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“I’ll remember” is the ADHD demon talking. You won’t remember. Write it down.

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Just Write

I don’t know why any of us, myself included, thought that a person with ADHD would be able to stick to a publishing schedule. I guess I thought it would be good practice. Ha. 

 I’m amending my promise of putting out new posts every week. My new promise is you’ll get them whenever I give them to you. I think a big part of my problem was the pressure. Every Friday would dawn with no words written and then I would stress. And we know how stress leads to performance anxiety which leads to no writing.

 These last few weeks I've also been very busy with house projects, prepping for National Novel Writing Month, and dealing with health issues. Speaking of NaNoWriMo, I want to talk about that today. I’ve mentioned before how helpful NaNoWriMo can be for writers who are easily distracted or tend to procrastinate. The trick to why it works for many is that it doesn’t give you a chance to stop to second guess yourself. If you want to make the goal of 50,000 words in 30 days, you don’t have time to waste. You also don’t have time to procrastinate. And since it has an exiting deadline and a built-in community of accountability, it is a fun, motivational tool for writers. It works great for me. I don’t always produce anything worth keeping, but that’s okay. It’s really about motivating you to show up and just write. It’s about getting yourself to stick to a regular writing habit. And if you stick with it, you’ll see that you can squeeze a writing habit into even the most harried schedules.

If you’ve taken up the challenge or thinking about it (there’s still time to jump on board!), here are a few tips and tricks that help me. Be Prepared Maybe you already use this trick when you know you’re not going to have a lot of time in the mornings or need to catch an early plane. I’ve been working on this with my son for his school stuff. Set out what you need the night before, so all you have to do is grab and go. Nothing slows momentum down faster than having to spend time looking for your necessary items. Even if you plan on writing at home make sure you’re writing tools are ready to go. Charge up your laptop, make sure your keyboard is at full battery, have your notebook and favorite pens at the ready. Pack a bag of snacks and other creature comforts, so you have no excuse to wander away or become distracted. I keep a writing travel bag stocked with hair ties, lotion, lip balm, gum, etc. to keep sensory distractions from keeping me from being at my best. Remove Yourself From Distractions This works for some and not others, but it is very necessary for me. If I try to write at home, it’s all too easy to let myself get up for a dance party break or lie to myself about only watching a half hour of Netflix as a “reward” (spoiler, I never stick to my half hour limit). Another hazard for me when writing at home is that suddenly my usual aversion to house cleaning and organizing suddenly seems to vanish and I find matching socks to be the most pressing thing to do at that moment. I take my writing travel bag, a non-distracting playlist (I love writing to The Hobbit soundtrack because there are no words to throw off my train of thought), my phone, and portable keyboard. I leave my laptop home to prevent the sudden burning need to organize my photos or clean up my desktop rather than write. You’ll have to find what works best for you. I use to bring a tablet with me that only had Ulysses on it and nothing else - no social media, no email, no Google. It worked great but has since become too outdated for Ulysses (*shakes fist at Ulysses*). Now I just write on my phone and control my playtime on it with the Pomodoro Method.  Use The Pomodoro I talk about this so much because it works. I use it for everything from picking up my house to folding laundry. Set a timer for an amount that appeals to you, typically 20-25 minutes, and then just write for that amount of time. Sometimes having too much time to write can be as detrimental as too little. An entire day off is full of possibility, and many of us tend to push writing off for either more fun activities or a more pressing to-do list. And then there’s the hurdle of a blank. Where do you start? Having an urgent deadline of 25 minutes can be just the kick in the pants you need to get over those obstacles and get into writing. I also use this method to give myself breaks or to get settled in my writing spot. Depending on how much time I have to spare, I’ll let myself goof around on my phone for 20 minutes before I start writing. Rewards are great, but sometimes I have to get the fun stuff out of my system before I can get to work. Get A Buddy Find an online writing friend at NaNoWriMo.org or connect with someone at you local Write-Ins. If nothing else, ask a non-writing friend to check in on you once in a while to keep you accountable. A little bit of pressure from an external source can help keep you motivated when you struggle to keep yourself on track. Write-Ins are extremely helpful for me because just the energy of writing with other writers pushes me on. I tend to write so much more when I’m writing with a group than when I write solo. Don’t mistake this for a collaborative effort. Everyone works on their own projects, and there is little to no socializing. It works because I’m less apt to slack off when everyone else around me is hard at work. It’s a form of positive peer pressure that encourages good behavior. Just Write Even if you have nothing to write about, just write. The story will come, the muse will appear, you just have to be consistent. Easier said than done, trust me, but it really works. This is the one Golden Rule, Secret Trick, Magic Spell of writing that every new writer is desperate to get their hands on. Every successful author gets asked for the secret to how to get where they are, and the answer is so painfully simple. Just write. Write terrible. Write whatever nonsense comes into your head. Write out the rushing streams of consciousness that randomly pops into your head. Write out all the things you should be doing instead of writing. Write out all the reasons you deserve to be writing instead of all those other reasons. Eventually, the writer inside you will take over, and a story or essay or memoir will appear. It will get easier and faster the more you do this so in the beginning it will feel like you’re just wasting time but keep at it. If you write, then you’re a writer. It doesn’t matter what you’re writing just that you keep writing. 

