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6 Surprising Ways My ADHD Brain Helped Me Write an Award-Winning Novel

“once i latched onto a good idea, i couldn’t stop myself from writing it down. i now recognize my adhd in that process: first came the wandering imagination, then the hyperfocus that drove me to commit my best thoughts to paper.”.

Two decades ago, I was flunking out of a writing job while learning all about my new ADHD diagnosis, and why it was holding me back at work. Today, I’m an award-winning novelist.

How did that happen?

Though my diagnosis only came after I hit career trouble at age 36, by intuition alone I had already found a calling that fit my ADHD brain. As a journalist and then a content creator for non-profit groups, I found that writing gave me creative control , something new and interesting to work on outside my own world, ever-changing topics to explore, and a finished product to point to at the end of the day. I didn’t understand why at the time, but early in my career I had shied away from jobs that required focusing for extended periods, working inside a rigid or bureaucratic system, or keeping track of details.

Those choices came crashing down when an employer made radical changes to my writing job and expected me to adapt. Suddenly, I was in charge of managing information and administrative details that came at me too fast and rarely held my interest. My colleagues handled the transition with ease, but I hit a wall. It made me wonder what was going on in my head, and that led to my life-changing diagnosis: inattentive-type ADHD.

Since then, I’ve found new and better jobs (including a stint freelancing for ADDitude ). On the side, I tried my hand at writing fiction. Now that I’ve published my first novel and some other fictional works, I can look back and understand how my ADHD mind shaped my fiction writing.

[ Click to Read: Great Job! A Career Happiness Formula for Adults with ADHD ]

Writing Delivers the Freedom My ADHD Brain Craves

For me, the most significant connection between ADHD and fiction writing is freedom. To create, I didn’t need permission from anyone — no college degree, license, or job interview was required. Most of my learning involved experience and self-teaching. Writing fiction gives me even more autonomy than does journalism. I create the characters — and anything they say or do in my stories happens because I decide to make it up.

In my novel, To Follow Elephants (#CommissionsEarned) , I used that leeway to create both human and animal characters. In tandem with human characters living a human plot, To Follow Elephants puts the reader into the minds of giant pachyderms. It reveals their thoughts, their culture and religion, and how they pass on their knowledge to new generations. I had the power to imagine what is happening in elephants’ heads, and nobody could tell me I was wrong.

Writing Capitalizes on My ADHD Creativity and Hyperfocus

When I started writing fiction, I had so many ideas that it was hard to settle on one story line. But once I latched onto a good idea, I couldn’t stop myself from writing it down. I now recognize my ADHD in that process: First came the wandering imagination, then the hyperfocus that drove me to commit my best thoughts to paper.

Like my mind, my writing process was often disorganized and interrupted by fresh ideas. I first wrote a different manuscript that I now call my “practice novel” before the concept for To Follow Elephants came to me. And in the middle of writing the second novel, I happened on an idea for a stage play. I couldn’t continue with the novel until I got the play out of my head by committing it to paper. I also changed the focus and structure of To Follow Elephants several times and cut many parts I had worked hard to write because they dragged down the story.

[ Related Reading: Writing My Way to a Happier Me ]

Writing Harnesses My Non-Linear ADHD Thinking

The end result of To Follow Elephants reflects my ADHD mind, too. As you might guess, my novel doesn’t unfold in chronological order, nor does it stick to a single character’s viewpoint. While the plot progresses in a straight line, some information is revealed along the way only when it is most needed, or when it punctuates the drama, through flashbacks in time. The flashbacks explain how each character, including the elephants, got to their point in the plot.

For instance, what mysterious event is Colonel Mubego, the prison warden, and his prisoner, Karl Dorner, hiding from Dorner’s son, Owen? What family secret does Wanjeri, elephant researcher and Mubego’s niece, carry as she helps Owen learn the truth about his father? The reader learns the answers to these mysteries in flashbacks as Owen closes in on them. And where did the inspiring myth of the baby elephant crossing the river come from? You find out when the time is right.

It took a great deal of effort to perfect this structure and make it progress smoothly, but I managed to make it work. In one review, a reader said she consumed the book in one sitting, so I must have done something right.

Writing Rewards My ADHD Observation Skills

Most people with inattentive-type ADHD have no deficit of attention. We actually pay too much attention to everything around us and everything inside our own heads. That can be a big problem when we need to focus on a teacher, or a boss, or a spouse, and we can’t keep our eyes, ears, or minds from wandering. It’s quite useful, though, for gathering and writing the details that bring to life a world and its characters inside a novel.

In several parts of To Follow Elephants , the descriptions of characters’ observations in African landscapes and cities reflect exactly what I saw and heard during a vacation there three decades ago. I could still remember the intriguing things I saw, and how I felt about them, long after I returned home. I projected a plot onto my travels and turned my safari vacation into a book that’s equal parts thriller, adventure, and portrayal of elephant civilization from the animals’ point of view.

Writing Allows My ADHD Brain to Find Motivation in Inspiration

It’s a good thing my ability to absorb and recall details is enduring, because it took me a while to write them down. I wrote the novel in fits and starts for many years. Life got in the way, as did new ideas, and I was busy learning how to write a novel at the same time I was writing it. That familiar ADHD enemy, procrastination, also took its toll.

Some authors follow a disciplined process by writing a certain number of words or pages each day. I can’t fathom doing that. I have to write furiously when inspiration or motivation comes, followed by long periods of inactivity. Looking back, I see the lack of short-term gratification as a big drawback that caused me to procrastinate and set the manuscript aside for months at a time. I craved a quicker reward than writing a book provides. Showing my work-in-progress to writer’s groups helped to put me back on track, and when new ideas popped into my head that I could incorporate into the manuscript, it prompted me to get back to work.

Writing Conditioned Me to Overcome Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

As I wrapped up the writing part and dipped my toes into the publishing stage, I confronted a common ADHD challenge whose name I recently learned: rejection-sensitive dysphoria (RSD).

This ADDitude article describes RSD as “a sense of falling short — failing to meet [your] own high standards or others’ expectations.” Imagine writing your personal masterpiece and eagerly sending it to a publisher or literary agent, only to have your dreams crushed by a rejection letter — over and over. Sounds like a great way to trigger RSD, doesn’t it?

Fortunately, my prior writing experience had conditioned me to rejection and how to best handle it. I know that rejection is just part of the process of finding the right match between a writer and their publisher and/or agent. It’s like a job search, or dating. Ultimately, whenever a rejection (or no response) came, I discovered a new agent or publisher who was a better candidate, and my hopes lifted again. And in the back of my mind, I knew that self-publishing was always an option. Many entrepreneurial authors (probably some of them with ADHD) are having great success with self-publishing these days.

As I approached more and more publishers and agents and racked up the rejections, I fine-tuned my search until I found a small publisher particularly interested in my kind of novel and I finally got a publishing contract. Holding the finished book — with my name on the cover — in my hand was reward enough, but a year later To Follow Elephants won a prestigious Nautilus Book Award .

While ADHD still frustrates me, I’ve learned that some aspects of ADHD are an advantage if I find a way to put them to good use. That’s what I did to complete my novel.

I’m working on another one (or maybe seven) now.

[ Read This Next: The Tricky Thing About ADHD Superpowers ]

You can learn more about Rick and his novel at  rickhodgesauthor.com .

#CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication

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Writers With ADHD: Strategies for Navigating the Writing Process

I immediately knew who to call on, and I am excited to share a guest post today from a writer who has been a part of my own journey almost from the very beginning. Johne Cook and I met on an online writing forum over 15 years ago, and he remains one of my favorite people to have entered my life in this journey. I have long admired his pragmatism, his insight, and his general cool in the face of the Internet’s insanity. To this day, I will often ask myself, “What would Johne do here?”

He has always been open about his experience as a writer with ADHD—both the challenges and his solutions for overcoming them. Today, I’m excited to have the opportunity to let him share his experience, tips, and resources with you. Enjoy this treasure trove of insight!

I wish I knew then what I know now.

For my first 45 years, I thought I was broken: I was a daydreamer, I couldn’t focus on things everyone else thought were important, I fidgeted when I should have been focusing, and I focused intently on the wrong things when people wanted my attention elsewhere.

It’s not like there weren’t clues. I excelled as part of an award-winning marching band in high school where marching in unison was expected, but it was like I was out of step with society.

I had difficulties with organization, time management, and sustaining attention in non-stimulating environments.

I couldn’t make important decisions to save my life. I kept putting things off. I had health problems, money problems, interpersonal problems.

I waited until the 11th hour to begin anything important, and things frequently fell through the cracks.

When I was young, what I wanted most was to be “normal.” But the older I got, the more I believed that was never my reality or calling.

Everything changed the day I heard a piece on NPR called “Adult ADHD in the Workplace.” As they discussed what ADHD was and shared six basic questions, I realized I checked five of the six boxes. They shared a link to a website, and I double-checked my results when I got home.

And then I met with a doctor and confirmed the diagnosis. My entire identity changed.

When I tried two different medications that gave me additional focus at the expense of my creativity (and some other small side effects), I sensed, for the first time, that my creativity was somehow tied to my condition. I valued my ability to sling words, see patterns, and make intuitive leaps that others around me couldn’t.

Because I valued my creativity, I ultimately handled my ADHD through other means that I’ll talk about below.

I realized I could either run from my ADHD or embrace it.

I decided to lean into it.

Communication

Knowing is half the battle. Knowing this about myself (and knowing that I was special, not broken) changed the way I saw everything.

I started by talking to my wife Linda and my family about what I was like and gradually increased my communication to include my boss and peers at work.

For some of them, what I told them was no surprise, and my biggest pleasant shock was how cool everyone was about it.

Finally, when appropriate, I shared about my ADHD with people I met out in the world. Letting people know what I was like set expectations and minimized confusion.

Once I had that handled, I moved on to the fun stuff.

ADHD as a Superpower

If attention deficit is the disorder, attention hyper-focus is my superpower.*

During the pandemic, Linda and I watched an interrupted season of The Amazing Race , mostly for Penn and Kim Holderness from YouTube’s The Holderness Family . It was only while watching the show that we learned that Penn was very ADHD. They referred to his ADHD as a superpower, and I saw with my own eyes how his ADHD helped him with pattern recognition, creative outside-the-box thinking, and hyper-focus during challenges.

And watching Penn at work on the show changed how I viewed my own ADHD.

In short, when managed effectively and embraced for its positive attributes, ADHD can empower writers to harness their inner strengths and achieve success in various domains of life.

Understanding ADHD in the Writing Process

People with ADHD exhibit different symptoms such as difficulty maintaining attention, hyperactivity, or impulsive behavior. For writers, these symptoms can manifest as challenges in organizing thoughts, staying on task, and completing projects.

However, it’s also associated with high levels of creativity, the ability to make unique connections, and a propensity for innovative thinking.

Challenges Faced by Writers With ADHD

(The following challenges are common but not universal.)

• Distraction: Writing progress can be derailed by the lure of new ideas , social media, or even minor environmental changes.
• Difficulty Organizing Thoughts: It can be daunting to translate a whirlwind of thoughts into coherent, structured writing.
• Procrastination: Delaying writing tasks in favor of more immediately rewarding activities.
• Impulsivity: Starting new projects without finishing current ones can lead to a cycle of uncompleted works .

Despite these challenges, many writers with ADHD have developed strategies to thrive.

Strategies and Tools for Writing with ADHD

I decided against medication. Once I took medication off the table, I began leaning harder on software tools to become more organized and to remind myself of important things.

Turning ADHD challenges into advantages requires a combination of personal strategies, environmental adjustments, and technology.

Linda and I are a team—she knows to prompt me to use my tech to capture ideas or thoughts in the moment, and I’ve become better at tracking my ideas by noting them in my phone or on my calendar.

Today, there are more tools available than ever.

Here are several approaches:

1. Structuring the Writing Environment

Minimize Distractions: Create a writing space with minimal visual and auditory distractions. Tools like noise-canceling headphones or apps that play white noise can help.

Establish Routines: Having a set writing schedule can provide structure and make it easier to start writing sessions.

2. Breaking Down Tasks

Outlining Your Novel (Amazon affiliate link)

Use Lists and Outlines: Breaking writing projects into smaller, manageable tasks can make them less daunting. Outlining can also help organize thoughts before diving into writing.

Set Small Goals: Focus on short, achievable objectives , such as writing a certain number of words daily, to build momentum.

3. Leveraging Technology

Calendars : Google Calendar or Fantastical (MacOS only) free up my mind and keep me up-to-date.

Writing Software: Applications like Scrivener or Google Docs offer features to organize ideas, research, and drafts in one place.

Time Management Apps: Pomodoro timers or task management apps like Trello can help manage time and keep track of progress.

Pocket : A social bookmarking service for storing, sharing, and discovering web bookmarks.

SnagIt : A screenshot app on my computer where I capture and store screenshots in folders for later use. Also does optical character recognition (OCR) on text strings, allowing me to replicate URLs with copy/paste.

Note-taking apps : Apple Notes —my second mind that I can access from any of my Internet-connected devices.  Notion —a beefier app for more sophisticated note-taking

4. Embracing the Creative Process

Allow for Free Writing: Set aside time to write without worrying about coherence or structure. This can help capture creative ideas without the pressure of perfection.

Develop a System for Capturing Ideas: Use note-taking apps or carry a notebook to jot down ideas as they come, regardless of the time and place.

5. Seeking Support

Writing Groups: Joining a writing group or participating in writing challenges can provide accountability and motivation.

Professional Help: For some, working with a coach or therapist specializing in ADHD can offer personalized strategies and support.

