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Writing Problems Common for Students With ADHD

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• ADHD and Writing Skills
• Common Challenges
• Helpful Writing Strategies

Children with ADHD are more likely to develop writing problems than children without ADHD, regardless of gender. Among both boys and girls with ADHD who also have a reading disability, however, girls have an even higher chance of developing a written language disorder, creating even more challenges for girls in the classroom.

At a Glance

ADHD is a form of neurodivergence that can make writing more challenging for some students. ADHD traits can affect a student's ability to concentrate, meet deadlines, stay on task, and stay organized, impacting their writing skills. Keep reading to learn more about how ADHD can affect children's writing skills—and how appropriate accommodations and support can help these students succeed.

ADHD Can Impact Skills Important for Writing

The technique of expressing oneself through writing is quite a complex, multi-step process. It requires integrating several skills, including:

• Planning, analyzing, and organizing thoughts
• Prioritizing and sequencing information
• Remembering and implementing correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar rules
• Fine motor coordination

As students age and move into high school and college , the expectations around writing become even more demanding. Essays and reports that require students to communicate what they know on paper factor more prominently into the curriculum.

It is no wonder that writing can create such anxiety in students with ADHD. Simply starting the process and getting ideas and thoughts out of their head in an organized manner and down on paper can feel like an uphill battle.

This can create problems for students with ADHD since research has found that writing abilities longitudinally predict the academic outcomes of kids with this form of neurodivergence .

Signs of Writing Problems in Kids With ADHD

Some of the signs that a student might be struggling with their writing due to ADHD characteristics include:

• Taking longer than their classmates to complete their work
• Producing less written work—shorter reports, less "discussion" on discussion questions, and fewer sentences on each test question—as compared to their peers without ADHD
• Struggling to turn in written assignments by the required deadline
• Making spelling errors due to rushing through the writing process or not being able to stay on task
• Failing to proofread and edit assignments before turning them in

ADHD Challenges That May Lead to Writing Difficulties

Why is it so tough for students with ADHD to produce well-crafted, thoughtful, carefully edited writing? Here are nine of the top reasons:

• Keeping ideas in mind long enough to remember what one wants to say
• Maintaining focus on the "train of thought" so the flow of the writing does not veer off course
• Keeping in mind the big picture of what you want to communicate while manipulating the ideas, details, and wording
• With the time and frustration it can take to complete work, there is often no time (or energy) remaining to check over the details, edit assignments, and make corrections.
• Students with ADHD generally have problems with focus and attention to detail, making it likely that they will make errors in spelling, grammar, or punctuation.
• If a child is impulsive, they may also rush through schoolwork. As a result, papers are often filled with "careless" mistakes.
• The whole proofreading and editing process can be quite tedious, so if students attempt to review work, they may easily lose interest and focus.
• Challenges with fine motor coordination can complicate writing ability further. Many students with ADHD struggle with fine motor coordination, resulting in slower, messier penmanship that can be very difficult to read.
• Simply sustaining the attention and mental energy required for writing can be a struggle for someone with ADHD.

Research indicates that it is less the overt behavioral traits (like restlessness and impulsivity) that influence writing problems in kids with ADHD. Instead, it is typically struggles with executive functions (such as working memory, cognitive flexibility, and attentional control) that play the most significant role in causing writing problems for kids with ADHD.

Writing Strategies for Kids With ADHD

Students with ADHD can work on strategies to improve writing skills that address common learning problems that can interfere with written language expression. Appropriate accommodations and support can help students with ADHD manage the challenges that might affect their writing abilities. Some strategies that can help include:

Giving Clear Instructions

Students with ADHD benefit from having concise instructions that clearly outline the steps to follow in an assignment. Breaking down tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks can also help.

Help With Organization

Organizational strategies like outlining can help. Some people may find index cards breaking down writing tasks into small steps helpful, but students with ADHD often get bogged down if they have to deal with many smaller tasks. In such instances, setting a timer and devoting a specific block of time to writing can be a great way to make progress on writing tasks without getting overwhelmed.

Provide Extra Time

Because students with ADHD may take longer with writing assignments, providing extra time to complete these tasks can be a helpful accommodation that helps ensure academic sucess. This can give kids the time they need to produce quality work and finish their assignments.

Extra time, clear instructions, and help with organization can help kids with ADHD managing writing assignments more easily. However, it is important to remember that each kid is different. Experimenting with different methods and supports can help each child figure out what works best for them.

Keep in Mind

It is important to remember that while students with ADHD might struggle with writing skills, having the right accommodations and support can help them succeed in academic settings. Finding ways to support kids in overcoming their writing challenges can help them manage their ADHD effectively, foster more positive academic self-esteem, and strengthen their writing skills.

Molitor SJ, Langberg JM, Evans SW. The written expression abilities of adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder .  Res Dev Disabil . 2016;51-52:49-59. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2016.01.005

Molitor SJ, Langberg JM, Bourchtein E, Eddy LD, Dvorsky MR, Evans SW. Writing abilities longitudinally predict academic outcomes of adolescents with ADHD .  Sch Psychol Q . 2016;31(3):393-404. doi:10.1037/spq0000143

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ADHD in the classroom: Helping children succeed in school .

Mokobane M, Pillay BJ, Meyer A. Fine motor deficits and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in primary school children . S Afr J Psychiatr . 2019;25:1232. doi:10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v25i0.1232

Soto EF, Irwin LN, Chan ESM, Spiegel JA, Kofler MJ. Executive functions and writing skills in children with and without ADHD .  Neuropsychology . 2021;35(8):792-808. doi:10.1037/neu0000769

By Keath Low  Keath Low, MA, is a therapist and clinical scientist with the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities at the University of North Carolina. She specializes in treatment of ADD/ADHD.

How to Tackle an Essay (an ADHD-friendly Guide)

6 steps and tips.

Most of the college students I work with have one major assignment type that gets them stuck like no other: the dreaded essay. It has become associated with late nights, requesting extensions (and extensions on extensions), feelings of failure, and lots of time lost staring at a screen. This becomes immensely more stressful when there is a thesis or capstone project that stands between you and graduation.

The good news?

An essay doesn’t have to be the brick wall of doom that it once was. Here are some strategies to break down that wall and construct an essay you feel good about submitting.

Step 1:  Remember you’re beginning an essay, not finishing one.

Without realizing it, you might be putting pressure on yourself to have polished ideas flow from your brain onto the paper. There’s a reason schools typically bring up having an outline and a rough draft! Thoughts are rarely organized immediately (even with your neurotypical peers, despite what they may say). Expecting yourself to deliver a publishing-worthy award winner on your first go isn’t realistic. It’s allowed to look messy and unorganized in the beginning! There can be unfinished thoughts, and maybe even arguments you aren’t sure if you want to include. When in doubt, write it down.

Step 2: Review the rubric

Make sure you have a clear understanding of what the assignment is asking you to include and to focus on. If you don’t have an understanding of it, it’s better to find out in advance rather than the night before the assignment is due. The rubric is your anchor and serves as a good guide to know “when you can be done.” If you hit all the marks on the rubric, you’re looking at a good grade.

I highly recommend coming back to the rubric multiple times during the creative process, as it can help you get back on track if you’ve veered off in your writing to something unrelated to the prompt. It can serve as a reminder that it’s time to move onto a different topic - if you’ve hit the full marks for one area, it’s better to go work on another section and return to polish the first section up later. Challenge the perfectionism!

Step 3: Divide and conquer

Writing an essay is not just writing an essay. It typically involves reading through materials, finding sources, creating an argument, editing your work, creating citations, etc. These are all separate tasks that ask our brain to do different things. Instead of switching back and forth (which can be exhausting) try clumping similar tasks together.

For example:

Prepping: Picking a topic, finding resources related to topic, creating an outline

Gathering: reading through materials, placing information into the outline

Assembling: expanding on ideas in the outline, creating an introduction and conclusion

Finishing: Make final edits, review for spelling errors and grammar, create a title page and reference page, if needed.

Step 4: Chunk it up

Now we’re going to divide the work EVEN MORE because it’s also not realistic to expect yourself to assemble the paper all in one sitting. (Well, maybe it is realistic if you’re approaching the deadline, but we want to avoid the feelings of panic if we can.) If you haven’t heard of chunking before, it’s breaking down projects into smaller, more approachable tasks.

This serves multiple functions, but the main two we are focusing on here is:

• it can make it easier to start the task;
• it helps you create a timeline for how long it will take you to finish.

If you chunk it into groups and realize you don’t have enough time if you go at that pace, you’ll know how quickly you’ll need to work to accomplish it in time.

Here are some examples of how the above categories could be chunked up for a standard essay. Make sure you customize chunking to your own preferences and assignment criteria!

Days 1 - 3 : Prep work

• ‍ Day 1: Pick a topic & find two resources related to it
• Day 2: Find three more resources related to the topic
• Day 3: Create an outline

Days 4 & 5 : Gather

• ‍ Day 4: Read through Resource 1 & 2 and put information into the outline
• Day 5: Read through Resource 3 & 4 and put information into the outline

Days 6 - 8 : Assemble

• ‍ Day 6: Create full sentences and expand on Idea 1 and 2
• Day 7: Create full sentences and expand on Idea 3 and write an introduction
• Day 8: Read through all ideas and expand further or make sentence transitions smoother if need be. Write the conclusion

Day 9: Finish

• ‍ Day 9: Review work for errors and create a citation page

Hey, we just created an outline about how to make an outline - how meta!

Feel like even that is too overwhelming? Break it down until it feels like you can get started. Of course, you might not have that many days to complete an assignment, but you can do steps or chunks of the day instead (this morning I’ll do x, this afternoon I’ll do y) to accommodate the tighter timeline. For example:

Day 1: Pick a topic

Day 2: Find one resource related to it

Day 3: Find a second resource related to it

Step 5: Efficiently use your resources

There’s nothing worse than stockpiling 30 resources and having 100 pages of notes that can go into an essay. How can you possibly synthesize all of that information with the time given for this class essay? (You can’t.)

Rather than reading “Article A” and pulling all the information you want to use into an “Article A Information Page,” try to be intentional with the information as you go. If you find information that’s relevant to Topic 1 in your paper, put the information there on your outline with (article a) next to it. It doesn’t have to be a full citation, you can do that later, but we don’t want to forget where this information came from; otherwise, that becomes a whole mess.

By putting the information into the outline as you go, you save yourself the step of re-reading all the information you collected and trying to organize it later on.

*Note: If you don’t have topics or arguments created yet, group together similar ideas and you can later sort out which groups you want to move forward with.

Step 6: Do Some Self-Checks

It can be useful to use the Pomodoro method when writing to make sure you’re taking an adequate number of breaks. If you feel like the 25 min work / 5 min break routine breaks you out of your flow, try switching it up to 45 min work / 15 min break. During the breaks, it can be useful to go through some questions to make sure you stay productive:

• How long have I been writing/reading this paragraph?
• Does what I just wrote stay on topic?
• Have I continued the "write now, edit later" mentality to avoid getting stuck while writing the first draft?
• Am I starting to get frustrated or stuck somewhere? Would it benefit me to step away from the paper and give myself time to think rather than forcing it?
• Do I need to pick my energy back up? Should I use this time to get a snack, get some water, stretch it out, or listen to music?

