I've heard it can help to leave a sentence unfinished so that your brain has something to start with, which is taking the advice about leaving notes on what to do the next day even further. Not everyone can leave something unfinished though. I have left notes on programs to reopen for necessary contexts too.
I also have an email folder called CURRENT TASK so that I can move emails related to a complex task out of my inbox so that I don't get distracted by other tasks.
I always hear this advice (leave a sentence/task unfinished) and I've never been brave enough to actually follow through on it, terrified I won't know what to do with it the next day. I really need to try it for reals. 😅
On bluesky people leave writing prompts and I can usually come up with something pretty quick from them. In essence, someone else left a sentence for me.
I do leaves notes on where I was going. I've been thinking about turning todo items into writing prompts. Maybe that's a way to trick my mind into novelty and engage hyperfocus.
This was what I needed. I can’t express how relieving it is to find validation for something so niche. I’ve struggled a lot with internalized guilt and imposter syndrome. Posts like these give me hope that I’m more capable than I think I am. Thank you for permission to relax my standards :).
I’m definitely going to try out a less strict weekly structure for my writing. I’ve tried to hold myself to the daily consistency approach, but a weekly thing might work a lot better for me. The tips are much appreciated. Please keep it up!
Oh yes to the strategy guidebook! Thank you. I love sharing this crucial learning:
One important thing to keep in mind with these strategies (and any others you try) is that they might work amazingly for you one time, and then completely fail to help you the next. That’s okay!
Thank you! I definitely can resonate with the hyperfocus burnout, happens more often than it's should. But the fix from getting so much work done is so addictive! I also do many things you said perhaps unknowingly because they work: like setting a rough total word count and then being happy when I do a little more some days. I struggled with a need to have the perfect space for a long time but I understood how all that really counts is the inner drive and not the external circumstances. And your article made me realise that with Adhd switching the writing space is actually welcomed!
This reminds me of a book I read about creativity (can’t remember the name of it right now) but basically the whole idea is that you can’t force it, all you can do is nurture it. It’s like gardening. All you can do is try to have optimal conditions for growth and the seedling will do the growing however it wants to. It seems like a good metaphor for adhd-friendly writing.
That was a great article! It covered stuff I hadn't thought of.
I recently wrote a post on writing with ADHD that you might be interested in. It just covers what works for me, but it could be of use to you as well 😊
Meredith, I joined my first memoir incubator in January and am already frozen! 😳 Wondering if I should continue or endeavor to educate myself and others on the way my brain processes the tasks, prompts, and daily check in on Slack. 🥶
Love all of these and feel very validated by the reminder (which adhders are prone to forget? odd) that most productivity advice just doesn’t work for me. Or it works until it doesn’t. I’ve definitely latched onto the idea of holding on to goals, habits, routines, etc. very loosely and not dropping them the first time I miss the mark. Couple specific writing things that have helped me:
1. Artificial deadlines and accountability, like writing groups or workshops where I’m supposed to show up with a piece of writing
2. Short challenges, like Jami Attenberg’s 1000 words challenges, done with a group of writers who send daily text updates on word counts. My second time around I said up front to the group that I would be very loosely following the guidelines but still attempting to write daily, and that was helpful to combat the all or nothing mindset. The biggest benefit I’ve gotten from these is starting to “think like a writer,” even if I’m not writing.
3. Having an hour time block on my calendar every work day that says “WRITE.” I might not get to it, or I might to it three hours later, but the visual reminder at least keeps it top of mind as a task to prioritize
4. Starting a Substack. My readers NEED ME! I can’t LET THEM DOWN!
Hi Meredith, I’ve just come across your Substack, and this advice is so helpful, thank you! I did the same when I first started writing - trying to mimic the writing practices of authors who I admire - then I would beat myself up when I couldn’t stick to a set word limit, number of hours a day, etc. This was before I knew I had ADHD, so it was a real battle to not throw in the towel every day! I’ve started documenting my ADHD writing journey on my Substack publication; hopefully this might be relatable and useful to others. I hope to prove that anything is possible, we just have to find a way that works for us 😊
Thank you for sharing this! I really love the idea of changing the environment and having that become a positive anchor to the writing session - it makes the act of showing up to write feel like an adventure and provides the intrigue needed to maintain interest when the task itself is repetitive. I look forward to testing this :)
I'll be honest, most of these techniques I've tried and havent really worked for me with adhd unfortunately. I have found though over time some little things that are pretty reliable, fun, and exciting to come back to: treating writing as a tiny experiment - setting a challenge for a short time, noting observations without judgement as I do it, cultivating a hypothesis, then pivoting with knowledge gained and either continuing with it or starting a new little challenge with writing. One thing i do love is writing in mini vignettes like poetry, putting key words at the top of the page and then finding ways to weave them together into a few sentences. And giving myself permission to dream (typically a singular moment.) Common denominators: Challenge/judgement free/curiosity/Little by little tackle the elephant.
I've heard it can help to leave a sentence unfinished so that your brain has something to start with, which is taking the advice about leaving notes on what to do the next day even further. Not everyone can leave something unfinished though. I have left notes on programs to reopen for necessary contexts too.
I also have an email folder called CURRENT TASK so that I can move emails related to a complex task out of my inbox so that I don't get distracted by other tasks.
Definitely love the simplicity of leaving a sentence unfinished! I'm going to give it a try!