Good luck, Writer!

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Same

Me: I’m going to write today. I’m going to do it. I AM GOING TO FINALLY DO SOME WRITING

Me:

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RSD And How It Can Lead To Writer's Block

RSD (Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria) has been appearing recently in the blogs and sites about ADHD I follow. I had no clue what it was, and after a quick glance at the definition I wrote it off as something that didn't concern me. After reading a few personal accounts of it, however, I decided to take a closer look at what it is exactly. 
 Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria is, in the most simplistic terms, that feeling that everyone gets when they stress out over how another person feels about them or about something they did. For example, when you give a cheerful “Good Morning” to a co-worker that brushes you off with a scowl causing you to spend the rest of the day wondering what you did wrong - that's how RSD feels, but much more so. 
According to ADDitude Magazine: 
"Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) is an extreme emotional sensitivity and emotional pain triggered by the perception – not necessarily the reality – that a person has been rejected, teased, or criticized by important people in their life. RSD may also be triggered by a sense of failure, or falling short – failing to meet either their own high standards or others’ expectations." “RSD can make people with ADHD anticipate rejection - even when it’s anything but certain. This can make them vigilant about avoiding it, which can be misdiagnosed as social phobia…It is always triggered by the perceived or real loss of approval, love, or respect.” If you're familiar with ADHD than you probably have noticed that being more sensitive is a common trait. In the past, general anxiety was just considered part of the whole package. During childhood when we're mapping out our feelings of self-worth as we interact with those around us, kids with ADHD tend to be corrected, criticized, and ostracized more often than their neurotypical peers - 20 times more, in fact. That lays the groundwork for being much more sensitive to rejection than their neurotypical peers. 
I chalked a lot of my social anxiety up to low self-esteem, but there may be more to it than that. But what does all this mean for writers who have RSD tendencies? A lot, actually. A big part of my own writing issues stems from fears of being judged and falling short. Well before anyone even hears about an idea I'm working on I feel an overwhelming sense of dread that it's not going to be as good as I think it is. Usually, the excitement over my new idea overrides this feeling, but then I spend way too much time wondering if the people I shared with were just being polite, or worse maybe they're at home right now feeling sorry for me cuz I’m a hack. Then a sick feeling starts to churn up in my stomach, and my enthusiasm takes a nose dive. Since the term RSD is still very new to me I have yet to seek any kind of confirmation as to whether I have it or not but the more I read about it, the more it sounds a lot like how I feel about showing my work. And that's a problem. Writers get better by letting others read and review their work. I won't be able to reach my writing goals if I stay stuck in Fearsville, so I need to push past this. That’s why I took a closer look at RSD and how to combat it. According to my research RSD can cause people to react in one of two ways: Perfectionism and Avoidance. These are two things I deal with, and also the same for the writers I know as well. Maybe fear of rejection is more common than I thought. For me, it’s writing hot with a great idea only to crash into a big block after the daydreams of success start rolling in. I get carried away with fantasies that this is going to be THE ONE. The story idea that will make all my dreams come true. And then suddenly I get cold sweats when it's time to write. Just thinking about my story makes my stomach churn. I try to pick up where I left off, and I cringe when I reread what I last wrote. I run far away from writing into the safety of a Netflix binge until those feelings go away. 
 The problem with that though is it's hard to get back into a story when you leave it alone for too long. The tone changes. Characters shift. The whole vibe is different from what it was before. It's possible to get it back, but generally, when I re-approach a story after a Rejection Sensitive/Netflix meltdown it's a reminder of how I failed. And then I'm right back where I started. When a writer keeps rewriting the same scene or chapter or drafts over and over without moving the story closer to completion Or the are the One-Day writers that have a terrific idea (or maybe even started to write it) but aren’t writing because they are waiting for some allusive perfect time. Either way, both scenarios keep writers from moving forward. 
