writing essays adhd reddit

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!

Explore more

Job Hunting With ADHD: Navigating the Chaos

Understanding the Latinx ADHD Experience

Comparing approaches in ADHD coaching vs therapy

Setting and achieving financial goals with ADHD

• laurensevier
• Mar 9, 2023

DO PEOPLE WITH ADHD STRUGGLE TO WRITE ESSAYS?

Today's topic is one that is very near and dear to my heart. One of the biggest obstacles I've overcome in my writing journey is my struggle with ADHD. I'm so excited to start this blog series where I'll talk in depth about different aspects of ADHD and writing, how ADHD can be the ace up your sleeve or the trap door beneath your feet in any creative endeavor but especially writing.

I was first diagnosed when I was four-years-old, which as a young girl, wasn't happening very often at the time. In fact, when I was growing up the medical world was still learning a lot about ADHD. The medications at the time were high doses of stimulants, one that had to be reformulated because it was found to actually cause Tourette's syndrome in small children. One of my earliest memories of taking ADHD medication were getting a Little Debbie cake each morning before school started. At the time, I thought I was getting a cool treat, but really it was the only way my mom knew how to give me a pill since I didn't know how to swallow them yet.

Over the years, I went through more medications than I can even list. Stimulants. Non-stimulants. Fast acting. Slow release. A combination of both.

But the thing is, I wasn't sick. The world around me was.

ADHD, as we've come to understand more about the condition, isn't a problem in and of itself. The problem comes from expecting people who are neurodivergent to operate in a neurotypical world as if they don't have executive dysfunction. ADHD can be incredibly limiting if you're trying to live up to expectations that were never meant for you in the first place. On the other hand, some of the world's most creative and critical thinkers were also neurodivergent.

Because our brains are wired to see and experience the world differently, we oftentimes are insanely good problem solvers and can think outside the box better than most. Oftentimes in social situations when it seems like we're 'zoning out' it's usually because we've anticipated the punchline to the joke a couple words in, and are already thinking of new stories for the conversation. This is a beautiful thing. And it can make you an exceptional writer, if you let it.

Our brains are like supercomputers. They work hard, fast, and have multiple tabs open... all the time.

Today, we're talking about writing Essays. Not creative fiction, but structured assignments for work or school. Although I love to write, and am always bursting with creative ideas... essay writing is one of the things I struggled with the most. Why? Why is essay writing more difficult for people with ADHD?

Well, there are a few different reasons that writing essays can be problematic for people with executive dysfunction. The first thing I think about when writing an essay is decision fatigue .

Picking a topic is truly one of the worst things about essay writing. When you get your assignment to write an essay you usually get a list of topics to choose from or EVEN WORSE your boss or teacher could be cruel enough to say write about anything . Remember those multiple tabs I talked about a few lines up? Imagine infinite tabs leading to infinite black hole google searches. Yeah, that's what my brain does when I have to pick my own topic.

Cruel, unusual punishment in 12 pt. Roman font, double-spaced, in MLA format.

I've wasted so much time on assignments over the years agonizing over topic choice. So, now what do I do to combat this, you ask? I make it fun. Either I do a topic draft, or mortal combat style determine which topic could beat the others in a back alley fight (which is super fun to imagine depending on the subject btw), flip a coin, or pull a topic from a hat. Making the decision tactile, silly, or just plain interesting keeps me from overanalyzing each option, so I never freeze up. The beauty of it is, once the topic is chosen... it's done. I can get down to the real work of creating the essay.

Here comes our next obstacle: research, resources, and structure.

If structure was a person, it'd be a person attempting to murder me with a death laser in a creepy lair. My arch nemesis... who I sometimes flirt with.

Let's be honest, people with ADHD absolutely hate structure. It's almost a universal fact. Only, we don't really. In fact, structure is really good for us. What we really hate is that we're bad at implementing structure into our own lives. When it's forced on us, like regular work or school hours, we thrive. Our bodies get into a routine and then our brains know what to expect too. But implementing it ourselves can be really difficult. Why wouldn't it? We're constantly thinking about how to break the rules.

Don't lie. You're constantly thinking about how to break the rules.

When researching the topic, it's easy to start straying into other areas of research. Why? Well, because it's how we're programmed. We wander and consume knowledge, constantly trying to see a problem or topic from all angles. This isn't good for staying on task when researching something specific, but it's part of what makes us great problem-solvers and pretty great debaters too. (Or maybe I'm just argumentative?)

So how do you keep yourself on task? There's no real easy answer to this one I'm afraid. I still struggle with this and have to set timers to 'checkpoint' if I'm still on task or not when I'm working. I think being aware that this can be a problem is the first step. Then you just try to catch yourself when you're doing it and keep plugging ahead. If any of you have better tips on how to keep yourself from wandering down an alternate research-hole... I'm all ears. Comment below.

So, do people with ADHD struggle to write essays?