General Tips:

• If you are having a difficult time trying to narrow down a topic, utilize office hours or reach out to your TA/professor to get clarification. Rather than pulling your hair out over what to write about, they might be able to give you some guidance that speeds up the process.
• You can also use (and SHOULD use) office hours for check-ins related to the paper, tell your teacher in advance you’re bringing your rough draft to office hours on Thursday to encourage accountability to get each step done. Not only can you give yourself extra pressure - your teacher can make sure you’re on the right track for the assignment itself.
• For help with citations, there are websites like Easybib.com that can help! Always double check the citation before including it in your paper to make sure the formatting and information is correct.
• If you’re getting stuck at the “actually writing it” phase, using speech-to-text tools can help you start by transcribing your spoken words to paper.
• Many universities have tutoring centers and/or writing centers. If you’re struggling, schedule a time to meet with a tutor. Even if writing itself isn’t tough, having a few tutoring sessions scheduled can help with accountability - knowing you need to have worked on it before the tutoring session is like having mini deadlines. Yay, accountability!

Of course, if writing just isn’t your jam, you may also struggle with motivation . Whatever the challenge is, this semester can be different. Reach out early if you need help - to your professor, a tutor, an ADHD coach , or even a friend or study group. You have a whole team in your corner. You’ve got this, champ!

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Writing Strategies for Students With ADHD

Here are six challenges and solutions, based on task simplicity and clear instruction, for helping students with ADHD develop their essay-writing skills.

Too often, students with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) get labeled as "problem students." They often get shuffled into special education programs even if they show no signs of developmental disability. Though these students' brains do work differently, studies prove that it doesn't preclude them from being highly intelligent. That means teachers should pay special attention to help students with ADHD discover their potential and deal with the challenges they face in their learning process.

As essay writing is both the most common and the most complicated assignment for students, writing instruction for students with ADHD requires special efforts. Each step of writing process may present certain difficulties for these young people. Here are some practical solutions for teachers to encourage, motivate, and focus their students on writing process.

1. Difficulty Concentrating on Assignment

Research proves that ADHD doesn’t result in less intelligence, but rather in difficulties controlling emotions, staying motivated, and organizing the thoughts. So a teacher's first task is teaching students focus enough on a writing assignment.

Solution: Give clear, concise instructions.

When assigning an essay or other writing project, be specific and clear about what you expect. Don't leave a lot of room for interpretation. Instead of the assignment "Write about a joyous moment," include instructions in your writing prompt, such as:

• Think about the last time you felt happy and joyful.
• Describe the reasons for your happiness.
• What exactly made you feel joy?
• What can that feeling be compared to?

Make sure every student knows that he or she should come to you directly with any questions. Plan to take extra time reviewing the instructions with students one to one, writing down short instructions along the way.

2. Difficulty Organizing Thoughts on Paper

Several studies have found that students with ADHD struggle with organizing their thoughts and mental recall. These students can often speak well and explain their thoughts orally, but not in writing.

Solution: Get them organized from the start.

Start each project with a simple note system. Give students the freedom to take their own notes and review them together if possible. Have students pay special attention to filing these notes in a large binder, folder, or other method for making storage and retrieval simple.

To help students understand how to organize their written thoughts, teach them mind mapping . A semantic mind map for an essay may include major nouns, verbs, and adjectives, as well as phrases to use in writing each paragraph. Some introductory and transition sentences will also come in handy. Another step after mind mapping is advanced outlining . Begin and end the initial outline with the words "Intro" and "Conclusion" as placeholders. Then have students expand that outline on their own.

3. Difficulty With Sustained Work on a Single Task

ADHD can make it difficult for students to focus on long-term goals, leading to poor attention and concentration when the task requires work for an extended period of time.

Solution: Create small, manageable milestones.

Since accomplishing a five-page essay takes a lot of time, you can chop it into smaller, easier-to-manage pieces that can be worked on in rotation. Each piece may be checked separately if time allows. Treating every issue and section as an independent task will prevent students from feeling overwhelmed as they work toward a larger goal.

4. Difficulty in Meeting Deadlines

Deadlines are the things that discourage students with ADHD, as they work on assignments more slowly than their classmates, are often distracted, and tend to procrastinate.

Solution: Allow for procrastination.

It may sound ridiculous, but build procrastination into the writing process by breaking up the work and allowing for extra research, brainstorming, and other activities which diversify students' work while still focusing on the end result.

5. Spelling Issues

Students with ADHD often have difficulties with writing, especially in terms of spelling. The most common issues are reversing or omitting letters, words, or phrases. Students may spell the same word differently within the same essay. That's why lots of attention should be paid to spelling.

Solution: Encourage spell checkers, dictionaries, and thesaurus.

There are plenty of writing apps and tools available to check spelling and grammar. As a teacher, you can introduce several apps and let students choose which ones work better for writing essays. When checking the submitted papers and grading the work, highlight the spelling mistakes so that students can pay special attention to the misspelled words and remember the correct variant.

6. Final Editing Issues

Students with ADHD may experience problems during the final editing of their work since, by this time, they will have read and reviewed it several times and may not be paying attention to mistakes.

Solution: Teach them to review their writing step by step.

Take an essay template as an example and show students how to revise it. Go through the editing process slowly, explaining the "why" behind certain changes, especially when it comes to grammatical issues. Assign students the task of revising each other's essays so that when they revise their own final draft, they'll know what to pay attention to and what common mistakes to look for.

Addressing the challenges unique to students with ADHD will help these students find ways to handle their condition effectively and even use it to their advantage. Their unique perspective can be channeled into creative writing, finding new solutions to problems, and most of all, finding, reaching, and even exceeding their goals and fulfilling their full potential.

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ADHD College Students: Use This Strategy To Write Papers

ADHD College Students : Here at ADHD Collective, we love highlighting the experiences and perspectives of like-minded people with ADHD. Izzy Walker started attending the weekly coworking sessions we launched in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began.  She showed up week after week and put in the hard work as she neared the semester’s end at University. When she accepted my invitation to share what she learned with our readers, I was thrilled, and I know you will be too. Please share Izzy’s helpful tips in your social circles, if you know a college student with ADHD who could benefit.

ADHD and College

Making it to university was a milestone I often thought I would never make. However, my experience was gloomy. Everything was disproportionately difficult, lectures were a confusing din, and every assignment was a mammoth struggle.

I changed university naively thinking it would be different somewhere else. It wasn’t. But it was there at my new university that my story of hope began, as one friend saw the immense struggle I was having and suggested that it could be ADHD.

This conversation was a catalyst for change, and set the ball rolling for me in my journey. It led to a heck of a lot of personal research, but also a meeting with an Educational Psychologist who after a series of testing gave me the diagnosis of ADHD and Dyspraxia .

When I read these words I felt an odd, overwhelming sense of relief. I wasn’t dumb, lazy, incapable, or ‘just not cut out to study’.

School reports year after year would echo the words, ‘distracted and distracting’, ‘capable but often off-task’, and ‘constantly questioning’. On paper I was doing well, the product of my work was good, so no flags had been raised, but deep down behind closed doors I was not doing well, the process was far from good. This has been the case throughout the whole of my education, and I just put it down to my capability.

Since diagnosis I have finished my 1 st assignment, and then my 2 nd , and then my 3 rd , and I am now looking onwards to my final year before being a qualified teacher. This time with hope and acceptance of who I am and who I can be with the right strategies and support in place.

Here are some that I have found the most game-changing when working on projects/assignments:

Give Yourself a New Deadline

I set myself a deadline a few days (at least) before the actual one. I have a real tendency to be scrambling right to the last minute and this helps avoid a lot of stress.

The whole point of this was to prevent a lot of unnecessary scrambling and stress. This also gave me time to edit (more on that later).

As much as you can, it’s helpful to treat this earlier date as your actual deadline. One way I did this was only scheduling this earlier date on the calendar so it felt more real.

By finishing 5-6 days early, it offered me a  window of time for editing and getting it ready to turn in. It also gave time to improve the paper should I have any middle of the night revelations…which I so often do!

Break Your Paper Down into Smaller Pieces

When I was presented with a 5,000 word assignment I felt immediately overwhelmed. I broke the assignment down into sections and assigned a word count to each one.

when I considered what my paper actually entailed, it didn’t seem so bad. Here's what the requirements consisted of:

• Introduction - 1 section
• Argument FOR - 3 sections
• Argument AGAINST - 3 sections
• Conclusion - 1 Section
• Total length of the paper had to be 5,000 words.

It may seem very overly meticulous, but by spending 30 minutes doing this prevented what could have been HOURS of cutting back word count in the editing stages, and could also run the risk of having no clear structure.

I am a waffler, so without this structure, I would probably have gone WAY over the word limit anyway.

I also went one step further by writing a title for each of the points (on my plan only) and any key things I wanted/needed to mention.

For example, in an assignment on why outdoor learning should be a part of the primary curriculum, my points would be titled ‘educational benefits’, ‘health benefits’ and ‘social benefits’.

The contrary points could be titled ‘behavioural issues’, ‘lack of funding’, and ‘lack of training’. By breaking it down into bite size chunks I felt it was much more manageable.

Focus on One Section a Day

After breaking it down, I dedicated a day to each of the sections. For example, intro – Monday, section 1 – Tuesday, etc.

From my experience, I have found that having a specific measurable target makes it almost like a game. I found it very motivating watching the word count for that section going down as I typed.

By scheduling the sections out and putting them in my calendar, it allowed me to know when this assignment could realistically be finished by, rather than taking a guess and hoping for the best.

When I woke up, I was thinking, 'I have to write 650 words today!’ rather than ‘oh my goodness 5,000 words!?

I would recommend doing this step as soon as you get the assignment and the deadline date…even if you do nothing else towards it, so that you know when you must start.

Set a Mid-Way Checkpoint

it will save you a LOT of time in the editing stages if you do a little editing as you go along. 

With the word count on this particular assignment being so big, I thought it would be wise to set a mid-way checkpoint to read through everything so far and make changes as necessary. 

Normally, this would be done at the end but I knew I would have lost all interest and motivation by this point…so it would be better to save myself such a huge job. This also filled me with confidence because when I was writing the second half of the assignment and needed the extra boost, I knew that the first half was to a good standard.

Do Something Every Day (No Matter How Small)

I’m not going to lie, not everyday was as straightforward as ‘write one section a day’. 

Some days I was crippled by demotivation, lethargy and not wanting to do ANYTHING. 

The key times I noticed this was if I had worked too hard the previous day or if I had hit a difficult part. Believe me, working TOO hard is a THING. 

My biggest piece of advice is…know your limits! 

I’m no ADHD scientist, but I find my brain must be working harder because of the increased effort I am investing to even stand a chance of being able to concentrate. 

Whilst I may feel just about fine at the time, the next day it takes its toll…big time…and maybe the work I did in my ‘overtime’ wasn’t even of the best quality anyway. 

"If you just aren’t feeling it, do just one sentence, or find just one piece of theory. Just do one something ..."

This is another reason why my structured plan was really useful because it prevented me from unnecessarily going overboard…and meant that there was no real reason to anyway as I was already on track to finish on time. 

If it’s the latter reason, that I’ve hit a difficult part, then there is nothing worse than putting it off another day because this ‘mental wall’ will just get HIGHER. 

What did I find useful? If you just aren’t feeling it…do just ONE sentence, or find just ONE piece of theory you just use. Just do ONE something…so then you can feel at least partially accomplished and it’s not a blank section for when you do get back to it. 

Best case scenario…that ONE something, could roll into TWO or THREE or FOUR somethings…and before you know it that section is done. Often it is just starting that is the difficult bit. 

But worse case scenario…you tried and you can give it another shot tomorrow when your brain is a bit fresher. Productive days happen, utilise these and ride the waves…as do unproductive days…don’t allow the guilt to creep in.

Declutter Your Workspace

I even went to the extreme of removing the pen pot off the desk…in front of me all I had was paper, 1 pen, my lamp, and my laptop.

Minimalism has been a saviour for me during this time of discovering what works for me and what doesn’t. I’ve come to the conclusion that reducing physical clutter consequently reduces mental clutter. I also found the inverse to be true too, clearing my physical space gave me mental clarity.