Success Stories: Writers With ADHD

Many successful writers have ADHD and have spoken about how it affects their creative process. Writers emphasize the importance of embracing their non-linear thinking, and view it not as a hindrance, but as a source of creativity and originality:

• Agatha Christie: The “Queen of Crime” was known for her prolific output and intricate plots. Some speculate that her energetic writing style and ability to focus intensely on details could be signs of ADHD.

Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie (affiliate link)

• Dav Pilkey: The creator of the popular children’s book series Captain Underpants has openly discussed his struggles with ADHD. He credits his condition with helping him be a creative thinker.

The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey (affiliate link)

• John Irving: The author of The World According to Garp was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and has spoken about how his condition has both helped and hindered his writing process.

The World According to Garp by John Irving (affiliate link)

As a writer, I don’t see things the way others do. I think outside the box.

My ADHD makes me more:

• Hyper-focused on things that capture my attention

Don’t let anyone tell you ADHD is a curse. You can view it as a gift. You can embrace it.

And then you, too, can lean into it!

Resources and Further Reading

For those looking to dive deeper into managing ADHD as a writer, or seeking inspiration from those who’ve navigated similar challenges, here are some invaluable resources:

• ADHD Questionnaire (a questionnaire based on an internationally respected screening tool for ADHD)
• 6 Surprising Ways My ADHD Brain Helped Me Write an Award-Winning Novel
• The Link Between Creativity and ADHD
• Tool & Tricks For Writers With ADHD
• ADHD Is Awesome written and read by Penn and Kim Holderness

* Hyperfocus is common but not universal.

Wordplayers, tell me your opinions! Can you share any tips or experiences for managing ADHD as a writer? Tell us in the comments!

Sign up today.

Related Posts

Johne Cook is a Senior Technical Writer for medical device companies like IBM, Optum, and Merge Healthcare, and writes under two alternate personas: John the Wordsmith writes about business storytelling and narrative intelligence on LinkedIn. Johne with the silent vanity e is a fiction author working on a Fantasy / Noir called The Blue Golem , now in its 14th draft.

I discovered that the writer that got me into reading years ago–Jules Verne– had ADHD. And that is truly inspiring! • Jules Verne: In school, he was not a very smart kid. Rather a student who did not focus well on daily tasks and some other projects. But in today’s world, he is a very famous French novelist who was into writing from his childhood. The creator of some revolutionary science-fiction stories and a great inspiration for the steampunk stream. His most popular novels are ‘A Journey to the Center of the Earth’, ‘Around the World in Eighty Days, ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea’, and so on. Although undiagnosed, according to some psychologists, he was suffered from ADHD or ADD. “We are of opinion that instead of letting books grow moldy behind an iron grating, far from the vulgar gaze, it is better to let them wear out by being read” — Jules Verne.

Hey, David – love that Jules Verne quote! That’s new to me!

Thanks so much for sharing with us, Johne!

Thanks for reaching out,and for the awesome introduction! I’m touched! We’ve come a long way!

Learning that I was different, not broken, was a major crossroads in my life, and I’m happy to share my experience and what I’ve learned since then.

My writing and career would not be the same without ADHD, and I’m pleased to say that together, Linda and I are managing my condition, minimizing the deficits and maximizing the advantages!

Thanks for sharing!

I use many of the strategies you mention. Calendars, note-taking apps, and to-do-lists. I think it all started with getting over a copy of “Getting Things Done” several decades ago, but I do remember a slight obsession with Filo Faxes way back in high school.

Another strategy I’ve developed is to create a folder system on a cloud drive where I PDF-print web pages and articles (more than a few from this site) and store them in my own system.

Having spent many years organizing those folders helps me immediately answer the question, “where should I put this amazing piece of info”? It falls into the cognitive strategy of each thing having its own place. And of course, more crucially, “where did I put that amazing piece of info”…

Of course, the system isn’t perfect, but macOS search helps a lot as well. (Not to mention tagging… I have a few tags for my current project that I can view in a finder window.)

You mention being outside the box. I’ve found this one thing to be core to my writing. To be honest, I think most creatives that give insightful comments on life “in the box” are somehow outside it. Personally, I’d probably not have much interesting to say had I not been able to look in on that box and draw conclusions from my observations.

And the world, as it looks today, really need voices from outside the box that can look in and comment on what’s going on in there… wake people up a bit… it’s happened before…

You can’t see it but I’m over here nodding vigorously, erk!

I’ve been tagging my thoughts in Apple Notes and I download PDFs on LinkedIn (called ‘carousels’) for later research. There’s a tool called Humata that helps me to find things in my folder of .PDFs. It’s like I’ve created my own searchable library!

I also use a MacOS search tool called Alfred, like Spotlight on steriods, to find and launch apps from the keyboard. It’s very powerful and very cool.

At first thinking outside the box felt alienating–I could sense I wasn’t with everyone else, and I felt lonely. Now I see it’s a great gift, and I appreciate it.

I’ve heard of Alfred before, so maybe it’s time to check it out. Humata or something like it sounds like a missing link in AI, answering the question “what if I want to use a bunch of documents as input”? Very nice!

Tools are always interesting. I use a bunch like Excel and Word, Aeon Timeline, yEd, Scrivener (of course) even Markdown text files, and the previously mentioned cloud drive as the common denominator and searching and tagging… Though, I do my hard core world and character building in DokuWiki… links rocks 😀

I’ll definitely see what Humata and Alfred might add to the mix! Thanks for the tips!

It can, of course, be lonely to be the odd one out. And painful and scary. Not to mention really destructive. But for me, the biggest problem was always to try to be normal because I was sure if I just did what everyone else did, I’d be happy. Then I was diagnosed (with both ADHD and Autism), and I had this epiphany; I’ll never get the results I want by trying to be normal… I should just try to get the results I want in my way instead. It works way better! 😉

“I’ll never get the results I want by trying to be normal” – That’s a great epiphany! Normality is overrated. If you’re getting good results being yourself, being ‘normal’ would be a giant step backward! We’re all about forward movement!

Johne, this was superb and also so helpful. my daughter recently diagnosed and having read your post I now see her superpowers. creativity etc. miss seeing you. hope all well.

Hey, Neroli! In my story, learning about ADHD and common behaviors and challenges helped us immensely. I hope that learning about your daughter’s diagnosis will help bring clarity and understanding to your family!

(I miss seeing you, too! So good to see you pop up here!)

I’m not diagnosed but pretty sure I have it. I do know I had a TBI in a wreck that causes me executive function problems. I found two things that have helped me organize my life – the book Getting Things Done by David Allen, and the Bulletproof Journal. I used the BuJo, as it’s called, to organize the stuff GTD tells me I need to do. It’s taken days to sort through everything, but now that it’s all written down, I can focus better.

I’m sorry to hear about your accident, John. I’m glad you’re finding mechanisms to help you to focus! I’m familiar with GTD but haven’t played around with it.

Simple awareness and communication was a huge thing for us.

BuJo has changed my life, as well. I have memory issues in addition to ADHD, and it seriously helps staying organized and remembering this. Thanks for sharing!

Before I was a writer, the only time my mind was at rest was when I read. Therefore, I read a lot. Still do. Now writing channels all that energy I have into creating suspense.

This is really inspiring, P.T.!

THANK YOU!!! I have just recently been traveling down the adhd awareness path and am waiting on the appointment that will almost certainly lead to the official diagnosis. I probably am HSP as well, which makes for a very interesting mix!

I have found myself wondering if my desires to write actually fit with who I am…maybe I’m just not intended to be a writer. This gives me encouragement that yes, it is actually possible to make it work.

Don’t give up! We ADHD people do have gifts of curiosity and insights others often don’t possess. I urge you to try some of the tech tools Johne mentions, they do help. I began medication later in life and it’s calmed my reactive emotions and allowed me to function much better. It’s never too late to write! Best wishes on your journey.

Thanks for sharing your story! I agree with you about the gifts of curiosity and insight that not everyone else always sees. For me this commonly manifests in movies. For instance MORTAL ENGINES was not hailed as a great film, and yet when I realized it was essentially a Space Opera, I relaxes and leaned into the genre tropes that are very much there and enjoyed it for what it was, an ambitious miss. When others were critical, I found it a wildly entertaining example of the genre that I love, and relished it knowing that me and 3 others appreciated it. At first I was upset that everyone else couldn’t see what I see, but now I kind of like that I have certain genres that work for me that won’t be appreciated by the mainstream. (They’re frequently one-off things that don’t get sequels, so I enjoy them for what they are, glittering little jewels sometimes become classics after the fact. I’m thinking of DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS with a young Denzel Washington as Easy Rawlins, and introducing a young Don Cheadle in his first role as Easy’s murderous friend Mouse.)

I actually found the Mortal Engines series (it started as books!) to be fascinating for basically the same reason. Would I recommend it to the average person? Nah. But the character development aspect was quite good. It makes even more sense in the opera framework.

That’s so encouraging! Yes I struggle a lot with reactivity… Also just a general feeling of not fitting in has dogged me for most of my life. I’m starting to realize that I need to find people that I can resonate with more!

Finding your tribe is huge!

E – I wrestle with the infinite possibilities of the blank page, but once I get going, ‘Katie bar the door!’ I capture my first ideas in Apple Notes, develop them more fully using Notion (where I keep images and sketches and links to related articles), and then begin writing in Scrivener. (I love Scrivener so much that I transferred over from Windows to MacOS to write in Scrivener in its native format!)

I have no trouble getting started. It’s when I hit the first couple turns and I can’t unravel how I want everything to go and then I get frustrated with trying to figure it out and then I try to outline and then I get overwhelmed and shut down that I give up 😛

If I can see it all clearly in my head, in pictures, then I can sit down and write it out straight, no stop. Super hard to get there though.

This feels very familiar to me right now, heh.

I just last night realized I need to take a step back and adjust some things that happened early in my novel to enable me to write what I need to write here in chapter 16.

I love this article! I’m a writer with ADHD and the challenges are real. However, I’ve come to appreciate and even love my disorganized, curious, and active self. Technology tools are a big help, especially Google calendar reminders and Pomofocus.io. Thanks for mentioning SnagIt…my screenshots are out of control!

I’ll mention that I adore not only SnagIt as a tool but as a directory. I save lots of screenshots and name the ones I want to use later.

Furthermore, SnagIt has an OCR feature where I can screenshot a URL and then copy the URL to my clipboard. It’s an underrated tool!

Loved this! The journey our family has been on has taught me so much, and has even helped me implement strategies for writing. I personally do not have ADHD, but my 20 year old does, and we have traveled an interesting road! Despite going to the best since he was in second grade, we still didn’t know what we were dealing with until he was 14 and we found an incredible behavioral therapist who taught us. ADHD is an executive function disorder. Learning about executive functions changed our lives, because my son was not able to tolerate the medication because of other issues. Our therapist recommend an amazing book, that we still use to this day, called Smart but Scattered. It goes into all the executive functions, talks about the challenges, and behaviors and tools to implement for each. There is even executive function tests to see maybe where you struggle the most. They have many versions of this book from kids, teens, and adults. Even tho we don’t all have ADHD, we may still be a little low on a particular executive function. For instance, mine is getting started. Smart but Scattered has a book for people like me who want to improve my executive functions, and this has helped tremendously. I really feel like those books could help anyone in the writing process.

This is a great resource, Jenny! Thanks for sharing this with us! https://www.amazon.com/Smart-but-Scattered-Revolutionary-Executive-ebook/dp/B005D7D57K/

I wrestle with Executive Function and lean heavily on my tools to get me to the place where my interest kicks in and I know what to do after that.

It’s a bit like using exterior booster rockets to get me into space where my main engines can ignite and power me forward from there!

Lovely article. Another great encouragement on the ADHD writer journey. Thank you Johne and K. M.! I’ll try to be brief, something no one has ever accused me of. 59 years old. Finally diagnosed officially earlier this year. All my friends and family said, “Duh! We knew that from the first day we met you!” But it felt good to know that all the struggles I’ve had all my life are (mostly) not due to moral failure. I have 637,534 writing fragments and ideas in various states ranging from a few words on the back of a napkin to a novel I thought was nearly complete until I decided to blow it up because when I sat down and had a conversation with my main characters, they all told me I was too nice, and they needed more peril. This number, a rough estimate, also includes numerous unfinished or unsatisfactory poems, two non-fiction books, an excruciatingly long list of perhaps impossible children’s books, and lots of other random things. A few things to add to Johne’s list that I’ve found helpful, though outward success in finishing anything is so lacking you may want to ignore me: 1. Yes, schedule writing. Also schedule eating well, exercise, and good sleep. These go a really long way, especially with the ADHD brain, to foster the highest functioning of our superpowers. 2. I love Evernote for capturing notes, and pretty much keeping track of everything. Also great for clipping web pages, articles, etc. I use the GTD method of organizing: use tags to organize notes, not notebooks. Everything I have, except for my woodworking pictures, is in one notebook. It is WAY easier to search by tags than to try to remember where you put something or what you called it. 3. Some of us ADHDers need silence or white noise to block out distractions. Some of us need music or something like it going all the time to keep us from getting distracted by the constant noises in our heads. I’m definitely the latter. Good instrumental music in the background helps me focus on what’s in front of me instead of what the committees and bands inside my head are doing.

Talking about your writing fragments takes me way back, Craig. I have a stack of long-hand story fragments written on many yellow legal pads that stands 16″ tall. I didn’t know how to finish anything at that time so they’re just a tall stack of scenes and snippets of scenes.

Scheduling everything – writing, sleep, meals – had made a real difference in my life!

Do you schedule everything in a digital calendar or some other app?