Short answer, I think most of us do. But, we also love a challenge and are capable of anything. Do we have to learn a few tips and tricks on how to work with our brains instead of against them? Of course. But that hasn't stopped any of us before, and it certainly won't stop any of us now. ADHD is a complicated, creative, beautiful part of who I am. One that I fought against for many years of my life, but I've learned to love the chaotic, quirky, formidable part of my brain. If you're reading this and also have ADD, ADHD, OCD, ODD, Autism, or any other neurodivergent disorder, I hope you love that part of yourself too. After all, it's what makes you... you.

Recent Posts

CRAFT BOOK CORNER: THE ANATOMY OF PROSE

WHAT IS A COVER COPY?

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING AND COPYEDITING?

• Our Mission

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.

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

"the only actually useful chance calculator i’ve seen—plus a crash course on the application review process.".

Irena Smith, Former Stanford Admissions Officer

We built the best admissions chancer in the world . How is it the best? It draws from our experience in top-10 admissions offices to show you how selective admissions actually works.

• Bipolar Disorder
• Therapy Center
• When To See a Therapist
• Types of Therapy
• Best Online Therapy
• Best Couples Therapy
• Managing Stress
• Sleep and Dreaming
• Understanding Emotions
• Self-Improvement
• Healthy Relationships
• Student Resources
• Personality Types
• Sweepstakes
• Guided Meditations
• Verywell Mind Insights
• 2024 Verywell Mind 25
• Mental Health in the Classroom
• Editorial Process
• Meet Our Review Board
• Crisis Support

Writing Problems Common for Students With ADHD

damircudic / E+ / Getty Images

• 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.

16 Writing Tips for ADHD Brains

“There’s no rule on how it is to write… Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly. Sometimes it is like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges.” — Earnest Hemmingway on Writing

Writing when you have ADHD is particularly onerous. Sometimes you’ve been ruminating or feel inspired and the words just flow on to the page (much like this blog post). Other times just the thought of working on a writing assignment sends your brain into a tailspin. So how can you make progress when the deadline isn’t in two hours and getting words on the page feels like fishing barehanded ?

This post contains 16 suggestions split into two sections:

• 9 ideas for emergencies and
• 7 ideas for planning ahead to make consistent progress on large projects.

Some of these are things that have worked for me, others are suggestions from other ADHD writers. Remember: your mileage may vary (depending on the project, your brain, hormones, etc).

Writing Emergencies

If you’re stuck and need help right now:

Adapt the pomodoro — Set a timer for 20 minutes and try to type a few sentences (consider starting with the Freewrite Method if you need). Write extraneous thoughts on a spare sheet of paper to get them out of your head, which can help attempts to refocus. Once you get going, dispense with the timer except for when you STOP writing (bathroom, food breaks), then set it to remind yourself to get back to writing.

Put your headphones in/on — If that doesn’t work, start a good playlist. I find that I prefer certain music when I’m writing, another when I’m coding, etc. Find the genere that feels inspiring and try to feed off of its energy to get started. Here are some of my favorites, most of which have no vocals.

Go off grid — Turn off notifications, wifi, everything, then sit and stare at the page. If you aren’t writing, you aren’t doing anything else either so you might as well write.

Find what’s possible — This is particularly helpful with larger writing projects that have multiple pieces in varying stages of completion. Maybe putting words on the page is impossible today but tackling comments from your advisor is doable. Revisions and edits are valid, important parts of the writing process , too.

Start small — Identify the smallest, most specific writing goal(s) possible and frame it as a question. Answering that question may naturally lead into more. E.g., what are the characteristics of Bacillus anthracis ? (Answer: B. anthracis is a gram positive, spore-forming bacterium. It is the causative agent of…)

Embrace stimulation — Find a mindless task (washing dishes, driving, folding laundry) and do it in silence instead of playing the radio, tv, or your phone. Think about what you’ve written so far and what you would like to write next. Think about your project until the words are itching to get on the page.

Harness novelty — Go somewhere new to work, whether it be a coffee shop, library, or co-working space, find and control novelty in a place with the right amount of stimulation to let you focus on your writing.

Try freewriting — This writing method can really help if your brain feels stuck since writing about what you’re having trouble with can help get you to what you’re supposed to be writing.

Go for a walk — Letting ADHD bodies move often allows their brains the space to create. The problem is that you can’t walk and write at the same time. Or can you? Consider using Google Docs, a recorder app, or some form of dictation software to record yourself writing out loud as you walk. When you get back to the desk, transcribe/transfer it to your manuscript and now you have something to work with.

Tips for Writing Ahead

If you’re thinking about how to make consistent progress on a project without leaving it to the last minute:

Rotate projects — Executive function isn’t exactly a strong suit for people with ADHD this may seem a counterintuitive suggestion, but consider maintaining multiple projects. Because our interest in a project can come in fits and bursts, having multiple projects that you can pick up and put down as your interest varies means that even if one seems impossible to tackle, you may have the brainspace or inspiration for another of your projects. Rotating through them can satisfy the need for novelty while maintaining momentum (and fostering incubation ).

Body double — Find an accountability buddy or group that you can co-work with, either in-person or online. People with ADHD tend to be socially motivated. Having another person trying to focus while you’re trying to focus can sometimes enhance your ability to focus!