HOW TO PUSH PAST RSD TO KEEP WRITING: START SMALL You can't wake up one morning and decide to run a marathon. You have to work up to it. You set little goals for yourself that are manageable until you are race ready. Same with writing. The sense of accomplishment found at the end of a fully polished story is AMAZING. And it's a lot easier (and faster) to attain when you set out to write something short. 
Begin by just aiming to complete a short story. It can be a creative fiction memoir, a writing prompt exercise, a side story to the novel that has gotten you blocked, or even some kind of fanfiction. Whatever you decide, be sure to finish it, edit it until it feels good, give yourself a big reward, and repeat as needed until it’s something you can be proud of. HAVE FUN I know I've already used this advice, and I guarantee you I will say it again because I just can't tell you enough about how well this works. If you're just writing something silly, unimportant, or just for fun you're less apt to put pressure on yourself to produce something so perfect it's impossible to write. This is my number one guaranteed to work device in my writing toolbox. When that wave of awful washes over me until I just want to hide under the blankets this is what calms me down and keeps me writing. It's a lot easier to imagine that I'm the only one who will ever see what I'm writing when I'm literally writing just for myself. 
 Not gonna lie, I usually write a little one-shot fanfiction because I can immerse myself in a world and characters that are already laid out for me. I don't have to be worried about judgment because they aren't my ideas really. I'm just borrowing them for a little side story excitement. When I've come to the end of the story (I always try to keep it short to only a scene or two), I put it aside to toy with editing later and ease myself back into my original writing.     YOUR EYES ONLY   When that wave of fear of rejection and ridicule hits take a deep breath and tell yourself what you're working on is for you and you only. No one will ever see it until you want them too. For me, I have to convince myself that I'm NEVER going to let anyone read what I'm writing even if it’s not really true. It liberates me from feeling judged so I can just get the story out. Password protect your files or hide your writing notebook under your mattress. Whatever it takes to make yourself feel safe to express yourself without fear. BAD WRITING IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN NO WRITING Failure is not a pleasant feeling, but it's always better than doing nothing. Daydreaming about writing a story is fun, but you'll never be the writer you want to be if you don't actually write. And you can't progress as a story teller if you never finish a story. Writing something you feel is subpar beats the heck out of the story you didn't write. Also, resist the urge to hit the delete key. Even if it's completely wrong for your story. You never know what might be useful for a different story later down the road. And you might find after re-reading it that it wasn't so bad after all. You can't edit nothing so get back at it even if what you're writing makes you cringe. ACCURATE ASSESSMENT When you get stuck, ask yourself what is working? What are you enjoying about this project? It’s easy to see the project as a big tangle of failures when things start to go wrong but take another look to see the positives. Then take a deep breath and try to pinpoint what SPECIFICALLY isn't working. Determine what is working and what isn't before you scrap the entire thing. Remind yourself why you wanted to write this in the first place and try to pick out the parts you're having fun with. BAD IS GOOD Rough drafts are just that, rough. They are awful by definition. It's a collection of word-vomits loosely contained in story format. It's good to keep an end goal in mind of how you want the story to look or be received, but you also have to give yourself room to write some truly embarrassing stuff first. I'm sure if we could read the very, very first drafts of the novels we love we'd be truly surprised. Need proof? Rough draft samples of Harry Potter and George Lucas' early concept of Star Wars. DON'T COMPARE, CONNECT INSTEAD Most writing advice will tell you to read as much as you can. This is very good advice, but I say to take it a step further. Read more than just polished finished stories. Seek out other writers that are in the same place you are writing wise and offer to read their works in progress. You'll soon see how much you have in common and the more you talk with other writers, the more you'll see your fears and anxieties are not exclusive to you. It’s a very normal part of the process to make mistakes and create terrible rough drafts. Reach out to a local writers group or find a community online. There are plenty of places online to find writing buddies - Scribophile, find a critique partner online through Writing Questions Answered Tumblr, or check these other sites.   