Whilst this is a visible practice in much of my life, it is especially apparent with my workspace . You’d be amazed what I can get distracted by when writing an assignment…even something as small and monotonous as a pen pot!

Firstly…I would recommend to ALWAYS have a work station with a proper chair when you are writing an assignment and never work from your bed. You must set yourself up for success.

Secondly, I have only the bare essentials in front of me…a pen, a lamp, paper, and my laptop. By keeping it minimal it also means it is easily portable if you want to ‘hot seat’ in your own house if you get bored of that scenery!

Use ADHD Coworking Sessions (and the Pomodoro Technique)

At the start of lockdown I stumbled upon a weekly coworking group ran by Adam from ADHD Collective. I can honestly put down a lot of my success to this…it was amazing!

Firstly, I felt so understood because the group was aimed at people with ADHD. This meant that everyone could share their experiences and not feel judged, but instead find themselves in a supportive community where they could also ask advice.

Each session was 2 hours long and attracted between 4 and 12 people, depending on the week.

It would start with each person sharing (with specifics) what task they wanted to achieve within the next 25 minute block.

By being specific it allowed for a strong element of accountability because at the end of the block, Adam, the ADHD coach and group host would check your progress and whether you had achieved what you wanted to achieve.

Working in 25 minute blocks is often referred to as the Pomodoro Technique . Whilst everyone else in the group is sharing their progress, it gives your brain the opportunity for a short break before starting the next block.

By having short bursts of activity I was able to concentrate and thus achieve more than I would have done if I tried to work for hours without breaks.

Additionally, having the accountability was an incentive for me because it was motivation and almost turned it into a game to try and get the activity finished in time.

I hope these college writing tips give you several options that might help you with your ADHD experience.

Now over to you!

Share the tools, strategies, and tips in the comments below that have helped you in your own journey with ADHD and college writing!

Izzy Walker

Izzy Walker is a trainee teacher in her final year at University in Newcastle, UK. When not studying, she can be found on spontaneous adventures, and meeting new people! To follow her as she navigates through the adventures of ADHD, student life, and teacher...find her on Instagram at @if.walker

Thank you so much.

I am an over 50 returning student trying to finish my undergraduate degree. I never knew I had ADHD until I started taking classes that required retention, organizing, and WRITING. At times, I even wondered if I lacked the skills to even finish. I, at times, self sabotage myself of success because of my struggles. I truly appreciate you sharing your experience. I’ve become desperate and will try anything at this point. I’m just glad to know that others understand my journey. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks for this! In addition to these, I also find it really helpful to keep a “Random thoughts” notepad near me to jot down unrelated urges as I have them. Things like “refill water bottle” or “text Casey back” will still be there in 25 minutes, and knowing in advance that thoughts like ‘this will only take a second’ are lies makes them easier to put on the back burner.

Wow. Thank you, so much, Izzy. I developed ADHD only 3 years ago from a medication. I also decided to go back to college as a mom of 3 boys and the mental exhaustion and burnout is no joke. Papers have been the most challenging and this is the single most helpful tool I’ve found yet. I could feel the relief wash over me as I read through your guide. I feel inspired to tackle my papers in a new way now.

Hi, I am a mid-career student here going back for an MA part-time, while also working. I’ve never been formally diagnosed, but I tick all the boxes and I know now it is why I struggled with papers in college the first time around and why I developed so many systems to be organized in my work life. Was feeling a little burned out today while writing an academic paper and was looking for advice. I was amazed to see that your system is very similar to what I’ve been doing for myself to get through paper-writing! It’s reinforcing in a very good way. Thank you for sharing this. Best of luck to everyone with finding the solutions and tricks that work for them.

Hi Espy, appreciate the comment. Very cool to hear your intuitive system is similar (nice intuition!). If an additional accountability/community component would ever be useful, you’re always invited to our Wednesday ADHD Coworking Sessions. They’re free and we do them every Wednesday (you can sign up for upcoming sessions here: https://adhdcollective.com/adhd-coworking-session-online/ ). Would love to have you, Espy!

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Feel Like Torture?  15 Writing Tips for College Students with ADHD

Time out of hand, papers everywhere.  Assignments late or undone.  There are definite ways to make a change.  The question is:  What are they?

College students with ADHD often have a severe impact on their studies.  Inattentiveness leads to a disorganized writing process.  They struggle keeping ideas in their mind long enough to remember what they want to say.  Difficulty maintaining focus on their train of thought results in challenges so they don’t veer off course.

Unstructured thought results in difficulties organizing content.  Multitasking is a skill lacking in most people.  This is especially true for people with ADHD.  

Writing tasks require the manipulation of ideas and details.  Simultaneously, they must keep in mind the big picture being communicated.  With the time and frustration taken to complete assignments, there is virtually no time (or energy) to create success.

Writing on the university level can be a wonderful way to express creative ideas.  The challenge for students with ADHD is that they are 5 times more likely to have writing problems.  Getting their ideas and thoughts on paper can be a real struggle.

• Face greater responsibilities.
• Have less structured time.
• Encounter new social situations.
• Difficulty with limited language skills.
• Take longer getting started with writing assignments.

The writing process involves planning, analyzing, and organizing thoughts.  Editing incorporates prioritizing and sequencing information.  The same is true for both high school and college.  Having difficulties organizing thoughts is the major challenge.  

Several studies have found that college students with ADHD struggle organizing their thoughts.  This can be exasperated by an executive functioning disorder.  Starting with a simple systems gives them freedom to manipulate ideas.  Working with several techniques to customize the process for individual skills and challenges.

Advanced Outline – Begin with Introduction and Conclusion as placeholders.

Cornell Notes – Asking questions, then answering them.

Sticky Note Outline/Brainstorm Board – Create small easy-to-manage pieces.

Adding to the challenges for students with ADHD are difficulties with working memory.  They need strategies to remember what they’re writing about.  Sequencing is important, deciding what they want to do next.  High school skills can benefit how to apply grammar, capitalization, and punctuation rules.  Having specific tools help in the long run.

• Read and highlight in different colors.
• Makes notes and doodle them.
• Look up relevant samples.
• Use mnemonics to create funny ways to remember information.
• Provide 2 to 2.5 hours of study time per credit hour.

The differences between high school and college writing starts at the beginning.  Students with ADHD can pull off good grades at the secondary level.  However, odds are that these same strategies won’t work in college.  They should use accommodations to support their efforts, especially extra time to complete assignments.

The middle of the college stage requires executive functioning skills.  This pattern of chronic difficulties in executing daily tasks is common in people with ADHD.  Targeted strategies can help.

• Have some idea about what you want to write about.
• Figure out how many hours you’ll need to work.
• Block out hours on a schedule.
• With a deadline in mind, sit down and do it.
• Go digital by starting the process on a computer (mind-mapping, outlining)

Look for help from their professor.  Start with ways to begin and how to proceed.  Use an essay template as an example to show how to write and revise it.

Classmates are a great resource when starting and completing assignments.  Both can share language and perspectives.  Consider social skills throughout the interaction.  Approach calmly, asking instead of demanding.  Beginning conversations are important.  It’s in the how.

Not everything works every time.  Mix it up and see what happens.  Taking multiple breaks and getting enough sleep are a good start.

Things can seem darkest before the dawn.  Don’t let the challenges that ADHD presents stop your college progress.  Asking for help sets the groundwork for future success.

Think of college like a job…one that YOU pay for.

Copyright © 2018 by Edna Brown. All Rights Reserved.

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7 Productivity Hacks for Writers with ADHD

Last Updated on April 20, 2024 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD

Writers with ADHD often face  productivity  challenges thanks to symptoms like  mind-wandering ,  impulsivity , and  hyperfocus . Their  brains  seem to have minds of their own. While their  thoughts  race with creative ideas and insights, organizing these sparks into coherent written work can feel overwhelming.

Though  ADHD  presents real struggles, the right tools and techniques can help harness that energy into writing success. This article covers seven researched tips – leveraging  apps ,  software ,  timers , and simple analog practices – to boost productivity for writers with  attention deficit  and other  learning differences .

Whether you’re working on an  essay , crafting  code , or trying to structure your  to-do list , these ADHD writer  hacks  will tame distractions to drive sustained progress. Let’s get started!

1. Use Body Doubling for Motivation & Focus

Writers with ADHD often feel “ motivation  blindness,” struggling internally to persist despite having a sincere desire to finish writing tasks. Here,  “body doubling”  offers a clever hack…

The key premise: pair up in person or hop on a video call to co-work silently on independent tasks. While no active collaboration occurs, simply having a peer’s quiet presence boosts  productivity  for those with ADHD – “forcing” extra mental focus.

Body doubling leverages ADHD’s hyper-sensitivity to environmental stimuli. Facing another human – even virtually silent – chases away digital distractions. It kickstarts momentum.

“Accountability feels good…We’re pack animals at heart, so it makes sense that working alongside someone would prime our brains to focus,”  explains ADHD coach Eric Tivers on Additude.

So next time you’re staring at a blank page, phone a friend or set up a co-working call. Deploy shared  focus  to unstick yourself. The pressure of an audience works wonders to spark and sustain writing progress.

2. Set Up Strict Blockers & Website Blocking Tools

Digital distractions constantly hijack writers with ADHD – every ping pulls mind-wanders into black holes of browsing. Even anticipating these interruptions stifles creative flow.

Enter website blockers: strict nannies limiting access to trigger sites/apps that tend to hook hyperfocus (a symptom dubbed as “ attention surplus disorder ”). They forcibly fend off time-suckers.

Effective options range from apps like  Freedom  or  FocusMe  for custom blocking schedules to browser extensions like  StayFocusd  (Chrome) and  LeechBlock NG  (Firefox), enabling quick timeout triggers when certain sites are activated (ex, block social media for 1 hour if you open YouTube).

Treat site blockers as sensory earmuffs, constructing  focus tunnels  to enter writing flow.

Apps like  brain.fm  provide ambient soundboards with options ranging from gentle rainstorms to lively cafes that hit the neural sweet spot. They offer subtle auditory nudges acting like muses rather than music distractions.

Or self-curate writing playlists filled with instrumental  focus  tracks. Many video game soundtracks like  Skyrim  or  Zelda  deliver epic yet ambient progression suited for concentration.

Customized audio backdrops boost mood while meeting sensory needs critical for sustained writing stamina. They also drown out random noises that may sporadically sidetrack.

Takeaway: Surround yourself with strength

Mastering productivity with ADHD requires understanding unique neurological needs around stimulation while boldly creating environments that nourish personal powers.

The hacks covered above offer starters – little life design tweaks fine-tuned to writer challenges that yield big results compounding over time.

Keep chasing discoveries and customizing the creative cockpit.

Stay curious and be compassionate to yourself. Your differences are actually secret superpowers in disguise.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can tools like speech recognition software help writers with conditions like dyslexia.

Great question! Writers with learning differences like dyslexia often get tangled up in mechanics instead of ideas. Speech tools empower them to get thoughts flowing freely without worrying about spelling, grammar, etc. Programs like speech recognition software give them a jumpstart by allowing hands-free drafting to capture ideas. Then, they can go back to edit and polish writing later. This saves cognitive load for dyslexic minds juggling multiple challenges. It lets them play to their strengths!

Do productivity hacks for ADHD writers also help obsessive perfectionists prone to writer’s block?

Absolutely! Whether it’s relentless mental critique or endlessly polishing instead of progressing, perfectionism can paralyze writing. Tools like website blockers short-circuit distraction loops while timers keep writers moving forward imperfectly. The key is finishing drafts first before refinements. Speech apps also enable quick vocal brainstorming to bypass initial over-analysis. The aim is to separate generative and editing mindsets. Perfectionists need that structured separation to overcome writing barriers.

