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Writer's pictureClaire Kohler

How to Write a Book When You Have ADHD


A typewriter overlaid with a pen and the words "ADHD Tip: How to write a book when you have ADHD."

The first thing to know is it is possible write to a book when you have ADHD. I am living proof of this as a published author who was diagnosed with ADHD when I was in 6th grade.


Okay, now that we've gotten that out of the way, let me share the key to writing a book as an ADHDer: leveraging your strengths while also managing your weaknesses.


You're probably thinking, "That sounds great, but how do I do that?"


Let's take a look at six ADHD strengths and struggles you'll likely be dealing with as you undertake this endeavor:


ADHD Strengths

  1. Hyperfocus

  2. Creativity

  3. Sociability

  4. Resilience

  5. High energy

  6. Enthusiasm


ADHD Struggles

  1. Boredom

  2. Distractibility

  3. Forgetfulness

  4. Burnout

  5. Difficulty maintaining habits

  6. Procrastination

These are all real things that impact the ADHD community in positive and negative ways. The ADHD brain is a lot like a sprinter—great at running full force for a short time but not good at maintaining speed over long distances. In order to work around our weaknesses, there are safeguards we can put in place. Here are a few:


  • Get a writing accountability partner. This can be another writer or just someone who supports you and will check in to make sure you haven't given up on your project.

  • Write together with other authors. This can be through co-writing a story or by doing writing sprints together. Competition is something that helps motivate ADHDers, so seeing who can write the most words in a given amount of time is a great way to help you persevere.

  • Set deadlines for yourself.

  • Give yourself rewards when you hit certain goals. These can be overall word count goals, chapter goals, scene goals, or whatever way you like to break your story down into parts.

  • Force yourself to take breaks even when you're really excited about the story. Be careful not to push yourself too hard.

  • Make writing part of your regular routine.

  • Try not to start several stories at once.

For more ADHD writing tips like these and more information about how to incorporate the safeguards I mentioned above, check out my other blog posts. Best of luck to you, and remember that while your ADHD may make it more difficult to finish your novel, it is NOT impossible.

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