KEEP WRITING Don't spin your wheels trying to get a sentence just right or rewrite the same paragraph a thousand times. Sometimes you just have to leave an awkward sentence where it lays and breeze past a chapter that you just aren't feeling. Keeping momentum is critical in the early stages of writing so do whatever you can to keep writing to the end. You can go back to fix and fill in the blanks when you edit. And don't get locked into all or none thinking. You can write a successful first draft and still leave parts out or hate whole chapters of your story. The editing process is where you will go back to clean that up but in the meantime accepting that your story is imperfect for the sake of finishing is vital. DON'T GIVE UP Half finished drafts are more than just frustrating, they do you absolutely no favors in becoming a better writer. Practice makes you better, no matter what you're trying to achieve and writing is no different. Finishing a draft, editing it, editing it some more, sharing it for feedback, and editing it again is part of the process. You can't do that if you have nothing to edit and receive feedback on. However, there's nothing wrong with setting a project aside if you need a breather. And sometimes stories stall out because the timing is wrong or you need to go back to the drawing board for more story creation. That's completely fine. FIND A CHEERLEADER A piece of writing advice that I heard long ago was to write for one person that was your number one fan. A sibling, spouse, best friend, teddy bear, whatever. Sometimes the excitement of writing the story isn't enough to keep you plodding along, but the thought that someone is going to want to read what you're writing and be absolutely thrilled by it is the only thing that keeps you at it. This can be tricky because the idea of having someone else read your work is usually what triggers the very feelings of judgment that we're trying to avoid, so the key is to find someone who is just there for encouragement. So this advice isn't for everyone. If it triggers your anxiety too much for even the most unconditional fan to see it then just don't. I've found fanfiction communities to be full of amazing cheerleaders, by the way. THERAPY While therapy can be expensive if you're finding that you're anxiety is too insurmountable, and it's interfering with your life (writing, socializing with friends, dating, work interactions) it's important to realize that some things can't be fixed by sheer willpower alone. I find affirmations and positive thinking to be very helpful but usually only after delving into the underlying causing with the help of a trained professional. There’s no shame in seeking consoling. And don’t rule out the possibility that your brain might need something it’s lacking, that can only be attained through medication. Be the best you that you can be with all the resources you can get your hands on, and it will pay off in all areas of your life. Nothing stops the flow of creativity faster than fear. And fear is at the heart of RSD. It's the fear that this very intimate part of ourselves, our stories, will be judged, ridiculed, and rejected. Even if you don’t think you suffer from clinical RSD, the symptoms described above can happen to anyone at any time. If you even have a small amount of RSD or RSD-like feelings, it can mess with your writing. Fear of your writing being rejected is a monstrous hurdle that can stop you in your writing tracks but only if you let it. Do whatever you can to create a safe place for your writing - both around you and inside your own head. Anyone who is callous or ridicules your writing is no friend of yours and is probably just projecting their own insecurities onto you - either way don't give them a second of your time. Seek out a supportive group of writers, in person or online that can, at the very least, offer proof that you are not alone in your struggles. Keep your head up and your fingers on your keys and every day you will get better. I believe in you, so keep writing. Good luck, dear writer. You've got this. P.S. Check out this video from one of my favorite authors, Maureen Johnson called Dare to Suck!