How can speech tools help dyslexic children with creative writing assignments?

Speech-to-text software can provide vital support for a dyslexic child facing writing tasks. By allowing them to speak their ideas out loud instead of struggling in frustration to pen ideas down manually it liberates their creativity. These children often have amazingly unique perspectives and insights. Yet spelling hang-ups obstruct translating this into words. Speech tools remove this barrier – helping dyslexic students showcase their true talents through hands-free drafting. Whether it’s an English assignment or group project collaboration, speech recognition gives them an equal platform to participate. Their voices get heard – literally!

Should writers rely solely on built-in automated spell-checkers?

While auto spell-check programs can catch typos on the fly, solely relying on them is risky. They won’t highlight correctly spelled words used incorrectly or other intricate errors. And since spell-checkers lack context, they may auto-replace words, changing the intended meaning. So lean on them lightly during drafts as an assist rather than authority. You should still actively check work later, or use additional tools like Grammarly for deeper checks. We all make mistakes – software included – so the most diligent option is leveraging technology as an aid while retaining a human gut check on writing.

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Hi, I am a doctor by profession, but I love writing and publishing ebooks. I have self-published 3 ebooks which have sold over 100,000 copies. I am featured in Healthline, Entrepreneur, and in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology blog.

Whether you’re a busy professional or an aspiring author with a day job, there’s no time like now to start publishing your ebook! If you are new to this world or if you are seeking help because your book isn’t selling as well as it should be – don’t worry! You can find here resources, tips, and tricks on what works best and what doesn’t work at all.

In this blog, I will help you to pick up the right tools and resources to make your ebook a best seller.

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Think you can get into a top-10 school? Take our chance-me calculator... if you dare. 🔥

Last updated March 22, 2024

Every piece we write is researched and vetted by a former admissions officer. Read about our mission to pull back the admissions curtain.

Blog > Common App , Essay Advice , Personal Statement > How to Write a College Essay About ADHD

How to Write a College Essay About ADHD

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University Admissions

Key Takeaway

ADHD and ADD are becoming more prevalent, more frequently diagnosed, and better understood.

The exact number of college students with ADHD is unclear with estimates ranging wildly from just 2% to 16% or higher.

Regardless of the raw numbers, an ADHD diagnosis feels very personal, and it is not surprising that many students consider writing a college essay about ADHD.

If you are thinking about writing about ADHD, consider these three approaches. From our experience in admissions offices, we’ve found them to be the most successful.

First, a Note on the Additional Information Section

Before we get into the three approaches, I want to note that your Common App personal statement isn’t the only place you can communicate information about your experiences to admissions officers.

You can also use the additional information section.

The additional information section is less formal than your personal statement. It doesn’t have to be in essay format, and what you write there will simply give your admissions officers context. In other words, admissions officers won’t be evaluating what you write in the additional information section in the same way they’ll evaluate your personal statement.

You might opt to put information about your ADHD (or any other health or mental health situations) in the additional information section so that admissions officers are still aware of your experiences but you still have the flexibility to write your personal statement on whatever topic you choose.

Three Ways to Write Your College Essay About ADHD

If you feel like the additional information section isn’t your best bet and you’d prefer to write about ADHD in your personal statement or a supplemental essay, you might find one of the following approaches helpful.

1) Using ADHD to understand your trends in high school and looking optimistically towards college

This approach takes the reader on a journey from struggle and confusion in earlier years, through a diagnosis and the subsequent fallout, to the present with more wisdom and better grades, and then ends on a note about the future and what college will hold.

If you were diagnosed somewhere between 8th and 10th grade, this approach might work well for you. It can help you contextualize a dip in grades at the beginning of high school and emphasize that your upward grade trend is here to stay.

The last part—looking optimistically towards college—is an important component of this approach because you want to signal to admissions officers that you’ve learned to manage the challenges you’ve faced in the past and are excited about the future.

I will warn you: there is a possible downside to this approach. Because it’s a clear way to communicate grade blips in your application, it is one of the most common ways to write a college essay about ADHD. Common doesn’t mean it’s bad or off-limits, but it does mean that your essay will have to work harder to stand out.

2) ADHD as a positive

Many students with ADHD tell us about the benefits of their diagnosis. If you have ADHD, you can probably relate.

Students tend to name strengths like quick, creative problem-solving, compassion and empathy, a vivid imagination, or a keen ability to observe details that others usually miss. Those are all great traits for college (and beyond).

If you identify a strength of your ADHD, your essay could focus less on the journey through the diagnosis and more on what your brain does really well. You can let an admissions officer into your world by leading them through your thought processes or through a particular instance of innovation.

Doing so will reveal to admissions officers something that makes you unique, and you’ll be able to write seamlessly about a core strength that’s important to you. Of course, taking this approach will also help your readers naturally infer why you would do great in college.

3) ADHD helps me empathize with others

Students with ADHD often report feeling more empathetic to others around them. They know what it is like to struggle and can be the first to step up to help others.

If this rings true to you, you might consider taking this approach in your personal statement.

If so, we recommend connecting it to at least one extracurricular or academic achievement to ground your writing in what admissions officers are looking for.

A con to this approach is that many people have more severe challenges than ADHD, so take care to read the room and not overstate your challenge.

Key Takeaways + An Example

If ADHD is a significant part of your story and you’re considering writing your personal statement about it, consider one of these approaches. They’ll help you frame the topic in a way admissions officers will respond to, and you’ll be able to talk about an important part of your life while emphasizing your strengths.

And if you want to read an example of a college essay about ADHD, check out one of our example personal statements, The Old iPhone .

As you go, remember that your job throughout your application is to craft a cohesive narrative —and your personal statement is the anchor of that narrative. How you approach it matters.

Liked that? Try this next.

The Incredible Power of a Cohesive College Application

How A Selective Admissions Office Reads 50k Applications In A Season

12 Common App Essay Examples (Graded by Former Admissions Officers)

How to Write a Personal Statement for Colleges

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Writers With ADHD: Strategies for Navigating the Writing Process

I immediately knew who to call on, and I am excited to share a guest post today from a writer who has been a part of my own journey almost from the very beginning. Johne Cook and I met on an online writing forum over 15 years ago, and he remains one of my favorite people to have entered my life in this journey. I have long admired his pragmatism, his insight, and his general cool in the face of the Internet’s insanity. To this day, I will often ask myself, “What would Johne do here?”

He has always been open about his experience as a writer with ADHD—both the challenges and his solutions for overcoming them. Today, I’m excited to have the opportunity to let him share his experience, tips, and resources with you. Enjoy this treasure trove of insight!

I wish I knew then what I know now.

For my first 45 years, I thought I was broken: I was a daydreamer, I couldn’t focus on things everyone else thought were important, I fidgeted when I should have been focusing, and I focused intently on the wrong things when people wanted my attention elsewhere.

It’s not like there weren’t clues. I excelled as part of an award-winning marching band in high school where marching in unison was expected, but it was like I was out of step with society.

I had difficulties with organization, time management, and sustaining attention in non-stimulating environments.

I couldn’t make important decisions to save my life. I kept putting things off. I had health problems, money problems, interpersonal problems.

I waited until the 11th hour to begin anything important, and things frequently fell through the cracks.

When I was young, what I wanted most was to be “normal.” But the older I got, the more I believed that was never my reality or calling.

Everything changed the day I heard a piece on NPR called “Adult ADHD in the Workplace.” As they discussed what ADHD was and shared six basic questions, I realized I checked five of the six boxes. They shared a link to a website, and I double-checked my results when I got home.

And then I met with a doctor and confirmed the diagnosis. My entire identity changed.

When I tried two different medications that gave me additional focus at the expense of my creativity (and some other small side effects), I sensed, for the first time, that my creativity was somehow tied to my condition. I valued my ability to sling words, see patterns, and make intuitive leaps that others around me couldn’t.

Because I valued my creativity, I ultimately handled my ADHD through other means that I’ll talk about below.

I realized I could either run from my ADHD or embrace it.

I decided to lean into it.

Communication

Knowing is half the battle. Knowing this about myself (and knowing that I was special, not broken) changed the way I saw everything.

I started by talking to my wife Linda and my family about what I was like and gradually increased my communication to include my boss and peers at work.

For some of them, what I told them was no surprise, and my biggest pleasant shock was how cool everyone was about it.

Finally, when appropriate, I shared about my ADHD with people I met out in the world. Letting people know what I was like set expectations and minimized confusion.

Once I had that handled, I moved on to the fun stuff.

ADHD as a Superpower

If attention deficit is the disorder, attention hyper-focus is my superpower.*

During the pandemic, Linda and I watched an interrupted season of The Amazing Race , mostly for Penn and Kim Holderness from YouTube’s The Holderness Family . It was only while watching the show that we learned that Penn was very ADHD. They referred to his ADHD as a superpower, and I saw with my own eyes how his ADHD helped him with pattern recognition, creative outside-the-box thinking, and hyper-focus during challenges.

And watching Penn at work on the show changed how I viewed my own ADHD.

In short, when managed effectively and embraced for its positive attributes, ADHD can empower writers to harness their inner strengths and achieve success in various domains of life.

Understanding ADHD in the Writing Process

People with ADHD exhibit different symptoms such as difficulty maintaining attention, hyperactivity, or impulsive behavior. For writers, these symptoms can manifest as challenges in organizing thoughts, staying on task, and completing projects.

However, it’s also associated with high levels of creativity, the ability to make unique connections, and a propensity for innovative thinking.

Challenges Faced by Writers With ADHD

(The following challenges are common but not universal.)

• Distraction: Writing progress can be derailed by the lure of new ideas , social media, or even minor environmental changes.
• Difficulty Organizing Thoughts: It can be daunting to translate a whirlwind of thoughts into coherent, structured writing.
• Procrastination: Delaying writing tasks in favor of more immediately rewarding activities.
• Impulsivity: Starting new projects without finishing current ones can lead to a cycle of uncompleted works .

Despite these challenges, many writers with ADHD have developed strategies to thrive.

Strategies and Tools for Writing with ADHD

I decided against medication. Once I took medication off the table, I began leaning harder on software tools to become more organized and to remind myself of important things.

Turning ADHD challenges into advantages requires a combination of personal strategies, environmental adjustments, and technology.

Linda and I are a team—she knows to prompt me to use my tech to capture ideas or thoughts in the moment, and I’ve become better at tracking my ideas by noting them in my phone or on my calendar.

Today, there are more tools available than ever.

Here are several approaches:

1. Structuring the Writing Environment

Minimize Distractions: Create a writing space with minimal visual and auditory distractions. Tools like noise-canceling headphones or apps that play white noise can help.

Establish Routines: Having a set writing schedule can provide structure and make it easier to start writing sessions.

2. Breaking Down Tasks

Outlining Your Novel (Amazon affiliate link)

Use Lists and Outlines: Breaking writing projects into smaller, manageable tasks can make them less daunting. Outlining can also help organize thoughts before diving into writing.

Set Small Goals: Focus on short, achievable objectives , such as writing a certain number of words daily, to build momentum.

3. Leveraging Technology

Calendars : Google Calendar or Fantastical (MacOS only) free up my mind and keep me up-to-date.

Writing Software: Applications like Scrivener or Google Docs offer features to organize ideas, research, and drafts in one place.

Time Management Apps: Pomodoro timers or task management apps like Trello can help manage time and keep track of progress.

Pocket : A social bookmarking service for storing, sharing, and discovering web bookmarks.

SnagIt : A screenshot app on my computer where I capture and store screenshots in folders for later use. Also does optical character recognition (OCR) on text strings, allowing me to replicate URLs with copy/paste.

