Arja Tiainen was born in Seinäjoki in southern Österbotten. Since her debut in 1971 with the poetry collection Nukun silmät auki, she has insisted on female subjectivity and sexual freedom and has written ironically about romantic love. Hers is an individual brand of feminism.
Her prose book Suomi Go Go, 1974, rebels against male dominance and traditional morals. Her key woks are the poetry collections Saatanan tytär, 1977, Isolde pakolainen, 1981, Kalastaja Merlin, 1982, Palava susi, 1987, Jokainen yksinään paperin äärellä, 1989, and Onen ylkämies, murheen morsian, 1994. Her writing, which is propelled by social indignation, is to a large extent autobiographical. In her prose book Tuhkimo ja Mefisto, 1983, she explains her relationship with the tabloid press.
Additions by the editorial team 2011:
The above biography was first published in 1998. Since then, Arja Tiainen has published the books Puiden alla, vihreässä palaverissa, 1999, and Tää tojota ei lähe liikkeelle. Ajopäiväkirja, 2006.
Arja Tiainen is the recipient of a number of awards and honours, including the Pro Finlandia prize 2011.