The set-up method — Plan ahead and stop while things are flowing. Leave a word, sentence, or paragraph unwritten so that you know right where to start next time. As great as it can feel to get words on the page, it can help to stop writing before you burn out.

Keep the trash — Instead of completely deleting phrases and/or paragraphs that don’t work, keep a separate document for each of your projects where you can move those snippets. When you feel stuck, skim through the “trash” for anything that inspires.

Make a checklist — In other words, make an outline . Check off or cross out each topic as you cover it so you know what’s missing and avoid feeling the immense overwhelm of WRITING with smaller topics. If long checklists overwhelm you, split it into smaller bites that you can then allocate to different writing sessions.

Embrace spurts 1 — Keep the document open on your desktop. When a good sentence, phrase, etc. pops in your brain, tab over and write it down before you forget! This could be particularly helpful for people who work at the bench. Repetitive tasks allow your mind to wander and “write” as you work. Having the document open enables jotting those thoughts down as they occur, making progress easier.

Allow processing time — All brains need time to process and digest information after gathering it. I suspect that ADHD and other neurodivergent brains need a bit more time so consider allowing yourself a week or two between when you finish prewriting and start drafting.

Got any tips to add? Let me know on LinkedIn or Bluesky !

Q&A: Writing Past the Hard Parts | A short podcast episode with thoughts about what makes writing hard and how to get past the hard parts.

ADHD Writing Tips on Reddit

Tips to Stay Organized and Focused when Struggling with Executive Functioning

Tool & Tricks for Writers with ADHD

Writing Tips from the ADHD Academic

Assistive Writing Technology

A post to describe this method in more detail is on its way!  ↩︎

Ada K. Hagan, Ph.D.

Owner, lead consultant.

I am a microbiologist with a passion for making science accessible. I hope to use my background in communications and higher education to help make scientific concepts more easily understood and make the academy more inclusive to future scientists from all backgrounds.

Celebrating 25 Years

• Join ADDitude
•  | 

• What Is ADHD?
• The ADHD Brain
• ADHD Symptoms
• ADHD in Children
• ADHD in Adults
• ADHD in Women
• Find ADHD Specialists
• Symptom Checker Tool
• Symptom Tests
• More in Mental Health
• ADHD Medications
• Medication Reviews
• Natural Remedies
• ADHD Therapies
• Managing Treatment
• Treating Your Child
• Success @ School 2024
• Behavior & Discipline
• Positive Parenting
• Schedules & Routines
• School & Learning
• Health & Nutrition
• Teens with ADHD
• More on ADHD Parenting
• Do I Have ADD?
• Getting Things Done
• Time & Productivity
• Relationships
• Organization
• Health & Nutrition
• More for ADHD Adults
• Free Webinars
• Free Downloads
• Newsletters
• Guest Blogs
• eBooks + More
• Search Listings
• Add a Listing
• News & Research
• For Clinicians
• For Educators
• ADHD Directory
• Manage My Subscription
• Get Back Issues
• Digital Magazine
• Gift Subscription
• Renew My Subscription
• ADHD Parenting

Breaking Barriers: My Battle with ADHD

In a prize-winning essay about overcoming obstacles, a child with attention deficit disorder explains the effects of adhd on his life. from enlisting the help of family members to keeping a journal, this is how jack prey manages his diagnosis..

Have you ever been working on something important, when a song pops into your head? Then that leads you to think of something in the song about flying, which leads you to play with your remote control glider? Next thing you know, it’s dinnertime, and you haven’t finished the homework you started two hours before.

That’s what it’s like to have Attention Deficit Disorder. I know because I’ve had ADHD for as long as I can remember. For me, ADHD means that I can’t focus whenever I really need to. It’s something I will live with for the rest of my life. And it’s no fun!

When I was younger, people told me I was really smart. But I never got good grades to show it. When I was at school, I would get bored really quickly. Then I would look for something more interesting to do. Sometimes I would try to help other kids with their work. The problem was, I didn’t finish my work, and that would lead to trouble. There were lots of days I even felt like quitting school.

My parents were confused. They knew I was smart, but I wasn’t showing it. My doctor suggested that I see a specialist. He gave me a bunch of tests. When it was all done, he told my parents that I had ADD . Now it’s called ADHD. The H stands for “hyper.” He said I didn’t really have the H , so I guess that was some good news.

To help me focus, the doctor gave me some tips to follow. One of them is to keep a special journal with me all the time to write down things, like what homework I have and when things are due. I try to keep the notebook with me wherever I go. It really helps.

[ Get This Free Download: 5 Powerful Brain Hacks for Focus & Productivity ]

I came up with another tip myself. When I have a test or a quiz, I challenge myself to get it done by a certain time. That keeps me focused on the test and not on the pretty girl sitting in front of me or the lizard in the aquarium. Ah, lizards. I really like lizards. Where was I again?

Oh yeah, my focus techniques. With the help of my parents and my older brother, I started doing some other things that help, like going to bed a little earlier so I can get a good night’s sleep.