Note-taking apps : Apple Notes —my second mind that I can access from any of my Internet-connected devices.  Notion —a beefier app for more sophisticated note-taking

4. Embracing the Creative Process

Allow for Free Writing: Set aside time to write without worrying about coherence or structure. This can help capture creative ideas without the pressure of perfection.

Develop a System for Capturing Ideas: Use note-taking apps or carry a notebook to jot down ideas as they come, regardless of the time and place.

5. Seeking Support

Writing Groups: Joining a writing group or participating in writing challenges can provide accountability and motivation.

Professional Help: For some, working with a coach or therapist specializing in ADHD can offer personalized strategies and support.

Success Stories: Writers With ADHD

Many successful writers have ADHD and have spoken about how it affects their creative process. Writers emphasize the importance of embracing their non-linear thinking, and view it not as a hindrance, but as a source of creativity and originality:

• Agatha Christie: The “Queen of Crime” was known for her prolific output and intricate plots. Some speculate that her energetic writing style and ability to focus intensely on details could be signs of ADHD.

Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie (affiliate link)

• Dav Pilkey: The creator of the popular children’s book series Captain Underpants has openly discussed his struggles with ADHD. He credits his condition with helping him be a creative thinker.

The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey (affiliate link)

• John Irving: The author of The World According to Garp was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and has spoken about how his condition has both helped and hindered his writing process.

The World According to Garp by John Irving (affiliate link)

As a writer, I don’t see things the way others do. I think outside the box.

My ADHD makes me more:

• Hyper-focused on things that capture my attention

Don’t let anyone tell you ADHD is a curse. You can view it as a gift. You can embrace it.

And then you, too, can lean into it!

Resources and Further Reading

For those looking to dive deeper into managing ADHD as a writer, or seeking inspiration from those who’ve navigated similar challenges, here are some invaluable resources:

• ADHD Questionnaire (a questionnaire based on an internationally respected screening tool for ADHD)
• 6 Surprising Ways My ADHD Brain Helped Me Write an Award-Winning Novel
• The Link Between Creativity and ADHD
• Tool & Tricks For Writers With ADHD
• ADHD Is Awesome written and read by Penn and Kim Holderness

* Hyperfocus is common but not universal.

Wordplayers, tell me your opinions! Can you share any tips or experiences for managing ADHD as a writer? Tell us in the comments!

Sign up today.

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Johne Cook is a Senior Technical Writer for medical device companies like IBM, Optum, and Merge Healthcare, and writes under two alternate personas: John the Wordsmith writes about business storytelling and narrative intelligence on LinkedIn. Johne with the silent vanity e is a fiction author working on a Fantasy / Noir called The Blue Golem , now in its 14th draft.

I discovered that the writer that got me into reading years ago–Jules Verne– had ADHD. And that is truly inspiring! • Jules Verne: In school, he was not a very smart kid. Rather a student who did not focus well on daily tasks and some other projects. But in today’s world, he is a very famous French novelist who was into writing from his childhood. The creator of some revolutionary science-fiction stories and a great inspiration for the steampunk stream. His most popular novels are ‘A Journey to the Center of the Earth’, ‘Around the World in Eighty Days, ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea’, and so on. Although undiagnosed, according to some psychologists, he was suffered from ADHD or ADD. “We are of opinion that instead of letting books grow moldy behind an iron grating, far from the vulgar gaze, it is better to let them wear out by being read” — Jules Verne.

Hey, David – love that Jules Verne quote! That’s new to me!

Thanks so much for sharing with us, Johne!

Thanks for reaching out,and for the awesome introduction! I’m touched! We’ve come a long way!

Learning that I was different, not broken, was a major crossroads in my life, and I’m happy to share my experience and what I’ve learned since then.

My writing and career would not be the same without ADHD, and I’m pleased to say that together, Linda and I are managing my condition, minimizing the deficits and maximizing the advantages!

Thanks for sharing!

I use many of the strategies you mention. Calendars, note-taking apps, and to-do-lists. I think it all started with getting over a copy of “Getting Things Done” several decades ago, but I do remember a slight obsession with Filo Faxes way back in high school.

Another strategy I’ve developed is to create a folder system on a cloud drive where I PDF-print web pages and articles (more than a few from this site) and store them in my own system.

Having spent many years organizing those folders helps me immediately answer the question, “where should I put this amazing piece of info”? It falls into the cognitive strategy of each thing having its own place. And of course, more crucially, “where did I put that amazing piece of info”…

Of course, the system isn’t perfect, but macOS search helps a lot as well. (Not to mention tagging… I have a few tags for my current project that I can view in a finder window.)

You mention being outside the box. I’ve found this one thing to be core to my writing. To be honest, I think most creatives that give insightful comments on life “in the box” are somehow outside it. Personally, I’d probably not have much interesting to say had I not been able to look in on that box and draw conclusions from my observations.

And the world, as it looks today, really need voices from outside the box that can look in and comment on what’s going on in there… wake people up a bit… it’s happened before…

You can’t see it but I’m over here nodding vigorously, erk!

I’ve been tagging my thoughts in Apple Notes and I download PDFs on LinkedIn (called ‘carousels’) for later research. There’s a tool called Humata that helps me to find things in my folder of .PDFs. It’s like I’ve created my own searchable library!

I also use a MacOS search tool called Alfred, like Spotlight on steriods, to find and launch apps from the keyboard. It’s very powerful and very cool.

At first thinking outside the box felt alienating–I could sense I wasn’t with everyone else, and I felt lonely. Now I see it’s a great gift, and I appreciate it.

I’ve heard of Alfred before, so maybe it’s time to check it out. Humata or something like it sounds like a missing link in AI, answering the question “what if I want to use a bunch of documents as input”? Very nice!

Tools are always interesting. I use a bunch like Excel and Word, Aeon Timeline, yEd, Scrivener (of course) even Markdown text files, and the previously mentioned cloud drive as the common denominator and searching and tagging… Though, I do my hard core world and character building in DokuWiki… links rocks 😀

I’ll definitely see what Humata and Alfred might add to the mix! Thanks for the tips!

It can, of course, be lonely to be the odd one out. And painful and scary. Not to mention really destructive. But for me, the biggest problem was always to try to be normal because I was sure if I just did what everyone else did, I’d be happy. Then I was diagnosed (with both ADHD and Autism), and I had this epiphany; I’ll never get the results I want by trying to be normal… I should just try to get the results I want in my way instead. It works way better! 😉

“I’ll never get the results I want by trying to be normal” – That’s a great epiphany! Normality is overrated. If you’re getting good results being yourself, being ‘normal’ would be a giant step backward! We’re all about forward movement!

Johne, this was superb and also so helpful. my daughter recently diagnosed and having read your post I now see her superpowers. creativity etc. miss seeing you. hope all well.

Hey, Neroli! In my story, learning about ADHD and common behaviors and challenges helped us immensely. I hope that learning about your daughter’s diagnosis will help bring clarity and understanding to your family!

(I miss seeing you, too! So good to see you pop up here!)

I’m not diagnosed but pretty sure I have it. I do know I had a TBI in a wreck that causes me executive function problems. I found two things that have helped me organize my life – the book Getting Things Done by David Allen, and the Bulletproof Journal. I used the BuJo, as it’s called, to organize the stuff GTD tells me I need to do. It’s taken days to sort through everything, but now that it’s all written down, I can focus better.

I’m sorry to hear about your accident, John. I’m glad you’re finding mechanisms to help you to focus! I’m familiar with GTD but haven’t played around with it.

Simple awareness and communication was a huge thing for us.

BuJo has changed my life, as well. I have memory issues in addition to ADHD, and it seriously helps staying organized and remembering this. Thanks for sharing!

Before I was a writer, the only time my mind was at rest was when I read. Therefore, I read a lot. Still do. Now writing channels all that energy I have into creating suspense.

This is really inspiring, P.T.!

THANK YOU!!! I have just recently been traveling down the adhd awareness path and am waiting on the appointment that will almost certainly lead to the official diagnosis. I probably am HSP as well, which makes for a very interesting mix!

I have found myself wondering if my desires to write actually fit with who I am…maybe I’m just not intended to be a writer. This gives me encouragement that yes, it is actually possible to make it work.

Don’t give up! We ADHD people do have gifts of curiosity and insights others often don’t possess. I urge you to try some of the tech tools Johne mentions, they do help. I began medication later in life and it’s calmed my reactive emotions and allowed me to function much better. It’s never too late to write! Best wishes on your journey.

Thanks for sharing your story! I agree with you about the gifts of curiosity and insight that not everyone else always sees. For me this commonly manifests in movies. For instance MORTAL ENGINES was not hailed as a great film, and yet when I realized it was essentially a Space Opera, I relaxes and leaned into the genre tropes that are very much there and enjoyed it for what it was, an ambitious miss. When others were critical, I found it a wildly entertaining example of the genre that I love, and relished it knowing that me and 3 others appreciated it. At first I was upset that everyone else couldn’t see what I see, but now I kind of like that I have certain genres that work for me that won’t be appreciated by the mainstream. (They’re frequently one-off things that don’t get sequels, so I enjoy them for what they are, glittering little jewels sometimes become classics after the fact. I’m thinking of DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS with a young Denzel Washington as Easy Rawlins, and introducing a young Don Cheadle in his first role as Easy’s murderous friend Mouse.)

I actually found the Mortal Engines series (it started as books!) to be fascinating for basically the same reason. Would I recommend it to the average person? Nah. But the character development aspect was quite good. It makes even more sense in the opera framework.

That’s so encouraging! Yes I struggle a lot with reactivity… Also just a general feeling of not fitting in has dogged me for most of my life. I’m starting to realize that I need to find people that I can resonate with more!

Finding your tribe is huge!

E – I wrestle with the infinite possibilities of the blank page, but once I get going, ‘Katie bar the door!’ I capture my first ideas in Apple Notes, develop them more fully using Notion (where I keep images and sketches and links to related articles), and then begin writing in Scrivener. (I love Scrivener so much that I transferred over from Windows to MacOS to write in Scrivener in its native format!)

I have no trouble getting started. It’s when I hit the first couple turns and I can’t unravel how I want everything to go and then I get frustrated with trying to figure it out and then I try to outline and then I get overwhelmed and shut down that I give up 😛

If I can see it all clearly in my head, in pictures, then I can sit down and write it out straight, no stop. Super hard to get there though.

This feels very familiar to me right now, heh.

I just last night realized I need to take a step back and adjust some things that happened early in my novel to enable me to write what I need to write here in chapter 16.

I love this article! I’m a writer with ADHD and the challenges are real. However, I’ve come to appreciate and even love my disorganized, curious, and active self. Technology tools are a big help, especially Google calendar reminders and Pomofocus.io. Thanks for mentioning SnagIt…my screenshots are out of control!

I’ll mention that I adore not only SnagIt as a tool but as a directory. I save lots of screenshots and name the ones I want to use later.

Furthermore, SnagIt has an OCR feature where I can screenshot a URL and then copy the URL to my clipboard. It’s an underrated tool!

Loved this! The journey our family has been on has taught me so much, and has even helped me implement strategies for writing. I personally do not have ADHD, but my 20 year old does, and we have traveled an interesting road! Despite going to the best since he was in second grade, we still didn’t know what we were dealing with until he was 14 and we found an incredible behavioral therapist who taught us. ADHD is an executive function disorder. Learning about executive functions changed our lives, because my son was not able to tolerate the medication because of other issues. Our therapist recommend an amazing book, that we still use to this day, called Smart but Scattered. It goes into all the executive functions, talks about the challenges, and behaviors and tools to implement for each. There is even executive function tests to see maybe where you struggle the most. They have many versions of this book from kids, teens, and adults. Even tho we don’t all have ADHD, we may still be a little low on a particular executive function. For instance, mine is getting started. Smart but Scattered has a book for people like me who want to improve my executive functions, and this has helped tremendously. I really feel like those books could help anyone in the writing process.

