If you're playing autoharp tabletop, save your joints by using a tilted surface. A pool noodle under your case can work. When you strum or pick, curve your paw into a claw and dig under the string(s) as you start, if you want volume and/or clarity. Then it's wrist and shoulder motion. Remember that pressure from each paw must balance-- the harder you press your strings, the harder you'll need to dampen out the unplayed strings via your chord bar pressure. Finally, swishing artistically sounds crap, better switch to brush-played snare drum cuz that's all we'll hear. (You hear it louder cuz you've aimed the sound hole up to your own ears.)

Pick weight seriously matters on 'harp-- so try many, to learn what sound qualities are available.

~Susan