My brother and I share a bedroom, and he has agreed to go to bed earlier to help me out. Another thing our whole family has started doing is eating a healthy diet. I used to eat a lot of junk food, but now I only eat a little bit. Ah, junk food. Oops, I’ll try not to do that again.

I’ve been working hard, using these focus techniques for the last year and guess what? My grades have started to go up! In fact, on my last report card I got five As and one B. That’s the best I’ve ever done!

[ Your Free Download: What Every Teacher Should Know About ADHD: A Poster for School ]

My teacher, Miss Ryan, suggested I write this essay. I’m not sure if I knew who Jackie Robinson was before this, but I did some checking. Turns out, he was a great man who had to overcome one of the worst things there is: racism. He did it using the values of courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence.

I have used some of these same values to help me overcome ADHD. For instance, I am committed to using my focus techniques, and I am determined to do better in school. Plus, my family has helped me, and that is being a team. Go, team! Also, when I focus, I am a good citizen and don’t bother my classmates as much. Last but not least, using these values has helped me to get almost all As on my report card, which is an example of excellence. Thanks for being such a good example, Jackie!

[ Read This Next: How I Came to Rock My ADHD ]

Talking About ADHD: Read These Next

“My ADHD Looks Nothing Like Your ADHD”

“Is ADHD Real?” How to Respond to Doubters with Tact and Facts

What NOT to Say to the Parent of a Child with ADHD

ADDitude’s 10 Most Popular Webinars of 2017

Adhd newsletter, the adhd parenting guide, behavior & discipline, positive parenting, organization, happiness & more..

It appears JavaScript is disabled in your browser. Please enable JavaScript and refresh the page in order to complete this form.

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.

Most Read Articles in 2023:

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.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Passionate Writer Coaching

ADHD writing tips: discover how to become a productive writer

• 15 mins read
• ADHD writing support
• March 10, 2021
• ADHD , author , coaching , neurodiverse , new writers , obstacles , planning , writer , Writer-self , writing , your writer-self

In my work as an ADHD writing coach , I’ve been able to share many tips and tricks about writing with ADHD with my clients over the years. So in this post, I thought I’d share with you my 5 favorite ADHD writing tips, to help you improve your writing skills and get better at writing your books, articles and essays. 

I often meet clients who have received their diagnosis only recently. These authors have the creativity and enthusiasm required to write a great book, article, or essay. But until now, they’ve never managed to turn their dreams into reality. And in light of their diagnosis, they wonder: now that I know what’s been holding me back, can I fix it? Can I finally be the successful author I’ve wanted to be? And the answer is: “yes, but not without some ADHD writing help.” In this post, I show you some ADHD writing tips that I teach them to get better at writing with ADHD. 

ADHD writing tips — Table of Contents:

Confession: in true ADHD fashion, I went a little bit overboard in writing this post and it has turned into a very long article. So if you want to follow your ADHD impulses and jump ahead, I won’t feel hurt. Here’s a Table of Contents. 

Having ADHD is like needing glasses

• How does that help?

Different writing sprint techniques

Keep experimenting (with all these adhd writing tips).

• Master your types of focus

The lies to tell yourself

10 seconds at a time, 10-minute rule for reducing adhd writing anxiety, final thoughts on adhd writing tips, get adhd writing help, add or adhd: which is it.

A quick note on terminology: I’ll be using the word ADHD to also mean ADD, throughout this post, my website, and my business. When I was first diagnosed, they told me I had ADD, but since then the term has fallen out of fashion. Instead, they have put it under the ADHD label, which contains three subtypes: inattentive (formerly ADD), hyperactive, and combined. If you’re interested, you can read more in this ADDitude article . 

1. Accept that writing with ADHD is harder

Let’s start at the very beginning. Before you try any other ADHD writing tips from this post, it’s important to acknowledge that writing with ADHD is harder than it is for neurotypicals. And that can be hard to accept! The tricky thing about writing with ADHD is that many of our symptoms are challenges that all artists seem to struggle with. That can make it hard to understand how ADHD affects writing, and to find the ADHD writing help you need.

But I’m here to tell you: if you do have ADHD, some things about the writing process are definitely harder for you than for most. We tend to experience more ADHD writing anxiety, have trouble taking control of our focus, and are generally bad at time management. (If you want to read more about ADHD challenges specific to PhD candidates, check out this blog post .)

So here’s one mindset shift that has helped me and my ADHD writer clients in the past. 

One comparison I often find helpful is that of someone who wears glasses. Every single person on earth has a hard time seeing things up too close or at a long distance. But some people have a harder time than others. Their eyes simply work differently. That doesn’t mean they can’t get their eyes to work the same way others do. They just need tools to do that: glasses. 

The same is true for writing with ADHD. Every single writer on earth will struggle with things like focus, procrastination (I actually wrote a blog post about that ), sticking to schedules, and meeting deadlines. But for an ADHD writer, it requires even more effort. We certainly can do it, but need some extra tools, some ADHD writing help. ADHDers can definitely be good writers (many of us are!). We just need glasses. 

How do these writing tips help?