This is a great resource, Jenny! Thanks for sharing this with us! https://www.amazon.com/Smart-but-Scattered-Revolutionary-Executive-ebook/dp/B005D7D57K/

I wrestle with Executive Function and lean heavily on my tools to get me to the place where my interest kicks in and I know what to do after that.

It’s a bit like using exterior booster rockets to get me into space where my main engines can ignite and power me forward from there!

Lovely article. Another great encouragement on the ADHD writer journey. Thank you Johne and K. M.! I’ll try to be brief, something no one has ever accused me of. 59 years old. Finally diagnosed officially earlier this year. All my friends and family said, “Duh! We knew that from the first day we met you!” But it felt good to know that all the struggles I’ve had all my life are (mostly) not due to moral failure. I have 637,534 writing fragments and ideas in various states ranging from a few words on the back of a napkin to a novel I thought was nearly complete until I decided to blow it up because when I sat down and had a conversation with my main characters, they all told me I was too nice, and they needed more peril. This number, a rough estimate, also includes numerous unfinished or unsatisfactory poems, two non-fiction books, an excruciatingly long list of perhaps impossible children’s books, and lots of other random things. A few things to add to Johne’s list that I’ve found helpful, though outward success in finishing anything is so lacking you may want to ignore me: 1. Yes, schedule writing. Also schedule eating well, exercise, and good sleep. These go a really long way, especially with the ADHD brain, to foster the highest functioning of our superpowers. 2. I love Evernote for capturing notes, and pretty much keeping track of everything. Also great for clipping web pages, articles, etc. I use the GTD method of organizing: use tags to organize notes, not notebooks. Everything I have, except for my woodworking pictures, is in one notebook. It is WAY easier to search by tags than to try to remember where you put something or what you called it. 3. Some of us ADHDers need silence or white noise to block out distractions. Some of us need music or something like it going all the time to keep us from getting distracted by the constant noises in our heads. I’m definitely the latter. Good instrumental music in the background helps me focus on what’s in front of me instead of what the committees and bands inside my head are doing.

Talking about your writing fragments takes me way back, Craig. I have a stack of long-hand story fragments written on many yellow legal pads that stands 16″ tall. I didn’t know how to finish anything at that time so they’re just a tall stack of scenes and snippets of scenes.

Scheduling everything – writing, sleep, meals – had made a real difference in my life!

Do you schedule everything in a digital calendar or some other app?

I havent been diagnosed and i find condition labels unhelpful, however i have so many coping mechanisms. In addition to the programs you mention i use cold turkey to block myself from the internet. I also use the free version of appblock on my andriod phone. On my phone i block the internet whatsapp and outlook. I deleted all other apps from my phone that gave me a back door. I have a big list of notebooks on one note to capture ideas. I have a main launch page which has an instruction list to help prime and start my list. I use a few of these primer lists for everything on how to get ready to leave the house to how to set my mind up for a work session to how to begin to decorate. If i dont use them it can take me a long time to get started. I need to clearly define tasks composing or outlining. I also use freemind a mindmapping program to help me manage and think about all my plot ideas.

A lot of the biggest content creators on LinkedIn use various mechanisms to block off the internet while working or writing, so you’re in good company!

Finding what helps you to focus and write is huge!

By the way i read an article where they found that teaching children to meditate was as effective or more effective than the medication at controlling the symptoms. The medication can reduce children’s appetite and thereby stunt the growth of some.

“…teaching children to meditate was as effective or more effective than the medication at controlling the symptoms.”

That’s really fascinating!

This is a great post! Thank you. I’m ADHD and am only finishing books and publishing them now because I’ve learned some coping strategies over the years. I believe ADHD can be a superpower as long as you learn how to work with yourself and build in some balancing habits. One thing I have learned to appreciate is that I get bored easily–so I rarely let the action drag in my books. If I’m bored with it, the reader will be bored, so I ratchet up action and microtension to keep myself engaged. A downside is that I struggle big time with hyperfocus; if I’m writing an important scene, I can’t stop or even sleep till I am done. Sometimes my mind will not shut off, even after I’ve finished.

I get bored easily as well. It can be a challenge to focus on something that isn’t naturally interesting to me, but I’m working on it.

I’ve wrestled with sleeping while I’m on the hunt–I find if I capture the bullet points for the scene, I can rest knowing that I’m not losing anything and resume working on the scene the following day.

I also use Damon Knight’s ‘Fred’ strategy for loading a scene or plot problem in my head as I lay down and wake with the answer the following morning. He writes about that in his award-winning book CREATING SHORT FICTION. https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Short-Fiction-Damon-Knight-ebook/dp/B01N9JGSYU/ref=sr_1_1

I loved the book series Mortal Engines is part of, and indeed anything Phillip Reeve writes. He’s so original. The film didn’t do the book justice in my opinion, maybe it’s budget wasn’t big enough? Lots of crossover with High functioning autism aka Autism Level 1 and ADHD, I identify with both. There are plenty of positives in my experience, but these can be hard to enjoy or mobilise, your ideas here are helpful. People generally seeing both issues as differences rather than defects or deficits would probably help too! We are all a mix of qualities, whether neurotypical or neurodiverse.

re: Phillip Reeve – thanks, Chaz! I’ll check him out!

Quoting for emphasis: “People generally seeing both issues as differences rather than defects or deficits would probably help too!”

Oh, man, can I ever relate to this posts. Not only do I have ADHD but I also struggle with dyslexia. I’ve learned to harness it to an extent and will explore the tools listed here. Do any others with these issues have trouble outlining? I’m a terrible outliner!! Thanks Katie for this post!!

Hey, Rebecca, I was a lifelong, unrepentant discovery writer, a proud Panster (in my ignorance) until I competed in NanoWriMo 2014. I wrote 55k words in a fantasy / noir but stalled at the climactic scene and couldn’t figure out why. I put off writing the ending for an hour, a day, a week…

Four years passed and then I read a book that introduced the idea of 12 content genres and noted that many people who get stuck do so because they’re mixing genres incorrectly and your subconscious knows enough about story to know that’s a mistake.

I never paid much attention to story structure because I didn’t understand it, but this time it was like the heavens parted and the angels sang. I realized I was trying to write an epic Action climax for what was under-the-hood a classic Thriller. So I cut the big battle finale and realized I already had a perfect ‘hero-at-the-mercy-of-the villain’ Thriller scene (complete with a false ending!) already written!

So I delved deeper into study and saw that in that theory, every scene has the same 5 elements: * an inciting incident * a progressive complication turning point * a crisis question * a climax * and a resolution

That’s when I became a believer in outlines. I became a Plantser, a writer who appreciates story structure and outlines and then discovery writes between my plot points. (If there’s a spectrum between absolute chaos on one side and absolute chaos on the other, perfect complexity resides somewhere in the middle, and that’s where I now live.) Now, I write out my outlines in Notion first and then develop from there in Scrivener. It totally works!

I suffer from the “out of sight, out of mind” aspect of ADHD—when things are put away, whether physically or digitally, they cease to exist. Since it’s not 1954, manuscripts require a digital form, but I do all my planning and what-iffing with notebooks and index cards, and I print copies for pen-and-paper revisions. There’s always visible, touchable evidence that projects are in progress and at what stage. My desk is clean only during the window between “finished old thing” and “started new thing.”

Lena, I worked with a woman who thought best with tangible shapes. When doing a complex flowchart, she’d draw out elements on a number of sheets of paper and lay them on the floor and then begin to fit them together with Scotch tape. Once she had a frankencreation, she’d hand it off to me and I’d put it into Visio, but the vision (and the process) were hers.

Lena – thank you for this. I have the same “out of sight, out of mind” thing. Your tips are much appreciated.

Lena, I’m becoming aware of this for myself. My calendar is going back to paper (gasp) because if it’s digital I literally don’t remember to look at it. I forget stuff even exists when it’s digital a lot of the time. But digital is so much easier to manipulate! On a journey to find what works best for me…

Thank you so much for this post, I’m a beginning writer but I’ve been really struggling with my ADHD recently and have had a hard time working on my story and plot. I’m so glad to have this to relate to and find creative strategies in my writing journey! I will definitely look into the resources you’ve listed!

If you have any specific questions, feel free to reach out! You got this!

Awesome post! I never struggled with ADHD (and haven’t been “officially” diagnosed) since I had Covid in 2020. I’ve learned that the more I stick to a writing schedule, the better I can deal with it. But switch up that schedule and, oh boy, it’s nearly impossible to keep on track. My brain goes everywhere but where I want it to be. And unless it’s visual, I’m really lost.

Thanks, Rhonda!

As a medicated ADHDer I am proud of mine! I find I need my medication to help me focus my energy and mind into my work. One thing that works for me in this day and age of technology is to email my thoughts and ideas to myself from my phone. It works wonders! This way all I have to do is look them up by my email later. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. For shining a light on us neurodivergent people. We’ve not only survived-we’ve thrived!

That’s a clever workflow! Thanks for sharing!

Talking to myself via email, text, voice message… agreed— an ADHD super power!

OMG. I have recently been diagnosed with adult ADHD, and am now revelling in that knowledge, quite delighted to be ‘dotty.’ Reading very quickly some of the above, I can see myself here. I’ve always had a great love of writing, and story telling, and have attempted in recent years with both a non-fiction and historical fiction story. Neither finished, like so many other ‘projects’ through my life. Thank you HKW for bringing this to us. I have several of your books, and am so grateful for you sharing your knowledge and insight.

Heh. Welcome to the club, Pat!

This article was very helpful! I’ve been a “mess” of ADHD/OCS/Depression/anxiety all my 77 years. I have piles of poetry, stories, novels… most of them incomplete due to my ultimate boredom or (perhaps) even fear of completing. But I’ll tell you this: I am one hell of a word-slinger, and master of the absurd and ironic. So, go figure… Thanks again!

Thanks, Jay!

Great tips! As a fellow ADHDer, whathas helped me the most is realizing that I need more gratification than writing can realistically offer-unless if I eventually become famous or land a steady fiction writing job, like serial writing, which hasn’t happened yet. I leave time for writing several times a week and am a part of writing groups, but I find that I need other creative hobbies, a social life, close friendships and a stimulating job to keep me going–if I’m relying on writing alone to fascinate me, it usually doesn’t work.

This is a great point, Ellie. “Moderation in all things!” (Even fiction writing!)

Thank you so much for this. I wasn’t diagnosed until my 40s. I was always creative & have always wanted to get published. I’ve completed NaNo 3 out of 5 times. I think the hectic pace of it helped, but trying to edit was a non-starter. I’ve been a DM for RPGs since the 1st D&D & Traveller boxed sets came out. I didn’t like running modules & was great & coming up with my own campaigns. The locations & ideas often came from pictures I saw. 13 years ago I started a Fantasy campaign that went on for 8 years then the group moved away, including myself. We tried online but it just wasn’t the same. I’ve wanted to turn it into a campaign to sell on DriveThruRPG. Despite knowing the whole story to where we stopped, having detailed maps, etc., the writing of it has alluded me. Likewise, I have sci-fi project that has been floating around for about the same amount of time. One of my NaNo victories was writing the history leading up to the start of my story. That “misstep? engaged my ADHD creature’s World Builder’s Disease. It keeps telling me that I can’t start the story I have planned until I figure out one more thing. Your article has given me renewed hope. I’m going to give time management tools a try. So much of what you said hit home. I work with 2 Dr’s who understand ADHD. I’m considering changing my medication. The other Psy is a sci-fi fan. I once took over the binders, maps, etc. of my work & he is slowly encouraging me to get back to it. After this article, I’m going to. I will have to get the ADder-HaDder, (I made that up), creature to behave. Thx

This sounds very familiar, Chris. I was diagnosed when I was 45 (and have won NaNo twice).