I always hear this advice (leave a sentence/task unfinished) and I've never been brave enough to actually follow through on it, terrified I won't know what to do with it the next day. I really need to try it for reals. 😅
On bluesky people leave writing prompts and I can usually come up with something pretty quick from them. In essence, someone else left a sentence for me.
For me, writing is a lot about momentum.
Have tried this and can confirm that every single time, I have no idea where that sentence was going :D I do leave a note for myself though.
I do leaves notes on where I was going. I've been thinking about turning todo items into writing prompts. Maybe that's a way to trick my mind into novelty and engage hyperfocus.
I did this once by accident and it really did help!
Meredith, 'hyperfocus hangovers' is a brilliant way to put it!!!
Thanks! I actually just wrote more in this for my other substack if you are interested!
This was what I needed. I can’t express how relieving it is to find validation for something so niche. I’ve struggled a lot with internalized guilt and imposter syndrome. Posts like these give me hope that I’m more capable than I think I am. Thank you for permission to relax my standards :).
I’m definitely going to try out a less strict weekly structure for my writing. I’ve tried to hold myself to the daily consistency approach, but a weekly thing might work a lot better for me. The tips are much appreciated. Please keep it up!
Oh yes to the strategy guidebook! Thank you. I love sharing this crucial learning:
One important thing to keep in mind with these strategies (and any others you try) is that they might work amazingly for you one time, and then completely fail to help you the next. That’s okay!
Such an important reminder! We have to fight against our "all or nothing" thinking when we evaluate how and if a strategy is working.
This answers a LOT of questions for me! Just sayin’…
Thank you! I definitely can resonate with the hyperfocus burnout, happens more often than it's should. But the fix from getting so much work done is so addictive! I also do many things you said perhaps unknowingly because they work: like setting a rough total word count and then being happy when I do a little more some days. I struggled with a need to have the perfect space for a long time but I understood how all that really counts is the inner drive and not the external circumstances. And your article made me realise that with Adhd switching the writing space is actually welcomed!
This is really good advice, thank you.
Finish each writing session by identifying when the next session will take place and what the first step of that session will be.
Love this idea!
This reminds me of a book I read about creativity (can’t remember the name of it right now) but basically the whole idea is that you can’t force it, all you can do is nurture it. It’s like gardening. All you can do is try to have optimal conditions for growth and the seedling will do the growing however it wants to. It seems like a good metaphor for adhd-friendly writing.
I love that metaphor!
That was a great article! It covered stuff I hadn't thought of.
I recently wrote a post on writing with ADHD that you might be interested in. It just covers what works for me, but it could be of use to you as well 😊
https://jdlear.substack.com/p/7-game-changing-tips-and-tools-for
this was so helpful c: thank you! i feel seen as an adhd writer
Meredith, I joined my first memoir incubator in January and am already frozen! 😳 Wondering if I should continue or endeavor to educate myself and others on the way my brain processes the tasks, prompts, and daily check in on Slack. 🥶
That sounds like a complicated decision! Any chance you are able to identify what is contributing to feeling frozen?
Love all of these and feel very validated by the reminder (which adhders are prone to forget? odd) that most productivity advice just doesn’t work for me. Or it works until it doesn’t. I’ve definitely latched onto the idea of holding on to goals, habits, routines, etc. very loosely and not dropping them the first time I miss the mark. Couple specific writing things that have helped me:
1. Artificial deadlines and accountability, like writing groups or workshops where I’m supposed to show up with a piece of writing
2. Short challenges, like Jami Attenberg’s 1000 words challenges, done with a group of writers who send daily text updates on word counts. My second time around I said up front to the group that I would be very loosely following the guidelines but still attempting to write daily, and that was helpful to combat the all or nothing mindset. The biggest benefit I’ve gotten from these is starting to “think like a writer,” even if I’m not writing.
3. Having an hour time block on my calendar every work day that says “WRITE.” I might not get to it, or I might to it three hours later, but the visual reminder at least keeps it top of mind as a task to prioritize
4. Starting a Substack. My readers NEED ME! I can’t LET THEM DOWN!
Thank you so much for sharing these tips! I really like the idea of a shorter writing challenge!
Follow Jami’s Substack if you don’t already!
Hi Meredith, I’ve just come across your Substack, and this advice is so helpful, thank you! I did the same when I first started writing - trying to mimic the writing practices of authors who I admire - then I would beat myself up when I couldn’t stick to a set word limit, number of hours a day, etc. This was before I knew I had ADHD, so it was a real battle to not throw in the towel every day! I’ve started documenting my ADHD writing journey on my Substack publication; hopefully this might be relatable and useful to others. I hope to prove that anything is possible, we just have to find a way that works for us 😊
Thank you for sharing this! I really love the idea of changing the environment and having that become a positive anchor to the writing session - it makes the act of showing up to write feel like an adventure and provides the intrigue needed to maintain interest when the task itself is repetitive. I look forward to testing this :)
I'll be honest, most of these techniques I've tried and havent really worked for me with adhd unfortunately. I have found though over time some little things that are pretty reliable, fun, and exciting to come back to: treating writing as a tiny experiment - setting a challenge for a short time, noting observations without judgement as I do it, cultivating a hypothesis, then pivoting with knowledge gained and either continuing with it or starting a new little challenge with writing. One thing i do love is writing in mini vignettes like poetry, putting key words at the top of the page and then finding ways to weave them together into a few sentences. And giving myself permission to dream (typically a singular moment.) Common denominators: Challenge/judgement free/curiosity/Little by little tackle the elephant.