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Kindred Spirits - Anne of Green Gables and ADHD

I grew up with Anne Shirley, reading the books and watching the movie starring Megan Follows. Anne was a kindred spirit, so much about her felt like I was looking at a freckled, red-headed reflection of myself. The over-active imagination, always getting into trouble for not paying attention, lost in fantasy. The scene where Anne gets caught up in a daydream while forgetting to put the cheesecloth cover on the plum pudding sauce and a mouse drowns in it is totally something that would happen to me. When I heard Anne of Green Gables was getting a remake I was a little disappointed, is nothing sacred, I thought. But I gave Anne With An E a shot because, well, it’s Anne. I knew going in that the Netflix remake was a darker version than the sweet and cheery version that I grew up on and loved so dearly. I was worried about what they were going to do to my beloved Anne. What I found was another mirror. Maybe it's because I hadn't watched Anne of Green Gables in a while, not since my ADHD diagnosis for sure. Growing up, ADHD was not something I knew much about except that it seemed only boys had it. Another thing Anne and I have in common, had I been born a boy I probably would have been taken more seriously. This time watching Anne Shirley and her hijinx I realized that Anne and I had even more in common than I initially thought. My husband watched Anne With An E along side me and kept saying, "She is so you." Knowing the signs and symptoms of ADHD now I could see them play out in Anne. A simple Google search of 'Anne of Green Gables and ADHD' results in many others who came to the same conclusion I did that Anne Shirley without a doubt had ADHD. For those wondering what it’s like to have ADHD, Anne Shirley is a pretty good example - forgetful, accident-prone, daydreamer, energetic. I think it was eye-opening for my husband to see how mischief always seems to find us. The more I thought about my dear Anne Shirley with ADHD, the more I fell in love with her, which seemed impossible because I am already so infatuated with her. She made me take another look at my ADHD. Even though I have close friends with ADHD that I can connect with, and I know I'm far from alone, it's different seeing the heroine of her own story with all too familiar ups and down being triumphant, both because of and despite herself. Growing up I felt a lot like Anne Shirley, not just personality wise but feeling like an outcast. I always seemed to say and do the wrong thing and no matter how I tried could never really fit in. Growing up with Anne Shirley made me feel less alone. She allowed me to feel like it was alright that I was different, that I walked to the beat of my drum. Consider how it feels when you identify so intimately with a fictional character that goes on to do great things and accepted for who they are. It's a powerful thing. That's why stories matter. That’s why representation matters. We need to share our stories with our real-life struggles, struggles that aren’t commonly discussed or still surrounded by stigmas. How wonderful would it be to write that authentically about a condition that it has the power to reach across the pages, beyond time and space to touch someone else and make them feel less alone and not just that, but to feel good about themselves just as they are? 

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Joy Writing - Pet Prompt

Write a diary entry for your pet or some other animal. A day in the life of, or maybe an observation report. Try to be as descriptive as possible using the perspective of items and situations at their eye level.  

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Joy Writing - Mentor Prompt

Choose a favorite author that you admire and write them a letter (don't worry, you aren't going to mail it unless you want to) telling them in detail why their stories resonate with you - but not as a reader, as a writer. Think of yourself as their colleague and let them know what kind of an impact they've had on your writing.

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How To Use The Pomodoro Technique To Improve Your Writing

I use the Pomodoro Technique for nearly every area of my life, especially activities I'm having a hard time psyching myself up for. It's really awesome for writing because that first blank page can be a frightening thing to face but if you give yourself a limited amount of time to put just the right amount of pressure to push forward. Check out this video from How To ADHD for a quick crash course. A Sense Of Accomplishment When I was first establishing my writing routine I would give myself a little reward at the end of 25 minutes, like a piece of chocolate or a fancy cup of tea. Now just the act of completing 25 minutes of writing is enough to please my reward-craving brain with a sense of accomplishment. Do whatever you need to do to create the association of writing for 25 minutes with a feeling of wonderful especially if up until now you've been creating less than awesome associations with your writing. Make Time For Writing I've also used the Pomodoro to keep myself from burning up my free time trying to get chores out the way. Maybe you've had days like mine where you have a sink full of dishes, laundry that needs to be gathered up, and other nonsense that is required to keep your life from falling apart around you. Days gone by I would have poked at the various tasks I had on the to-do list trying to muster the energy for it, eager to get writing but knowing full well that if I started writing nothing will get done and then dinner can't get started, I won't have clothes for work the next day, and the cats will probably eat me in my sleep. So I set the 25-minute timer and go into berserker mode on my chore list. It usually only takes one or two sessions of this to get my tasks completed so I can get back to writing. Work Smarter, Not Harder I've taken the Pomodoro Technique one step further by bargaining with myself to do some editing on a completed piece for 25 minutes, stop for 5 (with a reward because editing is still a new enough challenge for me that I need to train my brain to want to do it), then 25 minutes of writing, 5 minute break, 25 minutes of more wiring and so on. I also use the Pomodoro to limit research time, so I don't spend three days in a row looking up information instead of writing. These days I don't have to be so strict about the 25 minutes. If I'm feeling not very keen on writing, I will set a timer just to get my head in the game, but otherwise, I just sit down and write until I'm spent - which is an amazing feeling. Give it a try and see how it works for you. Good luck and keep writing!