Thanks for this post, Johne! The entire time I read it, I was nodding to myself like, yeah. I’m a writer with ADHD, self-diagnosed, and realizing my “problem” changed my life. I understood why I was so spontaneous, and why I always got so distracted. A great thing about ADHD is that your brain is open to any ideas that come by. It might be chaotic, but creativity is basically harnessed chaos. Once the idea is there, all I have to do is not forget it so I can grow it into a potential story.

The downside to ADHD is that I get SO distracted. I’ve learned to always plug in my earbuds to tone down the auditory distractions. To eliminate visual distractions, aka anything that moves, I write alone in my room. Sometimes, however, being in my room leads to doing other things, like picking up a good book and forgetting I’m supposed to be writing. Then, I take my writing into our school room (my family homeschools, and I recently graduated), where the potential interruptions turns on my determination to fight for my writing time, put in my earbuds, start writing.

Notes must be written down, and/or organized (or not). Whenever an idea comes to my head, I dwell on it more so that I won’t forget. But if it’s a word that I had been searching for, I write it down.

My smartphone is my most important tool, the gateway or portal to tools that help me to capture and work the things that come up on my day.

I have a number of tools that I use so I don’t lose anything, and many of the tools overlap with each other.

For instance, I use Things3 to make daily ToDo lists and then create calendar entries from there in Google Calendar (for work) or Fantastical (for personal things).

I take notes in Apple Notes and tag them so I can quickly find them later.

And so forth.

As an ADHD teenaged writer, I can say that I absolutely loved this article! I’ve never thought that my ADHD was something to be fixed, just something to be used. It means that I often get so sucked into the project I’m working on that my siblings enjoy grabbing my shoulders while I’m in the zone. 🙄 I get so distracted with everything sometimes it’s hard to shift away from things I can hyper focus on. But I can say that all of these tips are things I use and they work!

Thanks, Allie! I’m so pleased this article was of help to you!

Johne and Katie, Thank you both for sharing this. Judging by the list of comments, many other writers struggle with ADHD as well. It’s nice to know we’re not alone. Much like you Johne, when I received my diagnosis, the years of self-hatred and self-loathing instantly evaporated, and felt like I was starting anew. I often think about the phrase “Your weakness is your strength.” Where in the past, I often focused on my “failings”, once diagnosed, I began viewing my neuro-divergent qualities less as a detriment to my writing, and more as a set of tools that I need to learn how to use properly. I tend to lose focus when researching the history and setting of the story I’m working on. Rather than Googling the information and spending all day poring over the multitude of search results, I’ve started using ChatGPT to simply ask it for the information that I need. It delivers a concise summary of the information I need and cuts my research into a fraction of the time I would normally spend. (Chat GPT has been proven to occasionally get things wrong, so one should always fact check any information derived from it.) Thanks again to you both!

Hey, Bret, ChatGPT plays fast-and-loose with fact (referred to as ‘hallucinating’ (short for ‘outright B.S.’) but Perplexity.ai sources all its answers. I rely on both for different things!

Thanks, Johne! I’ll check that out.

Hi Johne, thanks for this, it’s really helpful! I was wondering where you came across the information about John Irving having ADHD? I’m currently writing a paper about books by authors with ADHD and would love to include one of his, but can’t find anything about him having ADHD online. Thanks 🙂

Hi, Katie, I went back and took a look. My research makes it explicit that John Irving had dyslexia but when pressed for examples, it’s looking more and more like his ADHD is implied rather than something he talked about personally. (I use Perplexity.ai for sourced results and all the sources talk about his dyslexia.)

My pleasure!

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ADHD and Graduate Writing

What this handout is about.

This handout outlines how ADHD can contribute to hitting the wall in graduate school. It describes common executive function challenges that grad students with ADHD might experience, along with tips, strategies, and resources for navigating the writing demands of grad school with ADHD.

Challenges for graduate students with ADHD

Many graduate students hit the wall (lose focus, productivity, and direction) when they reach the proposal, thesis, or dissertation phase—when they have a lot of unstructured time and when their external accountability system is gone. Previously successful strategies aren’t working for them anymore, and they aren’t making satisfactory progress on their research.

In many ways, hitting the wall is a normal part of the grad school experience, but ADHD, whether diagnosed or undiagnosed, can amplify the challenges of graduate school because success depends heavily on executive functioning. ADHD expert Russell Barkley explains that people with ADHD have difficulty with some dimensions of executive function, including working memory, motivation, planning, and problem solving. For grad students, those difficulties may emerge as these kinds of challenges:

• Being forgetful and having difficulty keeping things organized.
• Not remembering anything they’ve read in the last few hours or the last few minutes.
• Not remembering anything they’ve written or the argument they’ve been developing.
• Finding it hard to determine a research topic because all topics are appealing.
• Easily generating lots of new ideas but having difficulty organizing them.
• Being praised for creativity but struggling with coherence in writing, often not noticing logical leaps in their own writing.
• Having difficulty breaking larger projects into smaller chunks and/or accurately estimating the time required for each task.
• Difficulty imposing structure on large blocks of time and finishing anything without externally set deadlines.
• Spending an inordinate amount of time (like 5 hours) developing the perfect plan for accomplishing tasks (like 3 hours of reading).
• Having trouble switching tasks—working for hours on one thing (like refining one sentence), often with no awareness of time passing.
• Conversely, having trouble focusing on a single task–being easily distracted by external or internal competitors for their attention.
• Being extremely sensitive to or upset by criticism, even when it’s meant to be constructive.
• Struggling with advisor communications, especially when the advisors don’t have a strict structure, e.g., establishing priorities, setting clear timelines, enforcing deadlines, providing timely feedback, etc.

If you experience these challenges in a way that is persistent and problematic, check out our ADHD resources page and consider talking to our ADHD specialists at the Learning Center to talk through how you can regain or maintain focus and productivity.

Strategies for graduate students with ADHD

Writing a thesis or dissertation is a long, complex process. The list below contains a variety of strategies that have been helpful to grad students with ADHD. Experiment with the suggestions below to find what works best for you.

Reading and researching

Screen reading software allows you to see and hear the words simultaneously. You can control the pace of reading to match your focus. If it’s easier to focus while you’re physically active, try using a screen reader so you can listen to journal articles while you take a walk or a run or while you knit or doodle–or whatever movement helps you focus. Find more information about screen readers and everything they can do on the ARS Technology page .

Citation management systems can help you keep your sources organized. Most systems enable you to enter notes, add tags, save pdfs, and search. Some allow you to annotate pdfs, export to other platforms, or collaborate on projects. See the UNC Health Sciences Library comparison of citation managers to learn more about options and support.

Synthesis matrix is a fancy way of saying “spreadsheet,” but it’s a spreadsheet that helps you keep your notes organized. Set the spreadsheet up with a column for the full citations and additional columns for themes, like “research question,” “subjects,” “theoretical perspective,” or anything that you could productively document. The synthesis matrix allows you to look at all of the notes on a single theme across multiple publications, making it easier for you to analyze and synthesize. It saves you the trouble of shuffling through lots of highlighted articles or random pieces of paper with scribbled notes. See these example matrices on Autism , Culturally Responsive Pedagogy , and Translingualism .

Topic selection

Concept maps (also called mind maps) represent information visually through diagrams, flowcharts, timelines, etc. They can help you document ideas and see relationships you might be interested in pursuing. See examples on the Learning Center’s Concept Map handout . Search the internet for “concept-mapping software” or “mind-mapping software” to see your many choices.

Advisor meetings can help you reign in all of the interesting possibilities and focus on a viable, manageable project. Try to narrow the topics down to 3-5 and discuss them with your advisor. Be ready to explain why each interests you and how you would see the project developing. Work with your advisor to set goals and a check-in schedule to help you stay on track. They can also help you sort what needs to be considered now and what’s beyond the scope of the dissertation—tempting though it may be to include everything possible.

Eat the elephant one bite at a time. Break the dissertation project down into bite-sized pieces so you don’t get overwhelmed by the enormity of the whole project. The pieces can be parts of the text (e.g., the introduction) or the process (e.g., brainstorming or formatting tables). Enlist your advisor, other grad students, or anyone you think might help you figure out manageable chunks to work on, discuss reasonable times for completion, and help you set up accountability systems.

Tame perfectionism and separate the processes . Writers with ADHD will often try to perfect a single sentence before moving on to the next one, to the point that it’s debilitating. Start with drafting for ideas, knowing that you’re going to write a lot of sentences that will change later. Allow the ideas to flow, then set aside times to revise for ideas and to polish the prose.

List questions you could answer as a way of brainstorming and organizing information.

Make a slideshow of your key points for each section, chapter, or the entire dissertation. Hit the highlights without getting mired in the details as you draft the big picture.

Give a presentation to an imaginary (or real) audience to help you flesh out your ideas and try to articulate them coherently. The presentation can be planned or spontaneous as a brainstorming strategy. Give your presentation out loud and use dictation software to capture your thoughts.

Use dictation software to transcribe your speech into words on a screen. If your brain moves faster than your fingers can type, or if you constantly backspace over imperfectly written sentences, dictation software can capture the thoughts as they come to you and preserve all of your phrasings. You can review, organize, and revise later. Any device with a microphone (like your phone) will do the trick. See various speech to text tools on the ARS Technology page .

Turn off the monitor and force yourself to write for five, ten, twenty minutes, or however long it takes to dump your brain onto the screen. If you can’t see the words, you can’t scrutinize and delete them prematurely.

Use the Pomodoro technique . Set a timer for 25 minutes, write as much as you can during that time, take a five-minute break, and then do it again. After four 25-minute segments, take a longer break. The timer puts a helpful limit on the writing session that can motivate you to produce. It also keeps you aware of the passage of time, helping you stay focused and keeping your time more structured.

Sprints or marathons? Some people find it helpful to break down the writing process into smaller tasks and work on a number of tasks in smaller sprints. However, some people with ADHD find managing a number of tasks overwhelming, so for them, a “marathon write” may be a good idea. A marathon write doesn’t have to mean last-minute writing. Try to plan ahead, stock up on food for as many days as you plan to write, and think about how you’ll care for yourself during the long stretch of writing.

Minimize distractions . Turn off the internet, find a suitable place (quiet, ambient noise, etc.), minimize disruptions from other people (family, office mates, etc.), and use noise-canceling headphones or earplugs if they help. If you catch your thoughts wandering, write down whatever is distracting and you can attend to it later when you finish.

Seek feedback for clarity . Mind-wandering is a big asset for people with ADHD as it boosts creativity. Expansive, big-picture thinking is also an asset because it allows you to imagine complex systems. However, these things can also make graduate students with ADHD struggle with maintaining logical coherence. When you ask for feedback, specify logical coherence as a concern so your reader has a focus. If you’d like to look at your logic before you seek feedback, see our 2-minute video on reverse outlining .

Seek feedback for community . Talking to people about your ideas for writing will help you stay connected at a time when it’s easy to fade into a dark hole. Check out this handout on getting feedback .

Time management and accountability

Enlist your advisor . Graduate students with ADHD might worry about the perception that they’re “gaming the system” if they disclose their ADHD. Or they might struggle with an advisor with a more hands-off mentoring style. It will be helpful to be explicit about your neurodiversity and your potential need for a structure. Ask your advisor to clarify the expectations specifically (even quantify them), and work with them to come up with a clear timeline and a regular check-in schedule.

Enlist other mentors . Your advisor may be less understanding and/or may not be able to provide enough structure, or you may think it’s a good idea to have more than one person on your structure team. Look for other mentors on your faculty (inside or outside of your committee), and talk to senior grad students about their strategies.