Now, you can spend your time wishing you didn’t need these ADHD writing tips and tools. You can compare yourself to neurotypical writers and get frustrated for not being like them. At times, people with glasses will similarly wish they didn’t need them. (Especially when their glasses fog up.) 

But the fact is: this is how your brain works. And though it may be frustrating and depressing at times, and increase your ADHD writing anxiety, there is hope. There are tools that can help. but they can only help you once you’ve accepted that you need your glasses.

When you accept that ADHD affects your writing, you can start learning how ADHD affects writing skills. When you know how ADHD makes it hard to write, you can start finding solutions to make writing with ADHD easier… and of course ADHD writing tips in blog posts such as these. 

Or maybe what you really need is some additional ADHD writing help? Then it’s lucky you found the blog of an ADHD writing coach! Just click the following button to schedule a free 1-hour intake meeting with me, and we’ll discuss together how I can best help you achieve your goals and dreams. 

2. Master your attention span

Now that you know you are an ADHD writer, it’s time to get to know yourself anew. In an earlier blogpost, I talked about the importance of getting to know your writer-self. And this is even more important when you are writing with ADHD. And the first thing you need to learn is how to master your attention span: the second of my ADHD writing tips.

People’s concentration spans are different. 

• There are people who thrive when they focus for one hour at a time, separated by breaks. 
• Then, there’s the 45/15 method: focus for 45 minutes, do something physical for 15. 
• There’s the 30/30 schedule, which allows you to run a household in your writing breaks. 
• And, of course, there’s the famous Pomodoro technique. 

Now, the only way to figure out what works for you is to experiment. I’ve learned about myself, for example, that Pomodoro doesn’t work for me: after 25 minutes, I’ve JUST begun to get into my task. So its 25-minute time blocks give me more frustration than anything else. But you can only figure that out by trying. Here’s how you do that.

When to take a break

Attention spans kind of follow the hyperbola shape you can see in the Instagram post I included below. (Oh, if you don’t follow me yet on this platform: do it now! Every day, I share more ADHD writing help on there.)

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Susanne - ADHD writing coach (@passionatewritercoaching)

When you first start writing, your focus is low: you have to “get in the flow” first. Once you get in the flow, your focus levels climb fast. But at some point, you get tired and your attention drops again. And the only way to reset this whole process is to take a break. 

Knowing this, it’s easy to see that it matters at what point in time you take your break. Do it too early, and you miss some of that precious focus-time. Do it too late and you keep pushing yourself to work even though you are not going to be productive anymore anyway. A well-timed break allows you to spend most of your writing time when you have the most focus and attention available to you. 

And that’s why mastering your attention span had to be the second of my ADHD writing tips!

And here’s the tricky thing for ADHD writers: something that works for you one week may not work the next. Though you need the structure, after a while it will start to annoy you. You’ll get mad at your timer. You’ll start feeling resentment toward your schedule. Or you’ll just forget about your systems altogether.

And that is when you need to start the whole process all over again!

Writing with ADHD is a process of learning and unlearning. It’s constant experimentation, forgetting, and re-finding. And that is a lot of effort to put in! But when you do, you can start working with your brain instead of against it. And that will definitely make you a better, more productive, and happier ADHD writer. 

3. Master your Types of focus

And that takes us to the third of my ADHD writing tips: Master your types of focus! 

Intense focus, especially hyperfocus, costs a tremendous amount of energy. It will exhaust you. If you spend an entire day hyperfocusing on a specific project, chances are that the next day you can’t access the singular focus you might require to write.

But what I’ve learned is that a scattered, easily distracted brain (usually the result of being tired) is actually brilliant for doing research! You might also find that this mindset is great for brainstorming. Or for doing marketing. So: when you learn what mindset you need for which tasks related to the project, this can relieve a lot of your stress and frustration. 

You might wake up in a mood and with a type of focus that’s perfect for editing but not so much for writing. Now, you can try to force yourself to write anyway, but this will only make you feel angry with yourself. And that means in turn that you won’t be able to write anything of the quality that you envision. You’ll be in for a day full of anger, ADHD writing anxiety and frustration and end up with nothing to show for it.

But if you recognize your mindset and type of focus for what they are, and are able to discern what category of tasks you are good at when your brain works the way it does today, you can do the thing today’s brain will be good at. Writing with ADHD gets better when you accept where you are at, and embrace the way your brain works. So, by all means: edit one of your finished chapters. You can write a new one tomorrow. 

4. Lie about your deadines

I can hear some of you laugh (or cry) in my head right now. “Yes, that all sounds great, Susanne,” you might think, “but I’m close to a deadline. I can’t afford to spend time doing marketing when I have to deliver the goods.” And know what? I get it. And the only solution to the deadline problem I have found so far, is to straight-up lie to yourself. Which is the fourth of my ADHD writing tips.

With all my talk about respecting the way your brain works, accepting it, and learning to work WITH it, this might surprise you. But the fact is that deadlines are like cocaine. They motivate you, they help you push yourself, they give you energy and focus. And they only work for a very short time. So why not use that in your favor?