I havent been diagnosed and i find condition labels unhelpful, however i have so many coping mechanisms. In addition to the programs you mention i use cold turkey to block myself from the internet. I also use the free version of appblock on my andriod phone. On my phone i block the internet whatsapp and outlook. I deleted all other apps from my phone that gave me a back door. I have a big list of notebooks on one note to capture ideas. I have a main launch page which has an instruction list to help prime and start my list. I use a few of these primer lists for everything on how to get ready to leave the house to how to set my mind up for a work session to how to begin to decorate. If i dont use them it can take me a long time to get started. I need to clearly define tasks composing or outlining. I also use freemind a mindmapping program to help me manage and think about all my plot ideas.

A lot of the biggest content creators on LinkedIn use various mechanisms to block off the internet while working or writing, so you’re in good company!

Finding what helps you to focus and write is huge!

By the way i read an article where they found that teaching children to meditate was as effective or more effective than the medication at controlling the symptoms. The medication can reduce children’s appetite and thereby stunt the growth of some.

“…teaching children to meditate was as effective or more effective than the medication at controlling the symptoms.”

That’s really fascinating!

This is a great post! Thank you. I’m ADHD and am only finishing books and publishing them now because I’ve learned some coping strategies over the years. I believe ADHD can be a superpower as long as you learn how to work with yourself and build in some balancing habits. One thing I have learned to appreciate is that I get bored easily–so I rarely let the action drag in my books. If I’m bored with it, the reader will be bored, so I ratchet up action and microtension to keep myself engaged. A downside is that I struggle big time with hyperfocus; if I’m writing an important scene, I can’t stop or even sleep till I am done. Sometimes my mind will not shut off, even after I’ve finished.

I get bored easily as well. It can be a challenge to focus on something that isn’t naturally interesting to me, but I’m working on it.

I’ve wrestled with sleeping while I’m on the hunt–I find if I capture the bullet points for the scene, I can rest knowing that I’m not losing anything and resume working on the scene the following day.

I also use Damon Knight’s ‘Fred’ strategy for loading a scene or plot problem in my head as I lay down and wake with the answer the following morning. He writes about that in his award-winning book CREATING SHORT FICTION. https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Short-Fiction-Damon-Knight-ebook/dp/B01N9JGSYU/ref=sr_1_1

I loved the book series Mortal Engines is part of, and indeed anything Phillip Reeve writes. He’s so original. The film didn’t do the book justice in my opinion, maybe it’s budget wasn’t big enough? Lots of crossover with High functioning autism aka Autism Level 1 and ADHD, I identify with both. There are plenty of positives in my experience, but these can be hard to enjoy or mobilise, your ideas here are helpful. People generally seeing both issues as differences rather than defects or deficits would probably help too! We are all a mix of qualities, whether neurotypical or neurodiverse.

re: Phillip Reeve – thanks, Chaz! I’ll check him out!

Quoting for emphasis: “People generally seeing both issues as differences rather than defects or deficits would probably help too!”

Oh, man, can I ever relate to this posts. Not only do I have ADHD but I also struggle with dyslexia. I’ve learned to harness it to an extent and will explore the tools listed here. Do any others with these issues have trouble outlining? I’m a terrible outliner!! Thanks Katie for this post!!

Hey, Rebecca, I was a lifelong, unrepentant discovery writer, a proud Panster (in my ignorance) until I competed in NanoWriMo 2014. I wrote 55k words in a fantasy / noir but stalled at the climactic scene and couldn’t figure out why. I put off writing the ending for an hour, a day, a week…

Four years passed and then I read a book that introduced the idea of 12 content genres and noted that many people who get stuck do so because they’re mixing genres incorrectly and your subconscious knows enough about story to know that’s a mistake.

I never paid much attention to story structure because I didn’t understand it, but this time it was like the heavens parted and the angels sang. I realized I was trying to write an epic Action climax for what was under-the-hood a classic Thriller. So I cut the big battle finale and realized I already had a perfect ‘hero-at-the-mercy-of-the villain’ Thriller scene (complete with a false ending!) already written!

So I delved deeper into study and saw that in that theory, every scene has the same 5 elements: * an inciting incident * a progressive complication turning point * a crisis question * a climax * and a resolution

That’s when I became a believer in outlines. I became a Plantser, a writer who appreciates story structure and outlines and then discovery writes between my plot points. (If there’s a spectrum between absolute chaos on one side and absolute chaos on the other, perfect complexity resides somewhere in the middle, and that’s where I now live.) Now, I write out my outlines in Notion first and then develop from there in Scrivener. It totally works!

I suffer from the “out of sight, out of mind” aspect of ADHD—when things are put away, whether physically or digitally, they cease to exist. Since it’s not 1954, manuscripts require a digital form, but I do all my planning and what-iffing with notebooks and index cards, and I print copies for pen-and-paper revisions. There’s always visible, touchable evidence that projects are in progress and at what stage. My desk is clean only during the window between “finished old thing” and “started new thing.”

Lena, I worked with a woman who thought best with tangible shapes. When doing a complex flowchart, she’d draw out elements on a number of sheets of paper and lay them on the floor and then begin to fit them together with Scotch tape. Once she had a frankencreation, she’d hand it off to me and I’d put it into Visio, but the vision (and the process) were hers.

Lena – thank you for this. I have the same “out of sight, out of mind” thing. Your tips are much appreciated.

Lena, I’m becoming aware of this for myself. My calendar is going back to paper (gasp) because if it’s digital I literally don’t remember to look at it. I forget stuff even exists when it’s digital a lot of the time. But digital is so much easier to manipulate! On a journey to find what works best for me…

Thank you so much for this post, I’m a beginning writer but I’ve been really struggling with my ADHD recently and have had a hard time working on my story and plot. I’m so glad to have this to relate to and find creative strategies in my writing journey! I will definitely look into the resources you’ve listed!

If you have any specific questions, feel free to reach out! You got this!

Awesome post! I never struggled with ADHD (and haven’t been “officially” diagnosed) since I had Covid in 2020. I’ve learned that the more I stick to a writing schedule, the better I can deal with it. But switch up that schedule and, oh boy, it’s nearly impossible to keep on track. My brain goes everywhere but where I want it to be. And unless it’s visual, I’m really lost.

Thanks, Rhonda!

As a medicated ADHDer I am proud of mine! I find I need my medication to help me focus my energy and mind into my work. One thing that works for me in this day and age of technology is to email my thoughts and ideas to myself from my phone. It works wonders! This way all I have to do is look them up by my email later. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. For shining a light on us neurodivergent people. We’ve not only survived-we’ve thrived!

That’s a clever workflow! Thanks for sharing!

Talking to myself via email, text, voice message… agreed— an ADHD super power!

OMG. I have recently been diagnosed with adult ADHD, and am now revelling in that knowledge, quite delighted to be ‘dotty.’ Reading very quickly some of the above, I can see myself here. I’ve always had a great love of writing, and story telling, and have attempted in recent years with both a non-fiction and historical fiction story. Neither finished, like so many other ‘projects’ through my life. Thank you HKW for bringing this to us. I have several of your books, and am so grateful for you sharing your knowledge and insight.

Heh. Welcome to the club, Pat!

This article was very helpful! I’ve been a “mess” of ADHD/OCS/Depression/anxiety all my 77 years. I have piles of poetry, stories, novels… most of them incomplete due to my ultimate boredom or (perhaps) even fear of completing. But I’ll tell you this: I am one hell of a word-slinger, and master of the absurd and ironic. So, go figure… Thanks again!

Thanks, Jay!

Great tips! As a fellow ADHDer, whathas helped me the most is realizing that I need more gratification than writing can realistically offer-unless if I eventually become famous or land a steady fiction writing job, like serial writing, which hasn’t happened yet. I leave time for writing several times a week and am a part of writing groups, but I find that I need other creative hobbies, a social life, close friendships and a stimulating job to keep me going–if I’m relying on writing alone to fascinate me, it usually doesn’t work.

This is a great point, Ellie. “Moderation in all things!” (Even fiction writing!)

Thank you so much for this. I wasn’t diagnosed until my 40s. I was always creative & have always wanted to get published. I’ve completed NaNo 3 out of 5 times. I think the hectic pace of it helped, but trying to edit was a non-starter. I’ve been a DM for RPGs since the 1st D&D & Traveller boxed sets came out. I didn’t like running modules & was great & coming up with my own campaigns. The locations & ideas often came from pictures I saw. 13 years ago I started a Fantasy campaign that went on for 8 years then the group moved away, including myself. We tried online but it just wasn’t the same. I’ve wanted to turn it into a campaign to sell on DriveThruRPG. Despite knowing the whole story to where we stopped, having detailed maps, etc., the writing of it has alluded me. Likewise, I have sci-fi project that has been floating around for about the same amount of time. One of my NaNo victories was writing the history leading up to the start of my story. That “misstep? engaged my ADHD creature’s World Builder’s Disease. It keeps telling me that I can’t start the story I have planned until I figure out one more thing. Your article has given me renewed hope. I’m going to give time management tools a try. So much of what you said hit home. I work with 2 Dr’s who understand ADHD. I’m considering changing my medication. The other Psy is a sci-fi fan. I once took over the binders, maps, etc. of my work & he is slowly encouraging me to get back to it. After this article, I’m going to. I will have to get the ADder-HaDder, (I made that up), creature to behave. Thx

This sounds very familiar, Chris. I was diagnosed when I was 45 (and have won NaNo twice).

Thanks for this post, Johne! The entire time I read it, I was nodding to myself like, yeah. I’m a writer with ADHD, self-diagnosed, and realizing my “problem” changed my life. I understood why I was so spontaneous, and why I always got so distracted. A great thing about ADHD is that your brain is open to any ideas that come by. It might be chaotic, but creativity is basically harnessed chaos. Once the idea is there, all I have to do is not forget it so I can grow it into a potential story.

The downside to ADHD is that I get SO distracted. I’ve learned to always plug in my earbuds to tone down the auditory distractions. To eliminate visual distractions, aka anything that moves, I write alone in my room. Sometimes, however, being in my room leads to doing other things, like picking up a good book and forgetting I’m supposed to be writing. Then, I take my writing into our school room (my family homeschools, and I recently graduated), where the potential interruptions turns on my determination to fight for my writing time, put in my earbuds, start writing.

Notes must be written down, and/or organized (or not). Whenever an idea comes to my head, I dwell on it more so that I won’t forget. But if it’s a word that I had been searching for, I write it down.

My smartphone is my most important tool, the gateway or portal to tools that help me to capture and work the things that come up on my day.

I have a number of tools that I use so I don’t lose anything, and many of the tools overlap with each other.

For instance, I use Things3 to make daily ToDo lists and then create calendar entries from there in Google Calendar (for work) or Fantastical (for personal things).

I take notes in Apple Notes and tag them so I can quickly find them later.

And so forth.

As an ADHD teenaged writer, I can say that I absolutely loved this article! I’ve never thought that my ADHD was something to be fixed, just something to be used. It means that I often get so sucked into the project I’m working on that my siblings enjoy grabbing my shoulders while I’m in the zone. 🙄 I get so distracted with everything sometimes it’s hard to shift away from things I can hyper focus on. But I can say that all of these tips are things I use and they work!

Thanks, Allie! I’m so pleased this article was of help to you!

Johne and Katie, Thank you both for sharing this. Judging by the list of comments, many other writers struggle with ADHD as well. It’s nice to know we’re not alone. Much like you Johne, when I received my diagnosis, the years of self-hatred and self-loathing instantly evaporated, and felt like I was starting anew. I often think about the phrase “Your weakness is your strength.” Where in the past, I often focused on my “failings”, once diagnosed, I began viewing my neuro-divergent qualities less as a detriment to my writing, and more as a set of tools that I need to learn how to use properly. I tend to lose focus when researching the history and setting of the story I’m working on. Rather than Googling the information and spending all day poring over the multitude of search results, I’ve started using ChatGPT to simply ask it for the information that I need. It delivers a concise summary of the information I need and cuts my research into a fraction of the time I would normally spend. (Chat GPT has been proven to occasionally get things wrong, so one should always fact check any information derived from it.) Thanks again to you both!

Hey, Bret, ChatGPT plays fast-and-loose with fact (referred to as ‘hallucinating’ (short for ‘outright B.S.’) but Perplexity.ai sources all its answers. I rely on both for different things!

Thanks, Johne! I’ll check that out.

Hi Johne, thanks for this, it’s really helpful! I was wondering where you came across the information about John Irving having ADHD? I’m currently writing a paper about books by authors with ADHD and would love to include one of his, but can’t find anything about him having ADHD online. Thanks 🙂

Hi, Katie, I went back and took a look. My research makes it explicit that John Irving had dyslexia but when pressed for examples, it’s looking more and more like his ADHD is implied rather than something he talked about personally. (I use Perplexity.ai for sourced results and all the sources talk about his dyslexia.)

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Helping writers bust through blocks

Top 10 Reasons People with ADHD Make Great Writers

Calling all ADHD writers! It’s time to unlock the writing practice that works with your brain. The ADHD Writers Workshop is a never-before-offered free live event starting Monday, September 28th, 2020. Join the free event here .

Before I realized I had ADHD, I thought this was how everyone functioned.

I thought everyone misplaced their wallet multiple times a day, only to find it in the fridge (!) hours later. I thought everyone forgot what they were saying while they were saying it—not just once in a while, but constantly. I thought that my struggle to get out of bed in the morning was just personal laziness, lack of motivation, and a complete moral failing on my part.

Since I began treatment earlier this year, I realized something that seems obvious now: No, not everyone struggles like us.

But you know what?

Not everyone has our superpowers , either.