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Where’s your story going?

Need a checklist to visualize the steps you’ve taken with your story (and the steps that still need to be completed)? Check out this handy guide to our 10-step writing process… written in verse for National Poetry Month!

And don’t forget to update your Camp NaNoWriMo projects! If you’ve already reached your project goal, make sure to validate your win on campnanowrimo.org before April 30th.

Follow @nanowrimo and @nanowordsprints on Twitter for more inspiration, or share your winning pictures with us on Instagram using the hashtag #CampNaNoWinner2018!

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Strategies To Keep the Writing Habit

Last week I talked about how to get over performance anxiety that kills your writing habit before it can even get started. Now it's time to start that habit. All habits take time before they become routine, writing is no different. Here's the thing though, no matter how much we WANT to make something a habit we always seem to get distracted and suddenly it's been days or even weeks since we last followed through. Then the feelings of frustration and defeat set in. Take heart, Distracted Writer, you are most definitely not alone. These are the techniques I use to keep myself on track - give them a try for yourself or build on them with your own strategies. Set Realistic Goals:

I know I covered this already in the previous post, but it's so important that it bears repeating. The worst thing for us is to set up a regime that is too rigid. If it's not something you can look forward to you'll be avoiding in no time. Keep it light and low pressure, especially when you're first getting (re)started. Writing every day is ideal but not always possible. Shoot for 25 minutes a day. It's something you can easily squeeze into the busiest of schedules while still letting you feel like you're accomplishing something. Or write for an hour or two a couple of times a week. Writing is Writing:

This ties back to Keep It Fun from the previous post. We all have that big project we're trying to finish, and it's important to keep at it, but if you find yourself avoiding writing over it, then it's time to either save that part for another time in favor of forging ahead or just set it aside. You're not a failure, failing is when you stop writing altogether. Take a break to write something you can easily finish in a short amount of time. Try a one-shot writing prompt, write a short story, free write, journal, or play around with some fanfiction. The key is to stick with a regular writing routine, but that's not something you can strong-arm yourself into doing. Practice is the only way to get better, but it doesn't matter if you're practicing with something serious or silly, as long as you're writing you're getting somewhere. Be Prepared:

Every writer has a preferred method of writing and a favorite place to write. And some writers have rituals. Reduce wasting valuable writing time tracking down your tools or clearing off your writing space by having it all ready and waiting for you when it's go time. I know, I know. Having ADHD means we're not the best at planning ahead or keeping our spaces tidy. Just keep it simple. Every little bit helps. Charge up your laptop the night before. Put your notebook and favorite pen together in the same place. Have your lucky charm close to where you plan to write. If you're going to go somewhere to write pack a bag the night before with all the things you need for a good writing session. This does two things. It keeps you from wasting time looking for everything when it's time to write, and it keeps the momentum going. Knowing that you took the time the day before to plan to write makes you more apt to follow through on that promise. Use Reminders:

It's easy to let writing slide when life gets busy, and your mind is being tugged in too many directions. Being easily distracted by the shiny and new can be used in your favor. Take brightly colored post-it's and leave yourself a reminder to write. Put your writing time in your calendar with a bright flashy color that stands out amid the rest of your schedule. Set a reminder on your phone to go off a few minutes before writing time. Give yourself an extra reminder to remind you to transition from your current task to your writing time. Treat Yo Self:

Rewards are a must for those of us who have a hard time staying on target. Even the non-ADHD brain craves positive reinforcement. Give yourself praise every time you keep to your writing commitment with some kind of a treat - you'll have to work out what is small enough to not undermine your budget and/or health but still big enough to motivate you. I use a habit tracker I create every month in my journal because it gives me a sense of accomplishment. I love seeing how many days I can fill in in a row to keep my streak going. I use to use little pieces of chocolate, but I'm not good at rationing that kind of thing for myself (read: I ate it all in three days). Whatever you use it's important to acknowledge your success, no matter how little or how badly you feel you wrote. I've said this before, and I'll keep saying it forever, every word you write is a word closer to your goal of becoming a better writer. Even if it's not the right word, it's practice and habit and something to build off of. Celebrate your dedication with a pat on your back, mini dance party, or enlist a supportive friend to congratulate you every time you stick to your writing schedule. Compete With Yourself:

When you have a little extra free time, try to beat your word count from the day before or try to write a few minutes longer than you did last time. Most of us enjoy a little competition so use that to trick your busy mind into staying on task. You'll keep yourself motivated and won't demoralize you the way competing against another person will if you fall behind.