When I was in high school, I would consistently hand in my assignments 14 days late. I wouldn’t be able to work on the project until the day of the deadline. And then my guilt would start to build… and build… and I would finally be able to get to work. And then I realized that I’m incredibly scatterbrained. I’ll believe anything as long as it’s in my planner. So I started to lie to myself about deadlines. Whenever I had one, I’d put it in my planner 14 days early. And with my 14-days-late habit, that meant my work was done the day I had to hand it in. Pretty neat trick, uh? This is one of my favorite ADHD writing tips.

5. Make it small and manageable

In the fourth of the ADHD writing tips, “lie about your deadlines” part, I know it seemed unlikely that I’d forget that I ALWAYS move up the deadline 14 days. But the thing is, I break this one big (fake) deadline down into smaller ones. And smaller ones. And smaller ones.

And yes, by the end I have no way of knowing how ignoring one deadline will affect the overall plan. So I’d better stick to it!

All of these small deadlines I put down in my planner. And I will miss some of them, because of a lack of energy, a lack of focus, or ADHD writing anxiety. Others fall in weeks where I’m all-writing all the time and I’ll start early on the next deadline. Oh, the joys of writing with ADHD!

These small deadlines help me keep momentum: instead of using an entire bag of cocaine, I just take it one sniff at a time. And it makes the lie mentioned before a lot more convincing: I don’t even focus on that final fake deadline anymore. All I need to do is turn the crank for 10 seconds. 

Now, one reason why it’s so hard for us to get to work on a big project is that we get overwhelmed. When you write a book, there are so many elements involved! How on earth will you do it? What if you fail? What if you succeed and have to do more of it? And the project gets bigger and bigger in your head until you experience something called  executive dysfunction . You freeze and are simply incapable of working on the thing. 

The only way around this is to break it down. Kimmy Schmidt actually explained this way better than I ever could:

It’s funny, right, to find ADHD writing help in such a silly comedy show.  But it’s true: everything becomes manageable if you just focus on the tiny first step. 

You might not feel capable of writing an entire book, getting it published, marketing it and live the “successful author” lifestyle. But right now, you don’t have to. All you need to do is pick one of your million projects to work on first. Or all you need to do is write the introduction. Or not even that: just write a page. Rather than focusing on having to turn the mystery crank for hours, all you need to do is bear it for 10 seconds. And then the new 10 seconds start. And as we ADHD writers people love starting things, this is a double bonus.

Now, Kimmy’s ten seconds are great for turning a crank, but don’t help much when you’re in the middle of writing with ADHD. What can help, however, is to use the 10-minute rule. And this is especially useful when it comes to ADHD writing anxiety. 

If a task gives you stress and anxiety, tell yourself: “I only have to do this for 10 minutes.” Usually, 10 minutes is enough to get into the writing flow again. (Remember the  graph  in the second of the ADHD writing tips?) If it doesn’t, accept that this is not the right time to work on this. You were amazing for even starting on something that gave you ADHD writing anxiety. You made a little bit of progress, and that’s enough for now. Try again tomorrow. 

As an ADHD writer you’ll have challenges that neurotypicals don’t experience in the same way. It sucks, it can be frustrating and sometimes you’ll wish that your brain worked the same way as all those people who’ve been telling you you just need to try harder.

But the fact that you experience these challenges does not mean you can’t accomplish your dreams: your brain just needs glasses. 

Using the above ADHD writing tips, you can learn how to make your brain work for you. And then, writing with ADHD does not have to be the painful, frustrating, angering, and depressing task it has been. 

Have you tried to use the ADHD writing help provided by the tools and tips above, but you’re still struggling? That’s okay! This is something an ADD/ADHD writing coach can help with.

Just use the scheduling tool below to book a free one-hour appointment straight into my calendar. Together, we can work on figuring this “writing with ADHD” thing out for you, develop your writing skills, reduce your ADHD writing anxiety, and finally finish that essay, novel, or article you’ve been meaning to. 

More tips & tools for ADHD writers

5 Reasons why writing is so hard with ADHD

Body doubling for ADHD writers: hack your brain through accountability

Famous authors with ADHD–lessons from historical celebrities

My name is Susanne and ever since I taught myself to read at age 4 I have had a passion for the written word. Over the last five years, I have developed a set of systems to help myself and others be productive and make work of our writing passion. Whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, I’m here to help! Check out the  about me  page to read more.

Testimonials

Thoroughly recommended.

Her work is of the highest standard and, very importantly, she always managed to deliver on time! I have no hesitation in recommending Susanne and would definitely hire her services again!

Blogpost topics

Table of contents.

