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This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world for material to help other writers. Today I discuss a blog post about how to write if you have ADHD…
I have worked with lots of writers with Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder (ADHD) over the years. In fact, my father had the disorder as did one of my siblings and one of my children.
I’ve found that, for writers, accountability works effectively (although not perfectly). But it intrigued me to read about a different approach, promoted by writer Kirsten Donaghey and publicized on the Writer’s Helping Writers website.
Here is part of what Kirsten says:
“We don’t like instructions or rules. We’re meaning-makers, pattern-seekers, connection-builders. The ADHD writers who finish their drafts aren’t the ones who’ve mastered discipline—they’re the ones who’ve learned to recognize and trust their own patterns of engagement.
“So, ask yourself: What do I need? How do I want to show up as a writer? What makes writing enticing? What makes me feel authentic?
“And then ask yourself: Why do I avoid my writing? (Do you hate your desk? Do you not believe in your story? Are you afraid you aren’t good enough?) Where do I feel stuck?
“And finally: If there was one thing I could change that would make me hungry to write, what would it be?”
Kirsten says that ADHD writers need to put as much energy into the reflection as they do into the writing. As she puts it: “ADHD writers often learn to hate the act of writing because the route there makes them feel bad. It’s not a straight line back to your desk. It’s not a matter of trying harder, planning better, or engaging in processes that feel like punishment. It’s an exploratory route of reflecting and playing, to better understand how to be our authentic, creative selves.”
I’m interested in hearing from ADHD writers who’ve tried this approach. Please email me if you have.