Don't get discouraged when you break your habit. It takes time for something to become an automatic routine. Using willpower alone isn't enough, and there's no shame in that. Tap whatever tips, tricks, and resources you can to reach your goals. Good luck and keep writing!

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Why Having ADHD Makes You A Better Writer

We all know having ADHD can be less than awesome, but there are some great advantages to having ADHD (or just being generally busy-minded). Need proof? Read on.

Imagination:

ADHD and daydreaming pretty much go hand-in-hand and while that can trip us up when we have to stay focused on taking the trash out or following directions, it’s the perfect thing for creating and percolating story ideas. Being able to slip in and out of our imaginations is a gift that more “sensible” brains may not find as easy. So next time you daydream yourself into locking yourself out of your house (again), go easy on yourself - you’re a natural born writer at work.

Multi-Tasking:

Every time I hear someone describe what it feels like to have ADHD they almost always go with the “too many tabs open” in their mental computer. That is a pretty accurate summation, and while that can slow us down for staying focused on work or school, it’s wonderful for juggling all the necessary layers a story needs to function - though it may not be so easy to keep track of them all.

Hyperfocus:

If you haven’t heard about hyper-focusing, it’s the thing you do when you stay up until 3 am researching the best tent you need for a camping trip you don’t even have planned yet (true story). And even though usually we use this supernatural skill on less than vital things like obscure Star Wars trivia and when we turn this onto research for our stories, it comes in handy. Where other people might groan over having to do research for our story we gleefully dive in. Just be sure to put a cap on your research time, or you’ll burn up writing time for nothing. Innovative:

For most, the path from A to B is a straight line, for us, it’s much less so. As a result, we’ve had to tap our immense well of creativity to come up with how to get there. We’re also naturally wired to think up solutions that most wouldn’t even consider. There have been some studies that indicate ADHD has an evolutionary benefit because we were paying attention to the details others were not and thus we lived on and had babies and so on. Either way, it’s a skill we have that often time gets over-looked. Be proud of your quirky, unique way of thinking and use it to your full advantage.

Resilient:

Re-writes and rejections can feel like failures, but they are apart of the process. Without either you will never grow as a writer. ADHDers are no strangers to mistakes and do-overs but take heart, dear writer, that means you know how to jump back up and get back at it. We may not be completely de-sensitized to the sting, but our resiliency is all the greater making us tenacious writers right from the get-go. Next time you feel down about having a hard time staying on task, or you accidentally put your keys in the freezer, take comfort that it’s because your brain is busy working on your next great project. Good luck and keep writing!

[squirrelproofwriting]

Joy Writing - Dream Space Prompt

Imagine your ideal writing space. Is it a home office, a cabin in the woods, or maybe your favorite cafe? It can be something completely made up or an enhanced version of what you already have. Stock it with everything you need to write - writing tools, snacks, creature comforts, companion animals. Be as descriptive as possible.  

[squirrelproofwriting]

How To Use Strategies To Start A Writing Habit You Won't Avoid Later

Before I figured out I have ADHD I thought maybe I just didn't have what it takes to be a writer. It felt like I was spinning my wheels and getting nowhere. The only thing that kept me writing was that I couldn't not write. The stories inside me never quit and I feel like I'll explode if I can't get them out. I'm sure you know that feeling as well. Since giving up wasn't an option I had to figure out how to game myself and my shortcomings. After I was diagnosed I learned how to manage my ADHD by using a technique I picked up from Your Life Can Be Better by Douglas A. Puryear MD (which I seriously can't recommend enough) - implementing strategies. I use strategies for everything now - from staying on top of chores, juggling appointments, and paying bills on time. I figured if that could revolutionize my everyday life than surely it could work for my writing life as well. Before you create a strategy you have to identify what the problem is exactly. For me, the biggest obstacle is procrastination a problem a good majority of writers face. But procrastination is too big and messy, I had to get down to the heart of it. I procrastinate because I'm putting too much pressure on myself. All the years of false starts, negative self-talk, and self-imposed expectations that were far too high for what I was capable of at the time solidified into feelings of failure which created huge performance anxiety. I knew I had to take the pressure off if I was ever going to get anywhere with my writing. The only way to get better as a writer is to write and if I couldn't stick with a writing schedule long enough to put in the time to practice writing. I created these strategies to avoid the weak areas that were holding me back until I felt confident to add more challenges as I became more capable. Make It Fun:

If you're dreading what's sitting unfinished on your computer or in your notebook, chances are good you're going to avoid it at all costs. We all have expectations of what we "should" be writing. It's easy to get caught up in the idea that if you aren't writing the next Great American Novel or tackling your ongoing Big Awesome Idea™ then it's just a waste of time. And that's a falsehood. Wasting time is when you spend weeks, months, years banging your head against your desk because you can't stick it out. Forcing yourself to write something outside of your current skill set or writing something that you're just not that into is a set up for anxiety and procrastination. The time will come when you can tackle Big Awesome Idea™, consider making an impact in the literary world, or what you need to do to become the next author to make a living writing. In the meantime beef up your writing skills by writing something you crave versus something that gives you the cold sweats. Put aside these currently unnecessary worries and write just for you. Write just for fun. Be as self-indulgent, ridiculous, cliched, and/or pointless as you want to be. Don't worry about finishing anything (right now, anyway) or making it readable to another person or even to yourself. Just write for the pure joy of the sound of your fingers hitting the keys or pen scratching paper. Thrill yourself with words being strung into sentences and sentences into paragraphs. You're simply trying to retrain your brain into thinking of writing as something it wants to do, something it can't wait to get back to. When your writing habit starts to become as automatic and enjoyable as turning on the TV you know you're ready to take your writing to the next level. Be Realistic:

As I stated above having an expectation of being able to write something amazing when you first start out or without putting in the long hours of practice to master the craft is completely unrealistic. No one would expect you to perform an opera after only singing in the shower a few times so you shouldn't expect to write a best-selling novel right from the get-go for the same reason. Great writing takes times and practice. Another thing to keep in mind is if you try to force writing into your schedule when it's already overbooked you're going to see it as a chore instead of something you enjoy. Writing isn't always fun but that doesn't mean you should turn it into a forced marched. All you will do is force yourself to come up with a hundred things you'd rather do than write. Getting up two hours early in the morning to fit writing into your schedule might have worked for Stephen King but that's unrealistic for the average human. We need sleep and we need to be kind to ourselves. Time for fun, being social, and rest is vital. Try slipping 25-minute writing sessions into your day or dedicate a day or two a week to a few hours of writing. Make it something to look forward to rather than one more obligation to weigh you down. And not every day is going to be an awesome writing day. Some days you just aren't going to feel it. Give it a solid try but don't guilt yourself if it just doesn't happen. Forget About Perfection

I'm just going to keep hammering this point home but nearly every writer I've talked to struggles with these. Writing is a unique endeavor because we rarely see the process that goes into its final product. When a book or story inspires us it's natural to run to your desk and want to do the same and then feel inadequate when it falls short. Nothing is perfect in the rough draft stage. And that's true for all those books and stories that you love. Every single one sucked when it was first written, I promise you. Let yourself lay down bad word choices, half-finished scenes, and cringe-worthy dialogue until you reach the end before you worry about polishing it into something for someone else to read. You Are Not Your Failures:

Ray Bradbury once said, "you fail only if you stop writing." We all have unfinished drafts and half-formed ideas, criticisms that leave us feeling deflated and maybe even a rejection slip or two. We've all had good intentions of starting a writing habit only to falter a few weeks or months later. Do not let any of this pull you down into feeling inadequate. Low self-esteem and self-criticism are creativity killers. Go easy on yourself when you do falter. Life is messy, busy, and imperfect. You are not your failures nor are your failures a reflection on your abilities as a writer.

Take the path of least resistance in building your writing habit by making it something you can't wait to get back to. When the fears and insecurities that hold you back are conquered, or at least more manageable, you'll find it a lot easier to write, even the stuff that scares you.

Good luck and keep writing!