Uncapping the Coke Bottle: 9 Tips to Help ADHD Writers Harness Their Ideas
Imagine shaking a bottle of coke with the lid screwed on tight. The pressure builds, the bubbles surge, yet there’s no release. This is how it can feel when creativity is brimming inside me — the chaos of ideas swirl, desperate to escape but I struggle to channel them into the clear, linear thinking necessary for writing. This frustrating experience is all too common for those of us with ADHD. In this post, you'll discover how ADHD both helps and hinders our creative process and learn practical tips to unscrew that metaphorical bottle cap and unleash your potential as a writer.
Divergent Thinking & Convergent Thinking
ADHD brains are often overflowing with creative energy. This can be attributed to our above-average strengths in divergent thinking (the process of exploring and generating multiple ideas and possibilities through free-flowing, non-linear thinking). But focusing on just one thought long enough to write it down and organize it into a cohesive piece of writing? That's where things get tricky for us.
This relies on a type of thinking known as convergent thinking—taking those many ideas and sequencing them into a finished piece. This requires focus, systematic thinking, and the ability to see a project through to completion — all areas of impairment for the ADHD brain. Without convergent thinking, our brilliant ideas remain just that—ideas, never realized or shared with the world.
The Power of Creative Expression (And Why We Need It)
Maya Angelou once wrote, "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
These words struck a chord deep within me when I first heard them. For years I felt suffocated under the weight of all that wanted to be expressed in me, yet my life-long 'writer’s block' (read: undiagnosed ADHD) kept it from seeing the light of day. And so I lived my life not creating. For an ADHD mind overflowing with energy, this wasn't just a missed opportunity, it was a recipe for self-destruction.
We can think of ADHD brains like Border Collies; known for their high intelligence and boundless energy, Border Collies need a lot of activity and mental stimulation otherwise they can become destructive in their boredom. But give them a sheep herd or a challenging agility course, and they'll transform into champions. Similarly, ADHD brains require the right environment and challenges to flourish or we too stand to become destructive in our boredom. We, like our four-legged friends, simply require the right conditions to excel and productively channel our energy. Put simply, when it comes to ADHD brains, if we aren’t creating, we’re (most likely) destructing.
ADHD Impairments That Affect The Writing Process
So how do we go about creating the right conditions for our creative process? It starts with taking a look at some of the main ADHD impairments that tend to inhibit it.
Dr. Thomas E. Brown, a clinical psychologist and leading researcher on ADHD has identified six clusters of executive functions that are impaired in individuals with ADHD, listed below. As you read through them, see which ones you think might affect the writing process (spoiler alert: it’s all of them)
Activation: organizing tasks and materials, estimating time, getting started.
Focus: focusing, sustaining focus, and shifting focus between tasks.
Effort: regulating alertness, sustaining effort and processing speed.
Emotion: managing frustration and modulating emotions.
Memory: using working memory and accessing recall.
Action: monitoring/ regulating actions.
Unleashing the Creative Flow
Understanding the unique challenges that ADHD presents, here are some battle-tested strategies to help create the ideal environment for channeling ADHD creativity into productive writing flow:
Externalize Accountability: Our ADHD brains crave urgency. Procrastination thrives on distant deadlines. The solution? External accountability with bite-sized goals! Commit to sharing drafts of your work with a friend, colleague, or editor at regular intervals. This creates a sense of immediate urgency that breaks down that looming, overwhelming task into manageable chunks. Bonus: this not only combats procrastination but also helps manage our tendency for all-or-nothing thinking; by focusing on completing smaller tasks closer to the present, you avoid feeling overwhelmed by the big picture.
Hack the Convergent Thinking Process: ADHD brains can think in a convergent manner; they just need a helping hand. Set up systems to help your brain drop into convergent thinking. For example:
Set Clear Goals: Start with a specific, narrow prompt or question that guides the writing. This helps maintain focus on a single idea.
Guiding Questions: Use self-check questions like, "Does this support my main idea?" or "Is this relevant to my current section?" to stay on track. If not, add it to the Parking Lot (see below)
Idea Parking Lot: As you write, create a separate section or document for ideas that can be explored later, keeping the current writing focused.
Walk & Talk: Often for the ADHD brain, to think is to talk. We are verbal processors and we are best at problem-solving when we can externalize (ie. talk). If you’re tired of staring at a blank page, try going for a walk and speak your ideas into a voice memo on your phone - stream of consciousness style. Voila - a first draft (and some extra steps to boot). This practice allows you to capture all those ideas quickly without getting bogged down by the perfectionist ADHD brain. Bonus: draft two is as simple as sitting down at your computer, listening back and taking notes. By the time you go to write draft three, you will likely have dropped into your flow state and good luck stopping you now!
Cue Your Brain: ADHD is a working memory impairment. We struggle with things like free recall (locating information in our memory banks without any cues). Starting a piece of writing from scratch, unprompted, is not easy. The good news? Our cued recall is fantastic – a well-placed question can unlock a treasure trove of thoughts. Set up a call with a friend at the beginning of your writing session and give them a list of questions in advance to jog your memory and get those ideas flowing. For example, have them ask you, “What do you want the world to hear right now?” or “What are the top points you want to make?”
Plan for Dopamine Breaks: ADHD brains crave dopamine. Instead of beating yourself up for reaching for your phone for the hundredth time, plan for it! Schedule short dopamine breaks throughout your writing session. Take a cold shower, blast some music and dance – anything to give your brain that sweet hit it needs.
Ditch the Pomodoro Technique: Structured tasks like math problems are perfect for the Pomodoro timer. But writing, which requires insightful thinking, is different. It takes time to sink into that flow state, and constant interruptions can be a creativity killer.
Time Block: Often, the biggest challenge in sitting down to write is resisting the urge to stand up and complete the 10,000 other tasks an ADHD brain will try to convince you should get done in that moment. Time-blocking, the art of blocking time for certain tasks (explained in more detail here), makes it easier to resist those urges because you are working inside a protected window of time that you have previously agreed to only work on writing. It puts a stop to the constant “I should be doing X” or “should I be working on Y instead right now?”. Of course your brain will still come up with ideas (as that is what we do best) on other things that need doing but this is when the “parking lot” method comes in handy. If a new idea pops up, jot it down on a separate list (the parking lot) to be reviewed later. Bonus: by offloading this information to the list, it keeps your already limited) working memory slots available for your creativity.
Body Double Power: Sometimes, all it takes is a buddy to keep us on track. Find a friend or fellow writer and work side-by-side. The accountability can work wonders for focus.
Change Your Scenery: Novelty is our friend! If your usual writing spot isn't sparking joy, try a new location. Head to a park, a coffee shop, or anywhere that inspires you.
This is insanely helpful! Your work is allowing me to see myself more clearly and inspiring me to improve my systems through small and manageable steps. I no longer blame myself the way I once did, just my systems. Already excited for the next post!