• Essay Topic Generator
• Essay Grader
• Reference Finder
• AI Outline Generator
• Paragraph Expander
• Essay Expander
• Literature Review Generator
• Thesis Generator
• Text Editing Tools
• AI Rewording Tool
• AI Sentence Rewriter
• AI Article Spinner
• AI Grammar Checker
• Spell Checker
• PDF Spell Check
• Paragraph Checker
• Free AI Essay Writer
• Paraphraser
• Grammar Checker
• Citation Generator
• Plagiarism Checker
• AI Detector
• AI Essay Checker
• Proofreading Service
• Editing Service
• AI Writing Guides
• AI Detection Guides
• Citation Guides
• Grammar Guides
• Paraphrasing Guides
• Plagiarism Guides
• Summary Writing Guides
• STEM Guides
• Humanities Guides
• Language Learning Guides
• Coding Guides
• Top Lists and Recommendations
• AI Detectors
• AI Writing Services
• Coding Homework Help
• Citation Generators
• Editing Websites
• Essay Writing Websites
• Language Learning Websites
• Math Solvers
• Paraphrasers
• Plagiarism Checkers
• Reference Finders
• Spell Checkers
• Summarizers
• Tutoring Websites
• Essay Checkers
• Essay Topic Finders

Most Popular

12 days ago

How to Develop a Homework Routine That Works

11 days ago

How to Reduce Screen Time in the Era of TikToks, and Be a Productive Student

13 days ago

How to Write a Bridge in an Essay

Should i go back to school reasons the answer might be yes, survey reveals high cost of course materials stops students from success, writing essays with adhd can be a bliss – student on reddit found.

Image: freepik.com

ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, has recently become a problem widely spoken about. There are many students who have this diagnosis but do not necessarily know what to do with it. For them, studying is hard, and organizing themselves is even harder. Though, it’s not impossible.

Key Takeaways

• ADHD affects many students, making tasks such as studying, organizing, and especially essay writing, difficult due to challenges with focus and attention to detail.
• Using a table chart – breaking down points, reasoning, and evidence – significantly simplifies the essay-writing process for those with ADHD.
• Apart from table charts, other strategies like creating outlines from syllabus rubrics, bullet point outlines, and flexible essay structures can aid ADHD students in essay writing.

In the US, around 6 million children are diagnosed with ADHD and 13% of these are 12-17-year-olds . This widely common problem, nonetheless, hasn’t been for a long time addressed by society, not to mention the educational sector. 

Students with ADHD enter universities, knowing that from that period on it will be a hard battle between them and the regular studying system. Sadly, not everybody makes it. Around 11% of freshmen who have ADHD drop out due to problems with punctuality, focus maintenance, and lack of supervision which leads to questionable decision-making.

The Issues of Studying with ADHD

Doing homework is another tough trial for these students. Many find that it takes them ages to finish work, while their groupmates are quickly done with the same tasks. As they have problems with focus and attention to detail, writing assignments become a particular challenge . Try keeping your train of thought in line when its routes constantly change. What’s even harder is reviewing the final work, as ADHD students not only tend to miss out on small details but also try to finish their torture as fast as possible which leads to pretty careless mistakes. 

Constant errors and generally less elaborated answers may then even further discourage students from working on their skills and doing these types of tasks.  Luckily, as these issues is voiced aloud more, young people can learn from one another and share their working strategies of organizing their academic efforts. 

This one student, for example, shared on Reddit their recently-found way of making essay writing less hard. As it turned out, the whole secret was in compiling the right table for your thoughts:

“It’s literally just a table with a point in one column, reasoning/argument in the next, and then evidence in the final one… yes we were taught this method in secondary school but not as a TABLE. OMG I can jump from point to point so easily, and as my brain spurts out random information I can just put it in the right place on the table and BAM suddenly have thousands of words written and it’s just a matter of copy-pasting then into an essay format and adding connective words :))”

As many asked to see this famous table, the OP shared it:

As we went through the thread we also saw many share their own experiences of battling writing problems. As it turned out, there are a lot of ways to keep your ADHD brain organized and focused.

Table Chart is the Answer

Some students agreed that table charts were a great option, as they helped them keep all the information in one structured place:

“I had a method I’d use at uni where I did it in Word in a similar way. I’d have the topics for the paper as headers and the under each one I’d copy in the reference and underneath that put bullet points of the information I got from it, that way I could see which of the papers I had found had been summarised and which still needed doing.”

“I did this with note cards and it was EXTREMELY helpful. During the research phase, I would have a note card per source. As a paper formed in my mind during the research phase, I would use coloured highlighters to highlight topics. Then I would have a note card per topic with bullet points and then type it all up in complete sentences and an intro and conclusion. That sounds like a lot but it helped me become incredibly familiar with the information which made writing so much easier and this was before all the technology that we have now.”

“The way the professor wanted us to write essays was basically this. We had a table with the thesis of the paragraph, one column with evidence another with an explanation of the evidence and one dedicated to why it mattered. It blew my mind and made structuring essays so much easier. I really only use the table now if I don’t really enjoy the subject I’m writing about. It’s a great tool to organize your thoughts and create legible essays.”

As you can see, table charts were one of the popular options when it came to thought organization. But it Wasn’t the only one. 

Outlining or Going with the Flow?

A few other tactics to cope with ADHD messy head included outlining. Redditors mentioned a few different approaches to the method like creating a skeleton of the writing from the given syllabus.