While it is true that ADHD creates a lot of obstacles other writers may not have to face with the same severity, I know from personal experience (and ongoing research) that ADHD also offers certain advantages when it comes to writing and creativity.

As a professor and writing consultant, I’ve worked with many ADHD writers , and let me tell you: we’re a pretty awesome bunch.

Here are my top ten reasons people with ADHD make great writers!

1. We can hyperfocus

“Attention deficit” is a real misnomer.

Folks with ADHD don’t necessarily have a lack of attention so much as a difficulty controlling where their attention goes. 

And yes, this can look like being easily distracted— squirrel! —but many ADHDers have the ability to “hyperfocus,” or stay focused on one thing or task for a really long time, especially for stuff we care about.

In this way, writers with ADHD have a bit of an upper hand. Once we get started writing, we can keep going, and going, and going, and going… 

2. We’re super creative

Research has shown that people with ADHD may perform better than their neurotypical counterparts on certain creative tasks. In one study , subjects with ADHD performed better than their non-ADHD peers on 11 different tests of creativity.

Our creative abilities, according to another study , may be related to our high energy, our impulsivity, and our tendency to seek out novelty .

It almost goes without saying, but enhanced creativity spells great things for our writing, especially in terms of developing stories , characters, and worlds that are truly unique.

3. We’re idea-generating machines

One of the prominent aspects of ADHD creativity is the ability to generate lots (and lots! ) of ideas .

As writers, this can include ideas for stories and characters, as well as potential solutions to problems we encounter along the way.

I see this over and over again with the ADHD writers I work with—there is never a shortage of ideas or possibilities. While some of us may still need to work on harnessing those ideas and following them through to the end, we’re not going to run out of new ideas anytime soon.

4. We are naturally curious

ADHDers are curious creatures. Because we seek out novelty, we love learning new things and exploring the possibilities around us.

And thanks to hyperfocus, this curiosity is unrelenting. 

When we want to find something, we won’t stop until we find it. We’re persistent researchers , which is a useful skill for many types of writing—whether that’s establishing accuracy in nonfiction or historical fiction, creating a scientifically-valid sci-fi world, or finding just the right word for a line of poetry.

Our curiosity motivates us to ask more questions, dig into answers, and seek out the best solutions, possibilities, and ideas.

5. We notice things others miss

Folks with ADHD don’t filter sensory input as well as our neurotypical counterparts. But that can actually prove to be an advantage: we tend to notice things others don’t.  

We can find patterns in the chaos. We can draw connections between things that at first seem completely unrelated. We can notice the tiniest details that, to the rest of the world, slip through the cracks.

Being highly observant is a great trait for a writer, working to capture some truth about the world and distill it into language.

6. We work well under pressure

Yeah, ADHD can often mean we leave things to the last minute, but many ADHDers thrive under the pressure of an impending deadline. 

And when you think about it, it makes sense: feeling under pressure can release the same neurotransmitters (e.g. dopamine) supplied by stimulant medications like Adderall and Vyvanse, which are often prescribed for ADHD.

In this way, deadline pressure—and the other pressures that can come with being a writer—may actually fuel our focus.

7. We think outside the box

Combine our ability to generate new ideas with our ability to notice what others don’t, and you get ADHDers’ ability to think way outside the box!

We aren’t afraid to go against the grain . While in the classroom this can be called “defiance” or “Cathy is eager to participate but doesn’t always follow directions,” in the writing world this is called innovation, artistry, inventiveness, and imagination. 

8. We get passionate

Have you ever talked to a fellow ADHDer about their latest obsession? 

Yeah, when we’re into something, we are all the way in. Sometimes to the annoyance of those around us, we couldn’t stop thinking about it (or talking about it) even if we wanted to!

Whatever, naysayers. 

As writers, we become deeply invested in our work. We not only get passionate about the stories, characters, and worlds we’re creating, but we also dedicate ourselves to improving our craft along the way. Being passionate about our writing is a major asset.

9. We’re intuitive and empathetic

The ability to see what others filter out can also extend to emotions.

People with ADHD can be extra-sensitive to emotional cues —we’ll notice, for example, the tiniest signs of distress in our friends’ faces. 

While this can also lead to us fixating on moments of perceived rejection in our personal lives, we can also harness that empathetic intuition for our writing.

When we channel our empathy , we can pour our hearts into the emotional content of our stories and the lives of our characters, creating worlds that our readers feel as deeply as we do.

10. We won’t let anything stop us

Life with ADHD can be tough, but people with ADHD are incredibly resilient . 

Once we set our minds to something, there’s nothing that can hold us back. We can pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and come up with a bunch of new ways (see reason #3) to move forward. 

The writing life is full of rejection , and while that can still hurt, we won’t let it stop us. If someone tells us we can’t do something, folks with ADHD can become even more determined to prove them wrong!

ADHD and proud

As ADHDers, we’re used to people writing us off as lazy, unfocused, unsuccessful.

But the fact is, we can accomplish so many things—not just in spite of our ADHD, but because of it . 

So if you’re reading this and you’re struggling, if you’re tired of hearing all the reasons you can’t, if the critics both inside your head and out in the world are so loud that you can’t help but doubt yourself—I’m here to tell you what I wish someone told me:

Your writing journey may not look like everyone else’s, but that doesn’t make it any less valid. 

And it doesn’t make you any less of a writer—in fact, it may give you superpowers you didn’t even know you had.

And most importantly: you’re not alone.

Are you a writer with ADHD? I’m opening up a brand new Facebook group for ADHD fiction writers , and I’d love to continue this conversation there! This is a place to connect with like-minded writers, get feedback and support, and share the many unique quirks that come with writing while ADHD.

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ADHD and Writing: Challenges and Strategies

Writing with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) poses a challenge to both children and adults living with the disorder. Many with ADHD struggle with dysgraphia , a learning disorder that makes writing difficult on several levels. Problems range from the physical act of writing to organizing essays. After discussing ADHD and creativity in my last post, I wanted to go into more depth about why writing with ADHD can be so hard and what we can do about it.

Writing with ADHD and Dysgraphia

ADHD and writing are often complicated by dysgraphia, a disorder with symptoms such as illegible writing or incomplete words. As a child, I loved to draw. However, whenever art classes graded on the ability to trace, color within the lines, or wield scissors, I fell short. Another nightmarish task required writing essays in pen—without whiteout. Though writing was one of my strong points, I found it virtually impossible to write even a paragraph in pen without making a single mistake.

Thanks to computers, good penmanship no longer has the significance it once did. This is fortunate for the many with ADHD and/or dysgraphia who have bad handwriting . They sometimes struggle with fine motor skills, spatial judgment, and the ability to recall shapes and letters of words on command.

Writing, ADHD, and Working Memory

Poor working memory also plagues many ADHDers and makes it hard to remember specific vocabulary and grammatical rules. Working memory involves storing, prioritizing, and utilizing information; so, even though I have a decent vocabulary, I often struggle to find the right word at the right time.

Problems with working memory also result in disorganized and unfocused writing, for one has to have the ability to prioritize and follow a train of thought in order to clearly communicate with a reader. People with ADHD tend to possess stronger verbal skills, but, even in discussions, we tend to ramble and go off on tangents ( ADHD Challenges: Mind Going Blank? ).

Having an excess of ideas also muddies the planning process. Too much structure can feel limiting and stifling, but too little structure might result in paralysis due to an infinite number of possible writing topics. I spend a lot of time determining what information needs to be left out and what points are of highest priority.

Impulsivity and boredom also hamper many an ADHDer when it comes to writing. Editing and proofreading are essential but sometimes tedious parts of the writing process. When it is finally time to edit, someone with ADHD probably wants to move on to something new. This results in poor attention to detail, which in turn results in careless mistakes and a draft that is never fully polished.

Video with ADHD Writing Strategies

Do not lose hope. People with ADHD have a lot to give when it comes to writing, and there are ways to make it easier. When I started taking my ADHD medication , I was better at organizing information and actually able to complete projects. The right medications can also reduce anxiety and make it easier to get started. In the video below, I talk about other steps you can take to make the process of writing with ADHD easier.

• HealthyPlace. Laurie Dupar. ADHD Challenges: Mind Going Blank?
• ADDitude. Chris Zeigler Dendy. How to Remove Hurdles to Writing for Students with ADHD .
• Advanced Education Services, Las Cruces (New Mexico) Public Schools. Niki Mott. Teaching Writing to Students Who Are Gifted and ADHD .
• Goins, Writer. Ryan McRae. The ADHD Guide to Building a Writing Habit .
• Verywell Mind. Keath Low. Writing Problems Common for Students With ADHD .

APA Reference Matteson, N. (2018, April 17). ADHD and Writing: Challenges and Strategies, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2024, May 28 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/livingwithadultadhd/2018/04/adhd-and-writing-challenges-and-strategies

Author: Noelle Matteson

Find Noelle on Twitter , Facebook  and her blog .

Hi, I to have given up on my masters in Social Policy, the mantra 'if I read your work I have to read everyone elses' I do have a degree in Social Welfare Law and I have a complaint going in. You are right about positive regard and how it is ignored. They fail to follow their own University Policy.

I have given up my masters course because the lecturers do not understand that writing about my structure on my assignment paper is not going to get any better without help. They spout about grey areas but, the Equality Act 2010 is quite clear, looking at 'positive regard'. I wonder if the lecturers are using the grey area as an excuse.

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7 Productivity Hacks for Writers with ADHD

Last Updated on April 20, 2024 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD

Writers with ADHD often face  productivity  challenges thanks to symptoms like  mind-wandering ,  impulsivity , and  hyperfocus . Their  brains  seem to have minds of their own. While their  thoughts  race with creative ideas and insights, organizing these sparks into coherent written work can feel overwhelming.

Though  ADHD  presents real struggles, the right tools and techniques can help harness that energy into writing success. This article covers seven researched tips – leveraging  apps ,  software ,  timers , and simple analog practices – to boost productivity for writers with  attention deficit  and other  learning differences .

Whether you’re working on an  essay , crafting  code , or trying to structure your  to-do list , these ADHD writer  hacks  will tame distractions to drive sustained progress. Let’s get started!

1. Use Body Doubling for Motivation & Focus

Writers with ADHD often feel “ motivation  blindness,” struggling internally to persist despite having a sincere desire to finish writing tasks. Here,  “body doubling”  offers a clever hack…

The key premise: pair up in person or hop on a video call to co-work silently on independent tasks. While no active collaboration occurs, simply having a peer’s quiet presence boosts  productivity  for those with ADHD – “forcing” extra mental focus.

Body doubling leverages ADHD’s hyper-sensitivity to environmental stimuli. Facing another human – even virtually silent – chases away digital distractions. It kickstarts momentum.

“Accountability feels good…We’re pack animals at heart, so it makes sense that working alongside someone would prime our brains to focus,”  explains ADHD coach Eric Tivers on Additude.

So next time you’re staring at a blank page, phone a friend or set up a co-working call. Deploy shared  focus  to unstick yourself. The pressure of an audience works wonders to spark and sustain writing progress.

2. Set Up Strict Blockers & Website Blocking Tools

Digital distractions constantly hijack writers with ADHD – every ping pulls mind-wanders into black holes of browsing. Even anticipating these interruptions stifles creative flow.

Enter website blockers: strict nannies limiting access to trigger sites/apps that tend to hook hyperfocus (a symptom dubbed as “ attention surplus disorder ”). They forcibly fend off time-suckers.

Effective options range from apps like  Freedom  or  FocusMe  for custom blocking schedules to browser extensions like  StayFocusd  (Chrome) and  LeechBlock NG  (Firefox), enabling quick timeout triggers when certain sites are activated (ex, block social media for 1 hour if you open YouTube).

Treat site blockers as sensory earmuffs, constructing  focus tunnels  to enter writing flow.

Apps like  brain.fm  provide ambient soundboards with options ranging from gentle rainstorms to lively cafes that hit the neural sweet spot. They offer subtle auditory nudges acting like muses rather than music distractions.

Or self-curate writing playlists filled with instrumental  focus  tracks. Many video game soundtracks like  Skyrim  or  Zelda  deliver epic yet ambient progression suited for concentration.

Customized audio backdrops boost mood while meeting sensory needs critical for sustained writing stamina. They also drown out random noises that may sporadically sidetrack.

Takeaway: Surround yourself with strength

Mastering productivity with ADHD requires understanding unique neurological needs around stimulation while boldly creating environments that nourish personal powers.

The hacks covered above offer starters – little life design tweaks fine-tuned to writer challenges that yield big results compounding over time.

Keep chasing discoveries and customizing the creative cockpit.

Stay curious and be compassionate to yourself. Your differences are actually secret superpowers in disguise.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can tools like speech recognition software help writers with conditions like dyslexia.

Great question! Writers with learning differences like dyslexia often get tangled up in mechanics instead of ideas. Speech tools empower them to get thoughts flowing freely without worrying about spelling, grammar, etc. Programs like speech recognition software give them a jumpstart by allowing hands-free drafting to capture ideas. Then, they can go back to edit and polish writing later. This saves cognitive load for dyslexic minds juggling multiple challenges. It lets them play to their strengths!

Do productivity hacks for ADHD writers also help obsessive perfectionists prone to writer’s block?

Absolutely! Whether it’s relentless mental critique or endlessly polishing instead of progressing, perfectionism can paralyze writing. Tools like website blockers short-circuit distraction loops while timers keep writers moving forward imperfectly. The key is finishing drafts first before refinements. Speech apps also enable quick vocal brainstorming to bypass initial over-analysis. The aim is to separate generative and editing mindsets. Perfectionists need that structured separation to overcome writing barriers.

How can speech tools help dyslexic children with creative writing assignments?

