire play in a month or less.

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Jeff Daniels: ‘Writing is Hard. Writing Well is Very, Very Hard’