“Another good way is making a skeleton from the syllabus/marking rubric. And make little headings (including one for the intro and one for the conclusion) with a few notes under each one of the things you need to include to get full marks. It makes it so much easier for me to do in small chunks and not leave it until the last minute.”

“Using the Rubric is what got me through uni! If there’s a rubric provided, there’s an excellent chance the teaching body would actually prefer having your submission laid out to match it. Headings and sub-headings for each section, plus it makes it easier to be sure that the section worth 10 points has more to it than the section worth 5 points.”

One user also mentioned that making a bullet point outline was helpful, as it helped sort out the thoughts and ideas more efficiently:

“This semester I have to write ~1000 word essays weekly that connect with a (set of) texts. I started to adopt the bullet point outline for ALL my writing except translations. Helps me sort my thoughts and ideas, check for balance between the parts and allow me to break up the work. I can read the text(s), write bullet points for that, write bullet points for the different reflections, and turn bullet points into words – ALL SEPARATE! The last if needed can even be broken up more. And nothing gets lost!”

If you are not a list person, you could also adopt another way of outlining, when you figure out the topics first and then gradually add needed information to them. This is how it was described by one student:

“I was an outline hater for much of my high school life until I was slapped with a 6-page essay and had no idea where to even start. I would start by making the topics of the paragraphs. Then adding the quotes to support them. Then add the details. Combine it into paragraph form and read it to make sure it makes sense. Do a spelling and grammar check. Read again. Submit.”

Going With The Flow Could Work Though

There was one alternative method mentioned as well. It concentrated on the fact that writing doesn’t necessarily need to be structured exactly like it taught you in school.

“An alternative tactic which helped me with essays was realizing that I don’t need to be confined by the five-paragraph structure we use in grade school. A lot of famous papers that I read in my classes seemed to just kind of flow from topic to topic in whatever order was the most logical to the writer. I started doing the same and while I can’t say my grades improved, my enjoyment of the process increased greatly. It was like letting the essay format change to fit my own mind. Additionally, I’d gone through enough essay writing that I knew intuitively how to cite sources properly, so that wasn’t an issue.”

So, if you want to embrace your free flight of thought, this could work for you as well. Write as feels natural and you will probably end up with a well-structured essay. Just don’t get carried away too much and stick to your initial topic.

Other Essay Writing Tips That Can Make It Easier for YouDespite ADHD

Outlining is a great strategy to help you keep your work structured. However, it is just the beginning. You will then need to combine all your thoughts and findings under your structure creating the whole picture. We searched around a little bit and found a few more things you can do to turn your essays into candy.

Engaging with Writing

Having created an outline and maybe a thesis for your writing, you can create a new document. There you will continue your writing as per the topics in your rough draft, filling out all the necessary details. You can also organise them in bullet lists if it works for you. This method encourages a deeper engagement with your writing. By doing so, mistakes become more apparent, especially when seen in list form. Transitions that might be causing confusion and unnecessary information that doesn’t serve the narrative become easier to spot. 

Storytelling and Visualization

Even when working with factual subjects, essay writing is similar to storytelling. Understand the journey from the introduction to the body of your essay, visualizing the direction of your argument, which helps in progressing towards the conclusion. You can even imagine a road and just follow it seeing where the presented facts may take you.

Editing and Proofreading

Undoubtedly, this step is critical. And, with ADHD, pretty daunting. There’s a trick that may help though: visualize proofreading as using binoculars:

• Initially, aim for a bird’s-eye view to understand the bigger picture. Double-line spacing can aid this macro view. 
• Once this is done, zoom in on the finer details. Read the essay pretending someone else wrote it, focusing on transitions and the logical flow from one paragraph to the next. 
• Following this, read sentence by sentence, ensuring each connects and flows with the next. 

Revise as necessary, repeating the process until satisfied.

Follow us on Reddit for more insights and updates.

Comments (0)

Welcome to A*Help comments!

We’re all about debate and discussion at A*Help.

We value the diverse opinions of users, so you may find points of view that you don’t agree with. And that’s cool. However, there are certain things we’re not OK with: attempts to manipulate our data in any way, for example, or the posting of discriminative, offensive, hateful, or disparaging material.

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

More from Academic Writing Tips

Personal Statement for Social Work: Here’s How to Convince the Admissions Committee

PhD Student Struggles with Thesis-Induced Panic Attacks, Turns to Reddit for Support

From Karl Marx to Toga Shortages: Reddit’s Funniest Essay Mistakes

Remember Me

Is English your native language ? Yes No

What is your profession ? Student Teacher Writer Other

Forgotten Password?

Username or Email

Get the Reddit app

We're an inclusive, disability-oriented peer support group for people with ADHD with an emphasis on science-backed information. Share your stories, struggles, and non-medication strategies. Nearly a million and a half users say they 'feel at home' and 'finally found a place where people understand them'. Note: this is a community for in-depth discussions, not a dumping ground for memes, pictures, videos, or short text posts.

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. 🥲

By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy .

Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app

You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account.

Enter a 6-digit backup code

Create your username and password.

Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it.

Reset your password

Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password

Check your inbox

An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account

Choose a Reddit account to continue