Speech-to-text software can provide vital support for a dyslexic child facing writing tasks. By allowing them to speak their ideas out loud instead of struggling in frustration to pen ideas down manually it liberates their creativity. These children often have amazingly unique perspectives and insights. Yet spelling hang-ups obstruct translating this into words. Speech tools remove this barrier – helping dyslexic students showcase their true talents through hands-free drafting. Whether it’s an English assignment or group project collaboration, speech recognition gives them an equal platform to participate. Their voices get heard – literally!

Should writers rely solely on built-in automated spell-checkers?

While auto spell-check programs can catch typos on the fly, solely relying on them is risky. They won’t highlight correctly spelled words used incorrectly or other intricate errors. And since spell-checkers lack context, they may auto-replace words, changing the intended meaning. So lean on them lightly during drafts as an assist rather than authority. You should still actively check work later, or use additional tools like Grammarly for deeper checks. We all make mistakes – software included – so the most diligent option is leveraging technology as an aid while retaining a human gut check on writing.

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How to write a novel with ADHD

I’ve seen this question pop up a few times, as well as some answers I don’t agree with.

The main presumption seems to be this: that people with ADD can’t sit still and focus on ONE BIG PROJECT, which puts us at a disadvantage. I’ve seen some authors say this is why they can’t plan or plot, they just have to follow their joy and passion.

I’m actually the opposite (I need to have a plan). Which is why I believe ADHD won’t make you a plotter or a panster by default. I plot heavily; which is mostly getting all the brainstorming down and fitting it into a story so I know where everything goes and what happens (this always changes, but it’s important to have something to start with).

I acknowledge that it feels better, more fun, more satisfying and more magical – and also that my *writing is actually better* when I’m pantsing (discovering details mid-scene as I’m writing, not fully aware of surprises or character choices until they pop into my head).

But I’m also pretty convinced that most people get stuck because they don’t know what happens next; and what happens next is something you only figure out after finishing the previous section – and also that writing without a plan leaves you with a great bundle of scenes without any powerful reason for existing (lacking motivation, purpose, drama and resolution).

I would guess that *some* adhd people love writing and can spit out tens of thousands of words, but then get bored, distracted, unamused, and avoid the work and self-education and persistent effort it would take to wrangle all that junk into an actual book.

This is normal for everyone, but more dangerous for some than others.

You see, normal (neurotypical) people could probably just figure it out, study, polish and improve their book until it’s done. But people with adhd have a superpower when it comes to procrastination: we will NOT do the thing, the more we MUST do the thing (resistance and avoidance becomes almost comically absurd).

We don’t need more energy or focus. So caffeine isn’t going to be enough.

That’s not our problem, it’s the resistance.

Maybe because we’re sensitive. Partially, I think adhd is because life goes too slowly for our minds; so halfway through one urgent task, we’ve already skipped ten thoughts ahead and are so distracted we completely forget about the first thing – leaving projects unfinished.

But it’s also emotional. We will be pulled to the work or pushed away.

The black hole of avoidance

For most people, resistance is a calm patch of shallow water. A puddle. Barely noticeable, an inconvenience at best.

You choose, you go. It costs little to pass.

For others, it’s a deep lake. You start out in one direction but become swallowed up in darkness.

And there’s probably a current.

Anything that doesn’t attract us, repulses us actively – like a magnetic field.

We face heavy, heavy resistance and it’s like swimming upstream.

You know the right direction, you want to do it, but that 10 feet or ten seconds before starting is exhausting. You’re fighting against a force of nature that drains your energy.

This isn’t isn’t just a metaphor; willpower is a scarce resource that can be drained. The more decisions you need to make, the less energy you have. And it’s not the big things, it’s the emotional cost. That’s why we constantly procrastinate or scroll or binge snack, we’re constantly trying to fill our empty gas tank with dopamine and serotonin because we’re burning through it so fast, because we’re not spending it on the work itself, but only the process of trying to get started. It’s not writer’s block; we are wrestling with our demons as a distraction from the blank page.

The decision for some people has no cost. You just decide and do the work. For us, that decision is a constant fight, going on every second for hours, until we finally put our butt in the chair and even after that.

Each second we need to decide to continue doing the task we emotionally do not want to.

Like a baby being put to bed and screaming and kicking NO!

So while you’re writing alone in a nice quiet office, someone with adhd is writing with a screaming kicking baby.

Rewards and punishments

You can try to trick yourself with sticks and carrots, but you’re a smart adult and you’ll see right through that. People with ADHD have executive dysfunction: irrational resistance to responsible behavior. For me, my creative process (always has been) this: I KNOW I can easily get the thing done, so I procrastinate until the deadline. And then when it’s due, I SUPER procrastinate with stress-eating allnighters and rage-caffeine productivity, and when I get it done it’s sloppy, and then I pass out for a week.

Healthy, not quite.

Often better than what *normal* people do cautiously and carefully? I like to think so, but that’s my bias. This is why many “gifted” kids struggle in life, because they’ve gotten away with or even been rewarded by bad behavior (doing things well, without much work or effort, trains you poorly, in terms of things that actually require significant long-term effort).

First of all, it’s worth being said, this is a cognitive disability (or superpower) and it doesn’t mean you’re lazy. There’s nothing at all wrong with seeking help or getting on medication. I don’t love the romanticization of creative genius as necessarily disaster-prone individuals who can’t handle normal responsibilities and suffer for their art. (My point here, is that medication is usually the only and best reliable fix to adhd; and you shouldn’t waste time feeling guilty for not being able to control your behavior when it isn’t your fault at all).

But rewards and punishments can still be motivating.

My kindergarten teacher bribed me with a transformer for the huge effort of not sucking my thumb in class for several months. My dad had to pay me to do chores. And even then, I’d refuse; a 15-minute task would instead become a full day of hiding out and reading books until my dad found me again.

It’s also true that real creativity is always a stepping-out of comfort zones, and it can be scary and stressful, and that avoidance of pain and discomfort is a biological condition of self-preservation. And the more experience you get, the more often you publish, the less scary everything is going to be… which is going to lessen your motivation, because avoidance of pain is the greatest motivator.

People think publishing will get easier, but it does not. The first time you publish, with no experience, you’ll probably be coasting on unearned, naïve enthusiasm. It’s a beautiful, powerful thing, but it will make you reckless. But if you’re writing a book for yourself, there won’t actually be a deadline or accountability.

Most authors protect themselves with bandaids like “I’m not in it for the money” as if they don’t care whether people like their work, or “if only one person reads it I’ll be happy.” This is an emotional comfort, but not great for dealing with procrastination issues. It’s protective at the beginning to write and finish your first book, if you do it for fun or practice, but will encourage you to write the wrong kind of book (one that nobody else enjoys) which is why “the war of art” is popular and also grossly misleading .

Most successful, experienced writers still struggle with this stuff. For me, setting hard external deadlines is one of the only foolproof drivers of productivity – it’s why I still set up preorders even though I’ve failed at them enough to get reprimanded by Amazon multiple times; and why I have 58 days left to write and edit the novel I’m working on, which means 2 months of stress, self-doubt and euphoria whenever I manage to conclude another chapter.

So let me ask you this: what’s on the line for you? How much do you have to lose? How much are you risking? How much will it hurt when you fail? If you aren’t investing much emotional energy into your book, or creating a hard external deadline, or identifying the most likely audience that might not hate it, it’s *possible* you’re making things too easy for yourself, and that’s the reason why you can’t seem to make any meaningful progress.

Exotic historical cures

In the Ink of Melancholy the author describes how ‘cat organs’ were once used on depressed patients – basically, this involved horrific cat torture to force people out of their ennui or boredom. A similar cure was leeches to the anus. Until Sigmeund Freud discovered cocaine in the 1880s, which is similar in effect to ritalin. Rather than getting into a controversial discussion on drug use, I’ll just point out how coffee, sugar and tea were also scandalous when first introduced, as dangerous, mind-altering substances.

But I’ve gotten way off topic, so I’ll sum up here: I don’t believe in sticks or carrots. Those are bribes and punishments to get you to do things you don’t want to do, which will always have limited effect. People with adhd hate using their time to do things they must force themselves to do.

Ritalin works much better, because rather than speeding me up or making me more clever or focused (it does not), it removes that absolute brick wall of avoidance and refusal so I can start doing the work.

Social accountability: I mentioned this softly before, but some authors try to make it easier for themselves to write, by removing any rules or shoulds and trying *just* to have fun with it. This isn’t the worst idea in the world, except that it’s *so much harder* to try and make everything up and guess how to write an engaging novel, without any feedback or system or outline.

It’s a little like taking the ball and going home, playing by yourself, with imaginary friends… you’ll always be the winner. You’ll always have fun. But it isn’t a real game. And a book, or all art in general, can only matter if it is shared and appreciated.

So how does someone with ADHD write a book?

If you’ve read this far, you might be annoyed I haven’t given you a simple checklist to follow, but that’s because the individual steps or details, in my opinion, can differ between authors with adhd: we share the same affliction, but there are multiple processes that can work for individuals. But mostly, we can write books because we’re not emotionally repulsed by the work.

In fact we can focus for hours, going at our own speed and pace, living in our heads and making things up, and it can be amazing. Some parts are harder for sure. But sometimes, when we can focus on what we want (there’s choosing and choosing ) block out the noise or keep our inner child happy (with music, snacks, or breaks between sprints) we can find ourselves getting into the zone, and this is where we truly shine.

I can feel guilty for procrastinating all day and then when I force myself to get started, work for four hours straight; some of my best writing comes at the end of long, sleep-deprived avoidance.

And not all work is the same: I have trouble drafting, and am much more comfortable editing or revising, even though it can be much harder and more time-consuming. Forcing yourself to do some of the work when you don’t feel like it, will always be part of writing a book, even if you don’t have adhd.

Some authors feel like something must have gone wrong.

It isn’t supposed to be like this.

It isn’t supposed to be this hard.

Yes, it is.

It’s always been this hard.

So recognize, first, that writing a book is going to be the hardest (and most satisfying) thing you’ve ever done, and be OK with feeling awful about yourself and your abilities most of the time. But THEN:

Have a clear plan and purpose.

Simple tips to boost productivity

I have lots of guides and resources on how to write a book, but here’s a very simple checklist or step-by-step process for hopeful authors.

• Start with an outline. I recommend my 24-chapter plotting template .
• Remove the fear. There are two types of creative fear . It’s good to be aware of them, so you can acknowledge and dismiss them.
• Consistent effort. Habits take time to form; practice adding 500 day for as many days in a row as you can. It will probably take months, and it might all be bad.
• Timed sprints. Set a 20 minute timer. I use the iawriter app on an iphone for word count sprints and then move it into my Word document/outline. Do this with author friends if you can; and possible in a unique space that isn’t your main desktop.
• Reward yourself. I don’t have the self-control to do this yet, but I like the idea of saving pleasurable things you’d do anyway until after you’ve done your words (like only eating sugar while you’re writing).
• Stimulants are great. But they differ. Coffee and tea can work but also cause side effects. Nicotine for example stimulates your nervous system but also has a relaxing vibe that can make you less clear-minded. If you have adhd, getting on the right medication can significantly help (personally I don’t love ritalin as a solution; modafinil feels so much better – but ritalin is common and in low-doses can allow me to do some work instead of none at all). But for many people, this could also mean eating right, exercise, more water, more sleep, maintaining a consistent schedule, or anything that gives you more energy and staying power.
• Revision plan. Most people get stuck after the first draft, because they didn’t have a plan or use a template. You can fix a manuscript with my outlining template, or use my list of common writing mistakes to self-edit your own book.
• Shorten the feedback loop. It’s very difficult to get real feedback on your writing, but the quickest way is to put it out there and see how it goes. You want responses from actual readers who don’t know you and aren’t afraid to be honest. Most likely, you’ll mostly get silence, but lack of sales will probably spur you to invest in improving your writing with study and practice.
• Social accountability. I’ve noticed, the last few years have been particularly hard, because I haven’t been going to events. Usually, I’ll want to finish a new project to talk about before meeting all my writer friends. I just now am considering (finally!) going to some events in Spain and Italy this summer, after 2 years of no travel. Immediately, I’m feeling a huge productivity boost, because now I have a timeline and a deadline. I need to get more done, to deserve/enjoy/make use of this opportunity. It also helps to give me something tangible and positive to look forward to (without any positive benefits of your work, it’s hard to stay motivated. Of course – higher profit can be a goal, but is difficult to achieve in reality, with your first few books.

So that’s it!

Not only is it very possible, I might even argue it can be easier for people with adhd to write novels; we’re pretty good at living in our imagination and creativity. Or maybe, I should add, it’s easier for us to write *better* novels even if it feels like much more work for us. Or possibly that this turmoil and struggle of the creative process is normal for nearly all people (although, I think adhd is a real thing and not as rampant and common as it seems to be right now).

At any rate, concentration and focus for an ambitious, long-term, personal project that has no tangible rewards, costs a lot of time, energy and focus, and has no deadlines or external consequences attached to it… it’s no wonder people struggle with motivation and procrastination here.

But it’s important to recognize that this doesn’t need to be quelled or fixed, only tamed. It doesn’t go away, and it will always be present as part of the natural creative process. You can and should use any and all tools at your disposal to make the resistance more manageable, just don’t feel guilty you can’t always be at the top of your game (being at the top of your game REQUIRES equal periods of rest and sloth to recharge – make sure you schedule them). Read more:   ADHD Statistics Page  

The 3 secrets to book marketing, and a haunted castle tour.

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I’m a philosophy dropout with a PhD in Literature. I covet a cabin full of cats, where I can write fantasy novels to pay for my cake addiction. Sometimes I live in castles.

