10 Writing Tips for ADHDers
I have done a fair bit of writing in my time. Has that been a struggle considering I have ADHD? Yes and no. Yes, ADHD does provide some challenges when it comes to writing (task initiation, follow through, etc.), but ADHD also comes with a side of creativity. That creativity can make writing a great hobby or even career. That being said, what can an ADHDer do to improve their writing and become more prolific? Read on to find out!
1.) Learn the Grammar/Writing Rules
The fundamentals of communication are important to know, so you can be understood. This means learning about grammar, sentence structure, and other things that will help you become a better writer/communicator. Learning about these things does not have to be boring. There are fun podcasts and articles online that will help you learn all the things school didn’t teach you but should have.
2.) Break the Rules!
Once you know the rules, you can break them. Breaking the rules in an intentional way is art. I remember being a 9th grader and being forced to read a book that had very little punctuation. The most glaring omission was the lack of quotation marks. It annoyed me at the time because in that same class the instructor tried teaching us grammar. I have since come to learn that grammar/writing rules are more guidelines than they are written in stone rules. Moreover, one of the greatest writers of all time, William Shakespeare, is credited with the invention of 1,700 words. So, are the rules important? Yes, but only so you know what you are doing when you choose to break a rule.
3.) Write about What You Know
One of the hardest things about writing is coming up with something to write about. A common piece of writing advice is to write about what you know. This means you do not have to add the unpleasant task of researching something to your to-do list. You can just write. Now, there are times where you are goin to have to do some research, but this should be the exception, not the rule. However, if you enjoy the research aspect, go for it! I won’t stop you. Just don’t get stuck in research mode.
4.) Write about What You Want to Write About
For school students, this advice is going to be hard to follow because schools often force their students to write about topics in which they have no interest. However, when given the opportunity to choose your writing topic, take advantage of it and write about something fun, rather than something you think you should write about. I guarantee you writing about something fun will be a more pleasant experience than forcing yourself to write about something that does not spark your interest. ADHD brains run on interest. Therefore, the writing project is more likely to be completed if it is engaging to your brain.
5.) Lean into the Impulsive Side of ADHD
When you get the urge to write, don’t lay on the couch and scroll through Instagram. Get writing! The urge to write can strike at any time. If it is possible, write. Those random urges to write or bursts of creativity can be fickle take advantage of them when you can.
6.) Ride the Waves
As mentioned above, creativity is fickle. The ability to churn out excellent writing is cyclical. Writer’s block is real and will happen to you. Take advantage of it when you can, and employ some other strategies when stuck.
7.) First Drafts Don’t Need to Be Good; They Just Need to Be Written
We ADHDers are prone to perfectionism. This means we might get stuck looking for the perfect word or the right way to say something. My advice to get around that is to just write. Write! DO IT! You can always go back and edit it later. I know, editing is a pain, but if you get hung up on editing while writing, it will be hard to get it done.
8.) Be Funny
Those of us with ADHD have terrific senses of humor. Lean into that. Humor makes writing more engaging. Have you ever read a boring scientific paper that is completely dry? No, of course you haven’t! Nobody reads those things. Yeah sure some claim to, but I bet they probably just skimmed it. Okay, yeah, sure I am probably exaggerating, but my point is: Your writing will be more well received if you make it interesting and funny.
9.) Don’t Try to Be Funny
This might seem like contradictory advice. After all, I just said to be funny above. However, there is a difference between trying to be funny and being funny. Funny comes naturally. If you try to force it, it will land flat. I do not write comedy, but what I do write can be funny. The best jokes are those that are said spontaneously. So, don’t try to be funny; just be funny.
10.) Ask for Help
I never believed in myself as a writer until someone else believed in me. I began to enjoy writing more and became more prolific. I never could have imagined I would be writing a weekly blog when I was in high school, but here I am writing my 150th blog post for “The Weekly Reset.” So, if you think you enjoy writing and would like tog et better at it, find a champion, someone who believes in you. Ask others to read your writing and give you feedback. It can be hard to ask for help, especially when you have ADHD, but it is an essential part of life. We are not meant to live and operate in isolation. Reach out! Join a writers group! Do whatever it takes to become the writer you always dreamed you could be.