Pay attention to your body rhythms . When do you feel most creative? Most focused? Most energetic? Or the least creative, focused, energetic? What activities could you engage in during those times? How can you do them consistently?

Think about task vs. time . It can be difficult to estimate how long a task is going to take, so think about setting a time limit for working on something. Set a timer, work for that amount of time, and change tasks when the time is over.

Tame hyperfocus . If you have trouble switching tasks, ask a friend or colleague to “interrupt” you, or figure out a system you can use to interrupt yourself. For example, when you find yourself trying to fix a sentence for 30 minutes, you can call a friend for a brief conversation about another topic. People with ADHD often find this helps them to look at the work from a more objective perspective when they return to it.

Set SMART goals . Check out the handout on setting SMART goals to help you set up a regular research and writing routine.

Set up a reward system . Tie your research or writing goal to an enjoyable reward. Note that it can also be pre-ward – something you do beforehand that will help you feel refreshed and motivated to work.

Find accountability buddies . These can be people you update on your progress or people you meet with to get work done together. Oftentimes, the simple presence of other people is able to motivate and keep us focused. This “body-doubling” strategy is particularly helpful for people with ADHD. Look for events like the Dissertation Boot Camp or IME Writing Wednesdays .

Find virtual accountability partners . There are a number of online platforms to connect you with virtual work partners. See this article on strategies and things to consider.

Use productivity and focus apps . Check out some recommendations among the Learning Center’s ADHD/LD Resources . To find the best options for you, try Googling “Apps for focus and productivity” to find reviews of timers and other focus apps.

Learn more about accountability . See the Learning Center’s Accountability Strategies page for great information and resources.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Barkley, R. (2022, July 11). What is executive function? 7 deficits tied to ADHD . ADDitude: Inside the ADHD Mind. https://www.additudemag.com/7-executive-function-deficits-linked-to-adhd/

Hallowell, E. and Ratey, J. (2021). ADHD 2.0: New science and essential strategies for thriving with distraction—from childhood through adulthood . Random House Books.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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• Writing Help for ADHD Students

Updated 2024.

Typically, students with ADHD produce a wealth of ideas about an essay writing topic. Yet over 60% of students with ADHD struggle to get their ideas down on paper.

For most students with ADHD, writing assignments are torturous.

Because students with ADHD often have trouble separating dominant (main) ideas from less dominant (subordinate) ideas, even starting a writing assignment can be an arduous and anxiety filled experience.

But none of these difficulties needs to keep your ADHD child from writing successfully in school. Use the eight strategies below to help your child write more easily and successfully.

ADHD and Writing: Challenges and Strategies

Writing with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) poses a challenge to both children and adults living with the disorder. Many with ADHD struggle with dysgraphia , a learning disorder that makes writing difficult on several levels. Problems range from the physical act of writing to organizing essays. After discussing ADHD and creativity in my last post, I wanted to go into more depth about why writing with ADHD can be so hard and what we can do about it.

Writing with ADHD and Dysgraphia

ADHD and writing are often complicated by dysgraphia, a disorder with symptoms such as illegible writing or incomplete words. As a child, I loved to draw. However, whenever art classes graded on the ability to trace, color within the lines, or wield scissors, I fell short. Another nightmarish task required writing essays in pen—without whiteout. Though writing was one of my strong points, I found it virtually impossible to write even a paragraph in pen without making a single mistake.

Thanks to computers, good penmanship no longer has the significance it once did. This is fortunate for the many with ADHD and/or dysgraphia who have bad handwriting . They sometimes struggle with fine motor skills, spatial judgment, and the ability to recall shapes and letters of words on command.

Writing, ADHD, and Working Memory

Poor working memory also plagues many ADHDers and makes it hard to remember specific vocabulary and grammatical rules. Working memory involves storing, prioritizing, and utilizing information; so, even though I have a decent vocabulary, I often struggle to find the right word at the right time.

Problems with working memory also result in disorganized and unfocused writing, for one has to have the ability to prioritize and follow a train of thought in order to clearly communicate with a reader. People with ADHD tend to possess stronger verbal skills, but, even in discussions, we tend to ramble and go off on tangents ( ADHD Challenges: Mind Going Blank? ).

Having an excess of ideas also muddies the planning process. Too much structure can feel limiting and stifling, but too little structure might result in paralysis due to an infinite number of possible writing topics. I spend a lot of time determining what information needs to be left out and what points are of highest priority.

Impulsivity and boredom also hamper many an ADHDer when it comes to writing. Editing and proofreading are essential but sometimes tedious parts of the writing process. When it is finally time to edit, someone with ADHD probably wants to move on to something new. This results in poor attention to detail, which in turn results in careless mistakes and a draft that is never fully polished.

Video with ADHD Writing Strategies

Do not lose hope. People with ADHD have a lot to give when it comes to writing, and there are ways to make it easier. When I started taking my ADHD medication , I was better at organizing information and actually able to complete projects. The right medications can also reduce anxiety and make it easier to get started. In the video below, I talk about other steps you can take to make the process of writing with ADHD easier.

• HealthyPlace. Laurie Dupar. ADHD Challenges: Mind Going Blank?
• ADDitude. Chris Zeigler Dendy. How to Remove Hurdles to Writing for Students with ADHD .
• Advanced Education Services, Las Cruces (New Mexico) Public Schools. Niki Mott. Teaching Writing to Students Who Are Gifted and ADHD .
• Goins, Writer. Ryan McRae. The ADHD Guide to Building a Writing Habit .
• Verywell Mind. Keath Low. Writing Problems Common for Students With ADHD .

APA Reference Matteson, N. (2018, April 17). ADHD and Writing: Challenges and Strategies, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2024, September 4 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/livingwithadultadhd/2018/04/adhd-and-writing-challenges-and-strategies

Author: Noelle Matteson

Find Noelle on Twitter , Facebook  and her blog .

Hi, I to have given up on my masters in Social Policy, the mantra 'if I read your work I have to read everyone elses' I do have a degree in Social Welfare Law and I have a complaint going in. You are right about positive regard and how it is ignored. They fail to follow their own University Policy.

I have given up my masters course because the lecturers do not understand that writing about my structure on my assignment paper is not going to get any better without help. They spout about grey areas but, the Equality Act 2010 is quite clear, looking at 'positive regard'. I wonder if the lecturers are using the grey area as an excuse.

Leave a reply

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Words Will Never Hurt You

Kids with adhd hate writing. well, at least half of them do, according to research. and is it any wonder, considering the executive functions needed to generate ideas, outline, research, and physically write here, adhd education expert chris dendy, m.s., shares her tips for making writing less painful..

Kids with ADHD Struggle with Writing

Studies suggest that more than half of children with ADHD struggle with writing . Despite an overflow of creative ideas, they struggle when it comes to getting these ideas down on paper. Children with ADHD have a hard time getting started, picking essay topics, locating appropriate resources, holding information in their memory,  organizing and sequencing the material, and getting it down on paper — all before they forget what they wanted to say.

Allow Enough Time

Students with ADHD, especially those with the inattentive subtype, may take longer to process information — and they need writing strategies that accommodate this need. Be sure to make sure your child has extended time to complete written assignments as an IEP or 504 accommodation.  Alternatively, ask the teacher to consider a shorter assignment.

Help Topic Selection

Children with attention or learning difficulties have a tough time narrowing down choices and making decisions. Students who get stuck trying to pick an essay topic may use up all their time and energy before they even start writing. Help your child by listening to all of his ideas and writing down three or four of his topics on cards. Next, review them and have him eliminate each topic, one by one — until only the winner is left. If he can't decide, flip a coin.

[ Self Test: Could My Child Have a Learning Disability? ]

Teach Brainstorming Skills

Because children with attention or learning problems often cannot hold their ideas in mind for very long, you might serve as a “scribe” and record ALL the student's thoughts on the assigned topic. Let them brainstorm and avoid making judgments or grammatical corrections, since that would interrupt the flow of ideas. The trick is to capture all the ideas first and correct or edit them later.

Set Up a Note System

Or, alternatively, set up a note system. Ask the student with ADHD to write her notes about a topic on individual sticky notes. That makes it easy to spread out and group the notes together that feature similar ideas so she'll be able to easily identify the major concepts of the subject from the groupings.

Organize Ideas Visually

To organize, and sequence those thoughts and ideas consider using a graphic organizer such as a mind map: Write the main idea in a box in the center of the page and surround it with bubbles containing subtopics and supporting ideas. This helps organize her thoughts when it’s time to write.

He Talks, You Type

If your child is struggling to start writing, sit down with him to talk about the assignment. Review his notes from the brainstorming session and ask, “How you could write the first sentence in the second paragraph?” If he doesn't have an answer, say, “Here’s an idea for the first sentence. How would you write that in your own words?” To prevent writer's block, type his thoughts as he expresses them. His skills will improve over time and require less involvement on your part.

[ Free Download: 18 Writing Tricks for Students with ADHD ]

Flesh Out the Details

During the process, ask questions and refer to her brainstorming ideas to stay on topic.  Once the main part of the essay is complete, you might give one instruction at a time — write an exciting opening sentence, for example, or describe the setting in greater detail — and have her fill in the rest.

Chidren with attention and learning difficulties often write more slowly than their classmates. Encourage your child to start the writing process on a computer. This way, she'll keep her work organized and won't misplace her essay or assignment before it's finished. Also, by working on the computer, she can easily rearrange the order of sentences and paragraphs in a second draft.

Help Add Details

Your child may have a hard time writing to length and may produce essays that are too short and lacking in details. Explain how the use of adjectives and adverbs can enhance his or her composition. Show your child how to use a thesaurus, too.

Have Her Say Words as She Writes Them

Auditory feedback helps students with ADHD and learning difficulties stay focused and monitor their efforts. Children are less likely to miss errors in their work if they hear their writing spoken aloud.

Tap into Tech

Ease writing challenges by using language disability friendly software. Speech-recognition programs allow students to read aloud into a microphone and see their words appear on a computer screen. Word-prediction software helps with spelling and builds vocabulary, providing a drop-down list of words from which a student can choose.

Edit, Polish, and Revise

This is often the most difficult task for many students with learning challenges because they tend to "read" what they intended rather than what they wrote. Use one of these mnemonics to focus a child’s efforts:

• COPS — Capitalization, Organization, Punctuation, Spelling
• C-SOOPS — Capitalization, Sentence Structure, Organization, Overall format, Punctuation, Spelling

A child should go through his assignment multiple times, focusing on one of these components at a time.

Encourage Writing at Home

Have your child write down his thoughts about outings to the movies, visits with relatives, or trips to museums in a journal. Add some fun to the activity by asking your child to e-mail you his thoughts or text-message you from his cell phone.

[ Writing Made Easy: Tech Tools to the Rescue ]

Learning Challenges: Read These Next

Famous People with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia & Other Learning Differences

Twice the Challenge: Getting the Right Diagnosis

The Truth About Dyslexia in Children

How to Treat the Symptoms of Dyslexia

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I can't write essays

I (20F) really don't like writing essays but I do love reading especially nonfiction books. It's just that I think I am good at imagining things in my head but I can't translate it to words. I have a lot of things to say in this "rant" right now but I don't know how to express it to words or how to organise it. I hate writing essays because my brain can't wrap around the concept of essays, I am not really good at separating and organizing my thoughts. Like every time that I have to write essays, I will literally search "how to write essay" in google. Maybe because I like to be direct with the discussion, like if you ask me a question, I can give you answers in bullet form (that way i don't have to organize my answer). I have zero patience of beating around the bush. Like why can't I just answer you directly, why do I have to use flowery words? This paragraph is so messy, help. 🥲

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