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Too often, students with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) get labeled as "problem students." They often get shuffled into special education programs even if they show no signs of developmental disability. Though these students' brains do work differently, studies prove that it doesn't preclude them from being highly intelligent. That means teachers should pay special attention to help students with ADHD discover their potential and deal with the challenges they face in their learning process.

As essay writing is both the most common and the most complicated assignment for students, writing instruction for students with ADHD requires special efforts. Each step of writing process may present certain difficulties for these young people. Here are some practical solutions for teachers to encourage, motivate, and focus their students on writing process.

1. Difficulty Concentrating on Assignment

Research proves that ADHD doesn’t result in less intelligence, but rather in difficulties controlling emotions, staying motivated, and organizing the thoughts. So a teacher's first task is teaching students focus enough on a writing assignment.

Solution: Give clear, concise instructions.

When assigning an essay or other writing project, be specific and clear about what you expect. Don't leave a lot of room for interpretation. Instead of the assignment "Write about a joyous moment," include instructions in your writing prompt, such as:

• Think about the last time you felt happy and joyful.
• Describe the reasons for your happiness.
• What exactly made you feel joy?
• What can that feeling be compared to?

Make sure every student knows that he or she should come to you directly with any questions. Plan to take extra time reviewing the instructions with students one to one, writing down short instructions along the way.

2. Difficulty Organizing Thoughts on Paper

Several studies have found that students with ADHD struggle with organizing their thoughts and mental recall. These students can often speak well and explain their thoughts orally, but not in writing.

Solution: Get them organized from the start.

Start each project with a simple note system. Give students the freedom to take their own notes and review them together if possible. Have students pay special attention to filing these notes in a large binder, folder, or other method for making storage and retrieval simple.

To help students understand how to organize their written thoughts, teach them mind mapping . A semantic mind map for an essay may include major nouns, verbs, and adjectives, as well as phrases to use in writing each paragraph. Some introductory and transition sentences will also come in handy. Another step after mind mapping is advanced outlining . Begin and end the initial outline with the words "Intro" and "Conclusion" as placeholders. Then have students expand that outline on their own.

3. Difficulty With Sustained Work on a Single Task

ADHD can make it difficult for students to focus on long-term goals, leading to poor attention and concentration when the task requires work for an extended period of time.

Solution: Create small, manageable milestones.

Since accomplishing a five-page essay takes a lot of time, you can chop it into smaller, easier-to-manage pieces that can be worked on in rotation. Each piece may be checked separately if time allows. Treating every issue and section as an independent task will prevent students from feeling overwhelmed as they work toward a larger goal.

4. Difficulty in Meeting Deadlines

Deadlines are the things that discourage students with ADHD, as they work on assignments more slowly than their classmates, are often distracted, and tend to procrastinate.

Solution: Allow for procrastination.

It may sound ridiculous, but build procrastination into the writing process by breaking up the work and allowing for extra research, brainstorming, and other activities which diversify students' work while still focusing on the end result.

5. Spelling Issues

Students with ADHD often have difficulties with writing, especially in terms of spelling. The most common issues are reversing or omitting letters, words, or phrases. Students may spell the same word differently within the same essay. That's why lots of attention should be paid to spelling.

Solution: Encourage spell checkers, dictionaries, and thesaurus.

There are plenty of writing apps and tools available to check spelling and grammar. As a teacher, you can introduce several apps and let students choose which ones work better for writing essays. When checking the submitted papers and grading the work, highlight the spelling mistakes so that students can pay special attention to the misspelled words and remember the correct variant.

6. Final Editing Issues

Students with ADHD may experience problems during the final editing of their work since, by this time, they will have read and reviewed it several times and may not be paying attention to mistakes.

Solution: Teach them to review their writing step by step.

Take an essay template as an example and show students how to revise it. Go through the editing process slowly, explaining the "why" behind certain changes, especially when it comes to grammatical issues. Assign students the task of revising each other's essays so that when they revise their own final draft, they'll know what to pay attention to and what common mistakes to look for.

Addressing the challenges unique to students with ADHD will help these students find ways to handle their condition effectively and even use it to their advantage. Their unique perspective can be channeled into creative writing, finding new solutions to problems, and most of all, finding, reaching, and even exceeding their goals and fulfilling their full potential.

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Crafting Words with Focus: Writing Strategies and Tips for Adults with ADHD

Navigating the writing process can be uniquely challenging for adults with ADHD. Maintaining focus and managing creative flow without getting overwhelmed requires specific strategies. Drawing on insights from renowned writers and personal experiences, this guide offers effective methods to enhance your writing practice.

I know every ADHD brain is differe…

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Understanding Writers with an ADHD Brain

by Jackson Dickert

You want to write a book. No problem, right? For some people, sure, but even the simplest tasks are more nuanced when it comes to people with ADHD brains. I’m Jackson, a soon-to-be college graduate. I was diagnosed with ADD as a kid, but a few years back the American Psychiatric Association morphed ADD and ADHD into one diagnosis. Now ADHD is a spectrum.

That being said, ADHD brains are not all the same, so my experience might not be the same as yours even if I share a diagnosis with yourself or someone you know. If you aren’t part of the club, then read on for a peek into how I manage my train wreck of a headspace as a writer.

Superpowers

Let’s jump right into the stereotypes. I saw Limitless when it first came out a few years back, as well as the Netflix series. I know NZT, the pill that makes you a super-genius, is based on Adderall and similar medicines generally used to treat ADHD. It always shocked me to hear classmates bragging about popping Adderall to cram for exams because it helped them stay up all night. They talked about ADHD and the medicine like it’s a superpower. I wish ADHD was a superpower.

Sure, some of it doesn’t sound so bad, especially if you’re a writer. Superman’s powerset includes heat vision, super strength, flying… Let’s take a look at my “powerset”:

Hyperfocus : The ability to concentrate wholly on one task and grind on it until completion.

Creativity : My brain is a constant stream of unorganized thoughts. Sometimes, two thoughts mesh together the right way and I think of a unique idea no one else does. Problem-solving is a facet of creativity ADHD brains also tend to thrive at since it’s all about concocting many solutions and choosing the best one for the situation.

Perseverance : If I’m interested in something, I will bundle this power with Hyperfocus to learn everything I can about it and work at it until I’m “Jackson The All-Knowing Great and Powerful For Random Niche Subjects.”

Keen Observation : In the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, most of the kids at Camp Half-Blood have ADHD. They see it as an advantage since it’s easier to stay alive on a battlefield when your attention is constantly shifting to make you ever-aware of your surroundings.

With the above superpowers I’m shaping up to be a formidable foe. But even Superman is affected by Kryptonite, let’s take a look at some of my weaknesses:

Delayed Task Initiation : Alright. Sitting down at my desk. Time to get to work. After I watch a YouTube video. Well, now I’m hungry. I’ll get a snack. Okay, done. What was I doing again? Right, this task. First I’ll check Twitter… If you don’t have strategies in place to help you get started, this can go on for hours at a time. It’s frustrating. I usually know I’m doing it, but it’s a mental block against starting.

Short Term Memory : Some of you might be thinking: Strange. I’ve never heard of this facet of ADHD. Even people with ADHD aren’t always informed how far their symptoms extend. A study published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology by S. Dovis, s. Van der Oord, R. W. Wiers, and P. J. Prins asserts that “in children with ADHD visuospatial working memory is most impaired.” According to the study, these cognitive deficits yield motivational deficits that serve as a positive feedback loop to further impair working memory. (So, the worse you perform, the worse your motivation becomes, the worse your working memory becomes, the worse you perform, etc…)

Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) : “But I thought ADHD just meant you had too much energy!” Sometimes. But ADHD has far-reaching effects that seep into emotional regulation. William W. Dodson, MD said this in Emotional Regulation and Rejection Sensitivity for Attention magazine, “RSD is an extreme emotional sensitivity and emotional pain triggered by the perception of imagination by the person with ADHD that they have: been rejected, been teased, been criticized, disappointed important people in their lives…” He goes on to say that most people with RSD try to cope by becoming people pleasers or give up on trying anything unless success is assured to avoid the intense emotions that accompany their failure.

Medicine : A common ADHD treatment is prescribing stimulants. Stimulants generally hype a person up (like a nine-year-old who drank too many sodas). Stimulants tend to have an opposite effect on ADHD brains and slow them down instead. While it personally helps me focus and stay task-oriented, it comes with a massive list of common side effects like: muted personality, loss of appetite (which leads to not eating enough and feeling tired, weak, or getting headaches), dry mouth, nausea, anxiety, upset stomach, and more… Note: This is not a comprehensive list of ADHD symptoms, but rather a subset I thought was especially relevant to writers.

Starting Out

Okay, so you’ve got a better idea about the ADHD brain, but how can someone like me overcome these weaknesses and finish that manuscript? Having the right tools is important. The first thing to keep in mind is that ADHD brains are often drawn to the most engaging thing in the room. Whether it be your phone, laptop, a game, other people… Figure out whatever those things are and remove them from your environment. This doesn’t just mean physically. After all, I do my writing on my laptop. There are all kinds of writing software to help you stay focused when you write that are more practical than getting your friends to unplug the router and hide the cables.

FocusWriter : A free, full-screen word processor without distracting tools at the top. It’ll help you focus by immersing yourself and removing temptations from easy access. It also comes with timers, alarms, daily goals you can set, and optional spell-checking.

Cold Turkey Writer : This one is a little more hardcore. It blocks everything on your computer until you meet your writing goal, a fantastic option for those who need to force themselves to focus.

Keep Writing or it Disappears Apps : There’s an abundance of writing apps for the most hardcore writers who need that sense of urgency to stay on target . Apps like Flowstate, The Most Dangerous Writing App, and Sadistic Writing App will delete your work if you stop typing for too long… Yikes, not the right option for me, but I understand the usefulness!

Let’s be honest. Most writers need a deadline anyway. But ADHD writers double need a deadline. Anxiety gets a bad rap. Sure, too much is debilitating. But everyone needs a little bit of anxiety to give ourselves a sense of urgency to complete the work that needs to get done. That’s where a deadline can help.

If you’re an ADHD writer, give yourself a firm deadline and tell the world about it. Go on Twitter and announce you’re going to finish your book by x date. Promise yourself you can get that new game if you can knock out enough words in a week and publicize your goal in ways that will keep you accountable. A deadline can create a sense of urgency, but if you’re trying to hold yourself accountable, chances are you’ll cheat from time to time. If you can artificially create deadlines and make promises to your friends, you can leverage that fear of letting others down and use it to propel yourself forward.

Organization

Remember how ADHD brains don’t have the best visuospatial working memory? That’s one of the key places writing software can help. The biggest lie I tell myself is: I don’t need to write that down; I’ll remember it later.

Once I started using writing software to keep track of all the details, I found myself spending more time writing and less time wracking my brain trying to remember details I promised myself I wouldn’t forget. Even though I’m a pantser, once I began using writing software to keep a story bible, I started writing faster and the entire process felt smoother since it was easier to stay focused. (If you don’t know what a pantser is, check out Campfire Technology’s blog post on the different types of writers .)

In general, writing software is intuitive, engaging, and stimulating due to its visual nature. The more ways I can view something (through visuals and through text), the easier it’ll be to remember the information. Additionally, it’s harder to get distracted by the internet, games, or your phone when using writing software than it is when you’re trying to concentrate on a blank word document. Although, it’s easy to tunnel vision on worldbuilding in writing software. The biggest pitfall to avoid here is spending too much time putting details into your world. I recommend setting a timer to help you gauge when enough is enough and it’s time to write.

How can I help an ADHD writer I know?

There’s a fantastic channel on YouTube called “ How to ADHD ” and it’s chock-full of videos with tips for living with ADHD. McCabe does an excellent job of supplying resources as well as crediting her videos with where she finds her information so you can rest assured they’re reliable.

One of her videos, “ How to Help Someone who has ADHD ,” is perfect for anyone trying to learn more about ADHD. At the beginning of the video she goes over some symptoms I didn’t cover above, so I highly recommend watching the whole thing. In case you don’t have time to watch, here are two of my favorite tips from her video:

Touch : When I get invested in something, I am full-on tunnel-visioned in on it. Someone will be talking and I won’t hear them, that’s how focused I get. Use a touch on the shoulder to ease an ADHD writer out of “the zone” if you need something from them, or if they haven’t eaten a meal yet that day. (Because that’s kind of something we do. Oops.)

Distractions : If we’re having a hard time staying focused on a conversation, it might be because our brain is drifting off to think about the manuscript. Hand us something to mess with or go for a walk to help us stay grounded in the conversation.

She doesn’t cover rejection sensitive dysphoria in this video, so here are my two cents: RSD is especially tough as a writer since all writers are bound to receive an abundance of rejection letters across their careers. I’ve found the best way to cope with this is by getting ahead of the game by setting reasonable expectations before even sending out those query letters. Most writers want to be the next bestseller. It’s okay to want that and work for it, but is it realistic for your first manuscript?

Hopefully this blog post has helped you learn a little more about yourself as someone with ADHD or about others with differently-wired brains. This post comes from Campfire Technology, so if you enjoyed it, be sure to check out our blog , we have new posts going up every Monday. Also be sure to check out our Discord channel where you can ask questions or just hang out with other writers!

Jackson Dickert is a senior at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is pursuing a degree in Kinesiology with a minor in Creative Writing. He likes to read, play games, and spend time with friends. Find him on Twitter @SwagXMcNasty .

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ADHD writing tips: discover how to become a productive writer

• 14 mins read
• March 10, 2021
• ADHD , author , coaching , musings , neurodiverse , new writers , obstacles , planning , writer , Writer-self , writing , your writer-self

In my work as an ADHD writing coach, I’ve been able to share many tips and tricks about writing with ADHD with my clients over the years. So in this post, I thought I’d share with you my 5 favorite ADHD writing tips, to help you improve your writing skills and get better at writing your books, articles and essays. 

I often meet clients who have received their diagnosis only recently. These authors have the creativity and enthusiasm required to write a great book, article, or essay. But until now, they’ve never managed to turn their dreams into reality. And in light of their diagnosis, they wonder: now that I know what’s been holding me back, can I fix it? Can I finally be the successful author I’ve wanted to be? And the answer is: “yes, but not without some ADHD writing help.” In this post, I show you some ADHD writing tips that I teach them to get better at writing with ADHD. 

ADHD writing tips — Table of Contents:

Confession: in true ADHD fashion, I went a little bit overboard in writing this post and it has turned into a very long article. So if you want to follow your ADHD impulses and jump ahead, I won’t feel hurt. Here’s a Table of Contents. 

Having ADHD is like needing glasses

• How does that help?

Different writing sprint techniques

Keep experimenting (with all these adhd writing tips).

• Master your types of focus

The lies to tell yourself

10 seconds at a time, 10-minute rule for reducing adhd writing anxiety, final thoughts on adhd writing tips, get adhd writing help, add or adhd: which is it.

A quick note on terminology: I’ll be using the word ADHD to also mean ADD, throughout this post, my website, and my business. When I was first diagnosed, they told me I had ADD, but since then the term has fallen out of fashion. Instead, they have put it under the ADHD label, which contains three subtypes: inattentive (formerly ADD), hyperactive, and combined. If you’re interested, you can read more in this ADDitude article . 

1. Accept that writing with ADHD is harder

Let’s start at the very beginning. Before you try any other ADHD writing tips from this post, it’s important to acknowledge that writing with ADHD is harder than it is for neurotypicals. And that can be hard to accept! The tricky thing about writing with ADHD is that many of our symptoms are challenges that all artists seem to struggle with. That can make it hard to understand how ADHD affects writing, and to find the ADHD writing help you need.

But I’m here to tell you: if you do have ADHD, some things about the writing process are definitely harder for you than for most. We tend to experience more ADHD writing anxiety, have trouble taking control of our focus, and are generally bad at time management. (If you want to read more about ADHD challenges specific to PhD candidates, check out this blog post .)

So here’s one mindset shift that has helped me and my ADHD writer clients in the past. 

One comparison I often find helpful is that of someone who wears glasses. Every single person on earth has a hard time seeing things up too close or at a long distance. But some people have a harder time than others. Their eyes simply work differently. That doesn’t mean they can’t get their eyes to work the same way others do. They just need tools to do that: glasses. 

The same is true for writing with ADHD. Every single writer on earth will struggle with things like focus, procrastination (I actually wrote a blog post about that ), sticking to schedules, and meeting deadlines. But for an ADHD writer, it requires even more effort. We certainly can do it, but need some extra tools, some ADHD writing help. ADHDers can definitely be good writers (many of us are!). We just need glasses. 

How do these writing tips help?

Now, you can spend your time wishing you didn’t need these ADHD writing tips and tools. You can compare yourself to neurotypical writers and get frustrated for not being like them. At times, people with glasses will similarly wish they didn’t need them. (Especially when their glasses fog up.) 

But the fact is: this is how your brain works. And though it may be frustrating and depressing at times, and increase your ADHD writing anxiety, there is hope. There are tools that can help. but they can only help you once you’ve accepted that you need your glasses.

When you accept that ADHD affects your writing, you can start learning how ADHD affects writing skills. When you know how ADHD makes it hard to write, you can start finding solutions to make writing with ADHD easier… and of course ADHD writing tips in blog posts such as these. 

Or maybe what you really need is some additional ADHD writing help? Then it’s lucky you found the blog of an ADHD writing coach! Just click the following button to schedule a free 1-hour intake meeting with me, and we’ll discuss together how I can best help you achieve your goals and dreams. 

2. Master your attention span

Now that you know you are an ADHD writer, it’s time to get to know yourself anew. In an earlier blogpost, I talked about the importance of getting to know your writer-self. And this is even more important when you are writing with ADHD. And the first thing you need to learn is how to master your attention span: the second of my ADHD writing tips.

People’s concentration spans are different. 

• There are people who thrive when they focus for one hour at a time, separated by breaks. 
• Then, there’s the 45/15 method: focus for 45 minutes, do something physical for 15. 
• There’s the 30/30 schedule, which allows you to run a household in your writing breaks. 
• And, of course, there’s the famous Pomodoro technique. 

Now, the only way to figure out what works for you is to experiment. I’ve learned about myself, for example, that Pomodoro doesn’t work for me: after 25 minutes, I’ve JUST begun to get into my task. So its 25-minute time blocks give me more frustration than anything else. But you can only figure that out by trying. Here’s how you do that.

When to take a break

Attention spans kind of follow the hyperbola shape you can see in the Instagram post I included below. (Oh, if you don’t follow me yet on this platform: do it now! Every day, I share more ADHD writing help on there.)

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Susanne - ADHD writing coach (@passionatewritercoaching)

When you first start writing, your focus is low: you have to “get in the flow” first. Once you get in the flow, your focus levels climb fast. But at some point, you get tired and your attention drops again. And the only way to reset this whole process is to take a break. 

Knowing this, it’s easy to see that it matters at what point in time you take your break. Do it too early, and you miss some of that precious focus-time. Do it too late and you keep pushing yourself to work even though you are not going to be productive anymore anyway. A well-timed break allows you to spend most of your writing time when you have the most focus and attention available to you. 

And that’s why mastering your attention span had to be the second of my ADHD writing tips!

And here’s the tricky thing for ADHD writers: something that works for you one week may not work the next. Though you need the structure, after a while it will start to annoy you. You’ll get mad at your timer. You’ll start feeling resentment toward your schedule. Or you’ll just forget about your systems altogether.

And that is when you need to start the whole process all over again!

Writing with ADHD is a process of learning and unlearning. It’s constant experimentation, forgetting, and re-finding. And that is a lot of effort to put in! But when you do, you can start working with your brain instead of against it. And that will definitely make you a better, more productive, and happier ADHD writer. 

3. Master your Types of focus

And that takes us to the third of my ADHD writing tips: Master your types of focus! 

Intense focus, especially hyperfocus, costs a tremendous amount of energy. It will exhaust you. If you spend an entire day hyperfocusing on a specific project, chances are that the next day you can’t access the singular focus you might require to write.

But what I’ve learned is that a scattered, easily distracted brain (usually the result of being tired) is actually brilliant for doing research! You might also find that this mindset is great for brainstorming. Or for doing marketing. So: when you learn what mindset you need for which tasks related to the project, this can relieve a lot of your stress and frustration. 

You might wake up in a mood and with a type of focus that’s perfect for editing but not so much for writing. Now, you can try to force yourself to write anyway, but this will only make you feel angry with yourself. And that means in turn that you won’t be able to write anything of the quality that you envision. You’ll be in for a day full of anger, ADHD writing anxiety and frustration and end up with nothing to show for it.

But if you recognize your mindset and type of focus for what they are, and are able to discern what category of tasks you are good at when your brain works the way it does today, you can do the thing today’s brain will be good at. Writing with ADHD gets better when you accept where you are at, and embrace the way your brain works. So, by all means: edit one of your finished chapters. You can write a new one tomorrow. 

4. Lie about your deadines

I can hear some of you laugh (or cry) in my head right now. “Yes, that all sounds great, Susanne,” you might think, “but I’m close to a deadline. I can’t afford to spend time doing marketing when I have to deliver the goods.” And know what? I get it. And the only solution to the deadline problem I have found so far, is to straight-up lie to yourself. Which is the fourth of my ADHD writing tips.

With all my talk about respecting the way your brain works, accepting it, and learning to work WITH it, this might surprise you. But the fact is that deadlines are like cocaine. They motivate you, they help you push yourself, they give you energy and focus. And they only work for a very short time. So why not use that in your favor?

When I was in high school, I would consistently hand in my assignments 14 days late. I wouldn’t be able to work on the project until the day of the deadline. And then my guilt would start to build… and build… and I would finally be able to get to work. And then I realized that I’m incredibly scatterbrained. I’ll believe anything as long as it’s in my planner. So I started to lie to myself about deadlines. Whenever I had one, I’d put it in my planner 14 days early. And with my 14-days-late habit, that meant my work was done the day I had to hand it in. Pretty neat trick, uh? This is one of my favorite ADHD writing tips.

5. Make it small and manageable

In the fourth of the ADHD writing tips, “lie about your deadlines” part, I know it seemed unlikely that I’d forget that I ALWAYS move up the deadline 14 days. But the thing is, I break this one big (fake) deadline down into smaller ones. And smaller ones. And smaller ones.

And yes, by the end I have no way of knowing how ignoring one deadline will affect the overall plan. So I’d better stick to it!

All of these small deadlines I put down in my planner. And I will miss some of them, because of a lack of energy, a lack of focus, or ADHD writing anxiety. Others fall in weeks where I’m all-writing all the time and I’ll start early on the next deadline. Oh, the joys of writing with ADHD!

These small deadlines help me keep momentum: instead of using an entire bag of cocaine, I just take it one sniff at a time. And it makes the lie mentioned before a lot more convincing: I don’t even focus on that final fake deadline anymore. All I need to do is turn the crank for 10 seconds. 

Now, one reason why it’s so hard for us to get to work on a big project is that we get overwhelmed. When you write a book, there are so many elements involved! How on earth will you do it? What if you fail? What if you succeed and have to do more of it? And the project gets bigger and bigger in your head until you experience something called  executive dysfunction . You freeze and are simply incapable of working on the thing. 

The only way around this is to break it down. Kimmy Schmidt actually explained this way better than I ever could:

It’s funny, right, to find ADHD writing help in such a silly comedy show.  But it’s true: everything becomes manageable if you just focus on the tiny first step. 

You might not feel capable of writing an entire book, getting it published, marketing it and live the “successful author” lifestyle. But right now, you don’t have to. All you need to do is pick one of your million projects to work on first. Or all you need to do is write the introduction. Or not even that: just write a page. Rather than focusing on having to turn the mystery crank for hours, all you need to do is bear it for 10 seconds. And then the new 10 seconds start. And as we ADHD writers people love starting things, this is a double bonus.

Now, Kimmy’s ten seconds are great for turning a crank, but don’t help much when you’re in the middle of writing with ADHD. What can help, however, is to use the 10-minute rule. And this is especially useful when it comes to ADHD writing anxiety. 

If a task gives you stress and anxiety, tell yourself: “I only have to do this for 10 minutes.” Usually, 10 minutes is enough to get into the writing flow again. (Remember the  graph  in the second of the ADHD writing tips?) If it doesn’t, accept that this is not the right time to work on this. You were amazing for even starting on something that gave you ADHD writing anxiety. You made a little bit of progress, and that’s enough for now. Try again tomorrow. 

As an ADHD writer you’ll have challenges that neurotypicals don’t experience in the same way. It sucks, it can be frustrating and sometimes you’ll wish that your brain worked the same way as all those people who’ve been telling you you just need to try harder.

But the fact that you experience these challenges does not mean you can’t accomplish your dreams: your brain just needs glasses. 

Using the above ADHD writing tips, you can learn how to make your brain work for you. And then, writing with ADHD does not have to be the painful, frustrating, angering, and depressing task it has been. 

Have you tried to use the ADHD writing help provided by the tools and tips above, but you’re still struggling? That’s okay! This is something an ADD/ADHD writing coach can help with.

Just use the scheduling tool below to book a free one-hour appointment straight into my calendar. Together, we can work on figuring this “writing with ADHD” thing out for you, develop your writing skills, reduce your ADHD writing anxiety, and finally finish that essay, novel, or article you’ve been meaning to. 

More of my musings posts

Famous authors with ADHD: learning from historical celebrities

Celebrating Successes: how to boost self-esteem and motivation

ADHD theming for your schedule: how to get productive!

My name is Susanne and ever since I taught myself to read at age 4 I have had a passion for the written word. Over the last five years, I have developed a set of systems to help myself and others be productive and make work of our writing passion. Whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, I’m here to help! Check out the  about me  page to read more.

Testimonials

Susanne may well be your secret weapon – highly recommend giving it a go.

The barrier to coaching for me was the cost. I didn’t doubt the value it would add, but as writers, we are fortunate if we make even enough to get by, so I was hesitant. But I can’t recommend it enough. First and foremost, the sense of having invested in me and helping my process… Read more “Susanne may well be your secret weapon – Highly recommend giving it a go!”

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March 5, 2019

The Creativity of ADHD

More insights on a positive side of a “disorder”

By Holly White

Getty Images

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is typically described by the problems it presents. It is known as a neurological disorder, marked by distractibility, impulsivity and hyperactivity, which begins in childhood and persists in adults. And, indeed, ADHD may have negative consequences for academic achievement, employment performance and social relationships.

But ADHD may also bring with it an advantage: the ability to think more creatively. Three aspects of creative cognition are divergent thinking , conceptual expansion and overcoming knowledge constraints . Divergent thinking, or the ability to think of many ideas from a single starting point, is a critical part of creative thinking. Previous research has established that individuals with ADHD are exceptionally good at divergent thinking tasks, such as inventing creative new uses for everyday objects, and brainstorming new features for an innovative cell phone device. In a new study , college students with ADHD scored higher than non-ADHD peers on two tasks that tapped conceptual expansion and the ability to overcome knowledge constraints. Together with previous research, these new findings link ADHD to all three elements of the creative cognition trio.

Prior knowledge can be an obstacle to creativity. When we look to a prior model or example for inspiration, we may actually become stuck: designers refer to this as “ fixation .” In creative generation research , when participants are given examples before a task that requires them to invent something new, such as a new toy, their inventions tend to incorporate aspects of the examples—and thus are less novel. The ability to overcome recently presented information is therefore essential to creative thinking.

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Similarly, knowledge of the world can stunt one’s ability to imagine it differently. For instance, if asked to invent an animal or fruit that might exist on another planet, most people would start by thinking of a typical animal or fruit on Earth and then modify it somewhat into an “alien” version. Research suggests that when people invent alien creations based on specific Earth examples, the creations are rated as less original compared to those not inspired by specific examples. The key to being creative under these conditions is conceptual expansion, or the ability to loosen the boundaries of concepts. For instance, a paperclip is designed to hold papers together. By conceptual expansion, one might think beyond this definition and imagine a paperclip as something else—such as a tool to pry open the battery compartment of a wristwatch. In creating an alien animal, one might assume that the animal would need to be bilaterally symmetrical, as most Earth animals possess this attribute. Conceptual expansion might allow one to imagine an animal with an asymmetrical form, which differs from a typical Earth animal.

Evidence suggests that ADHD may offer some protection from the constraining effects of knowledge. In a study of adolescents, a group with ADHD was compared to a group of non-ADHD peers on a toy invention task. Participants were first shown a set of example toys that shared specific features (e.g., a ball), then asked to invent new toys that were very different from any existing toys. The toys invented by the ADHD group included fewer elements of the task examples compared to toys created by the non-ADHD group. In the same study, there were no differences between the ADHD and non-ADHD groups on a conceptual expansion task. However, a study of college students found that, compared to non-ADHD peers, ADHD students showed a broader scope of semantic activation—which is the “turning on” of concepts and ideas that are stored in memory—and is correlated with conceptual expansion in other research . Given evidence that linked ADHD to higher divergent thinking and ability to overcome the constraining effect of task examples, it seemed intuitive to look more closely at the relationship between ADHD and the third element of creative thinking, conceptual expansion.

I compared college students with and without ADHD on two tasks. In the first, I told participants to imagine they worked for an advertising agency and that they’d been asked to invent names for new products in three categories (pasta, nuclear elements, and pain relievers). For each category, six examples were provided that shared certain endings (e.g., pain relievers ending in –ol, such as Midol, Tylenol, and Panadol). I then instructed participants to invent a name for a new product in each category without using any aspects of the examples provided. And then, to explore conceptual expansion, I asked participants to draw and describe a fruit that might exist on another planet very different from Earth. The creations were to be as creative as possible and not duplicate any fruit that existed on Earth.

As expected, the ADHD students were less constrained by task examples on the product label invention task; compared to non-ADHD peers, ADHD students were less likely to include the example endings, yet invented labels that were equally descriptive of the product category. On the alien fruit task, the ADHD students invented fruits that were rated as more original and less representative of Earth fruit, compared to non-ADHD students. And while the groups were comparable in their inclusion of typical fruit features, such as seeds and stems, the ADHD students were more likely to include atypical features such as antenna, tongues, straws, and hammers. The ADHD students also demonstrated higher conceptual expansion by violating conventional boundaries of the fruit category—for instance by making the fruit poisonous or adding properties of nonliving things such as tools. Similar results have been reported for gifted individuals in a non-ADHD population.

At first glance, nonconformity and conceptual expansion may not sound very impressive. But, in the context of creative innovation, a small change may unlock a breakthrough. Take the sewing needle, for example. The basic design (eye on the blunt end for threading) dates back to our Denosoyan ancestors , at least 50,000 years ago. Then, in the early 1800s, inventor Balthasar Krems flipped that design upside-down to create the world’s first eye-pointed needle —which paved the way for the sewing machine.

ADHD may create difficulties for individuals in many contexts that required focused, sustained attention—such as school, where students are expected to sit still and pay attention. On the other hand, the same distractibility and chaotic mind can give people with ADHD an edge when it comes to creative, original thinking. This new study suggests that ADHD may be especially beneficial when the goal is to create or invent something new without being locked into—and constrained by—old models or conventions. The innovative, original thinking style of people with ADHD may be a great fit for innovative fields where it’s an advantage to be on the cutting edge.

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Home » Education and Classroom » 7 Tips for Teaching Writing Skills to Autistic Students

7 Tips for Teaching Writing Skills to Autistic Students

By   Maria Langford

May 22, 2024

Teaching writing skills to autistic children poses various challenges. Therefore, it’s crucial to consider individual needs, academic ability, and personal characteristics when deciding how to help an autistic child write. 

Learning to write involves many complex physical and cognitive processes, which can challenge all learners, but ASD students can experience these challenges more acutely. For example, fine motor skills impairments can make holding a pencil difficult, while visual motor skills impairments can hinder copying words. 

If a comorbid learning disability is present, vocabulary may be limited, and anxiety or stress about writing tasks can lead to resistance or avoidance. So, how can we mitigate these challenges? Let’s explore some possible strategies.

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Homeschooling a Child With Autism

1. Create a supportive environment for learning

To teach an ASD child writing skills, you must create a supportive, inclusive , and comfortable environment.

To do this, focus on the following areas:

• Promote independence in their work – this can boost an autistic child’s self-esteem and is a crucial life skill. 
• Reduce their anxiety – this is crucial as anxiety is a significant problem for ASD students, which can be heightened during writing tasks. 
• Foster creativity in writing tasks – this is important as some ASD students may need extra help to tap into their creativity.

The examples explored in the next sections will help with this.

2. Incorporate some fun hand exercises

These strategies are aimed at ASD learners who are struggling with the physical challenges posed by writing . 

When ASD children struggle to hold a pencil properly, writing can be stressful and painful. It may also mean that they’re behind their peers in mark-making.  

While wrist weights and pencil grips can help ASD students later on, it’s important to start with fun activities to develop their hand strength and fine motor skills .

Play dough disco is a popular activity for this. The students are given soft modeling dough and encouraged to mimic the hand exercises demonstrated in an interactive video. 

Here are some other activities you could try:

• Digging with a small spoon
• Having egg and spoon races 
• Using tongs or tweezers 
• Playing with peg boards

If these physical barriers to writing are severe and persist throughout school, technology can help ASD students overcome them.

3. Start simple

When teaching writing skills at any level, it’s important to start simple and gradually increase the challenge by scaffolding the task, breaking it into manageable steps. 

This will also help to build your students’ independence and help them understand how to sequence the stages of a task. This is something that ASD students often struggle with.

Although this is standard teaching practice , ASD students may need to spend longer than their peers on each step. Allow them to progress at their own pace to avoid anxiety.

For example, if you’re teaching an ASD child how to form letters, they could start by tracing simple shapes and then move on to copying them freehand. When they’re comfortable with this, you can slowly introduce letters for them to trace and copy. 

If they’re struggling with their pen grip, you could experiment with other forms of mark-making first. 

For example, they could use their finger or a stick to draw letters and shapes in sand or shaving foam.

4. Use their special interests

Incorporating ASD students’ special interests into lessons can engage them in learning. Writing tasks that refer to relevant contexts are more effective than generic ones. 

For example, students may initially prefer to write the letters from their name or the names of objects/people that interest them.

For more academically advanced ASD students, this can also be a great way to foster creativity . You could let them pick their own writing topic or plan themed writing tasks for them.

For example, if they’re interested in space, they could create an encyclopedia page about a planet of their choice.

In creative writing tasks, the story prompts should be imaginative and fun, encouraging ASD students to step outside of themselves and think in abstract or creative ways.

As our understanding of ASD increases, it’s becoming evident that autistic people can be uniquely creative. However, all such tasks should be appropriately scaffolded for individual students’ needs. 

5. Use visual aids

Many ASD children are visual learners , so using visual stimuli is a great way to foster creativity.

Pictures are great for teaching various writing skills, like descriptive writing or characterization.

They can also help an ASD student to engage their senses. For example, you could give them a picture of a rainforest and help them imagine how it would feel if they were there. 

Using verbal or written prompts could help your students to access this task:

• “Is it usually hot or cold in the rainforest?” 
• “Can you remember a time when you were really hot? How did it make you  feel?” 
• “Do you think it would be hot where this picture was taken?” 

Utilizing technology to access multimedia resources can also help to overcome many challenges. Videos are effective writing prompts that can inspire creativity and engagement in non-fiction writing.

For example, if you’re teaching a module on writing to argue, you could use a short documentary to generate ideas.

Watching adverts can also be great fun for exploring persuasive techniques, particularly in a speak-to-write teaching model.

Video models have also proved effective in helping ASD students develop functional writing skills, such as sentence construction, spelling, and letter formation. 

6. Use social stories

Social stories can be used to teach writing skills like perspective-taking and narrative form.

For example, you could tell social stories based on difficult social interactions so your students can explore perspectives and feelings. This can be applied to creating characters or writing dialogue. 

Moreover, verbally retelling their favorite stories or recounting the events of their day can help them develop their narrative, sentence structure, and sequencing skills. 

To help them organize their thoughts into writing, you could provide sentence starters like these:

• “When I woke up this morning, I felt…” 
• “However, when I …” 
• “After this, I…”

You could also play word games like these to foster creativity and remove focus from physical writing skills: 

• Fortunately/Unfortunately: verbal game for narrative flow
• The Minister’s Cat: verbal game encouraging ambitious vocabulary 
• Boggle: spelling and word recognition
• Pictionary: visual vocabulary practice
• Story cubes: narrative structure

7. Use positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is another important tool in motivating individuals with autism to engage in writing tasks. 

It could take many forms, such as:

• verbal praise, 
• rewards , 
• token or sticker systems,
• preferred items and activities. 

By creating positive associations with writing, you can help relieve ASD students’ anxiety and resistance in the short and long term. 

To maintain their motivation and focus, it’s important to identify and acknowledge incremental progress and effort, rewarding students immediately after they’ve achieved each goal.

When deciding what reinforcement strategies to use, consider how your students’ preferred items or activities could motivate them.

For example, if a child loves reading, give them 10 minutes in the reading corner with their favorite book if they achieve their goals. 

They could also collect motivational stickers as they progress through each stage of their writing project, which can be exchanged for small rewards.

Teaching writing skills to autistic students should be fun! 

Teaching any form of writing to ASD students should be enjoyable and engaging. Incorporating creative and interactive activities into your writing lessons is key to this. 

By helping an ASD child overcome their physical, emotional, and cognitive barriers to writing, you can enable them to achieve their future goals and provide a valuable outlet for their emotions, ideas, and thoughts.

Q: Does autism affect writing skills?

A: Autism can affect writing skills due to challenges such as fine motor skill impairments, sensory sensitivities, and difficulties with organization and abstract thinking. With patience, understanding, and tailored strategies, you can support the development of writing skills in autistic children.

Q: Why do children with autism struggle with writing?

A: Children with autism struggle with writing due to challenges with fine motor skills, visual motor skills, sensory sensitivities, organizational issues, and barriers to creative or abstract thinking, often leading to distress and avoidance

Q: How do you teach an autistic child to hold a pencil?

A: Teaching an autistic child to hold a pencil involves using adaptive grips or techniques that accommodate their fine motor skill challenges. Patience and practice are key as you provide gentle guidance and positive reinforcement to help them develop a comfortable and functional pencil grasp.

Accardo, Amy L., et al., ‘Writing Interventions for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Research Synthesis’, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (2020) 50:1988–2006 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-03955-9

Asaro-Saddler, Kristie (2016), ‘Using Evidence-Based Practices to Teach Writing to Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders’, Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth , 60:1, 79-85, DOI: 10.1080/1045988X.2014.981793, https://doi.org/10.1080/1045988X.2014.981793

Baixauli, Inmaculada, et al., ‘Reading and Writing Skills in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder Without Intellectual Disability’ (2021), Frontiers in Psychology.  doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.646849 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.646849/full?fbclid=IwAR3ZC642yig3L-J2ssDNXj10eQTcitQh5Ujj2yBS96WASn-8MCrvPxwPOWY  

Pennington, Robert C and Carpenter, Megan (2019), ‘Teaching Written Expression to Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Complex Communication Needs’, Top Lang Disorders, Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 191–207, https://alliedhealth.ceconnection.com/ovidfiles/00011363-201904000-00005.pdf

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New Scholarship Supports Western’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing

The Mari Sandoz Emerging Writer Scholarship will be awarded every year.

Students with a passion for writing about the people and landscapes of the West will have a new scholarship opportunity when they enter Western Colorado University’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing (GPCW), thanks to the generosity of the Mari Sandoz Heritage Society.

The Mari Sandoz Emerging Writer Scholarship will be available to one qualified first-year graduate student in the GPCW’s Nature Writing concentration starting in the summer of 2024. The scholarship will be granted each academic year, awarding the winner $3,000 each semester for a total of $6,000.

According to Mari Sandoz Heritage Society board member and director of the GPCW Nature Writing Concentration, Laura Pritchett, the scholarship aims to memorialize Mari Sandoz’s legacy as someone who had a passion for writing and loved the landscapes and peoples of the West. Through the scholarship, the board hopes to support significant writing about the West in the contemporary literary landscape.

“Sandoz’s writing emphasized the environmental and human landscape of the West and was recognized for her no-nonsense yet deeply evocative style,” Pritchett said. “She was passionate about sharing her hard-earned and well-honed writing skills. We’re fortunate to have the Mari Sandoz Heritage Society support this scholarship.”

Applying to the GPCW’s Nature Writing program will also serve as an application for the scholarship.

Author credit: Seth Mensing

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