At least 8% of US adults are affected by attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). Folks who live with ADHD find it difficult to focus and may have a hard time regulating their behavior.

However, an ADHD diagnosis doesn’t mean you can’t complete challenging, focus-intensive tasks like writing the next big YA thriller or children’s adventure book. Even famous writers like Agatha Christie and George Bernard Shaw may have suffered from undiagnosed ADHD and there are plenty of resources to help you find success while living with ADHD. 

The key is to follow strategies that focus your attention and help you stay on schedule to complete your writing milestones. 

Getting Diagnosed and Getting Help

8% of the population have been diagnosed with ADHD at some point in their lives, but many more go undiagnosed. This may be due to the negative stigma that still surrounds ADHD or, more simply, a lack of awareness about the condition. 

If you suspect you have ADHD but are undiagnosed, it’s worth visiting your healthcare provider and getting their opinion. In all likelihood, your doctor will refer you to a specialist who is an expert in adult ADHD and will know how to diagnose and help you. 

If you feel as though you’re running into a brick wall, you can switch tactics and get a specialist’s help on your own by contacting professionals who diagnose and treat ADHD. Being persistent and finding the help you need is important, as trying to deal with a condition like ADHD with tips and tricks alone is nearly impossible — you need expert help and shouldn’t stop seeking it until you are satisfied with your treatment. 

Creating the Right Environment

Getting help is the most important step towards better focus while writing with ADHD. However, your environment also goes a long way toward helping you stay on track and achieve your dreams of becoming a writer. 

Every writer’s environment is different and there’s no “right” space that will completely alleviate your ADHD symptoms. However, creating a productive workspace will certainly help. Start by decluttering the room you write in. Clutter can easily grab your attention and make you feel “fuzzy” when trying to write. A few plants and fidget tools should take the place of book piles and paperwork, but try to keep distracting items like phones or music speakers at a distance. 

Before you start creating your focus-friendly office, consider how much foot traffic your writing space gets throughout the day. If your kids, pets, and spouse are constantly trapezing through your space, it may be worth finding a new space to write in. Folks who don’t have ADHD may not understand how easily your focus can be broken and you can hardly blame them for distracting you if you’ve set up your desk in the living room. 

Tips for Focus

Finding a quiet, distraction-free office is a blessing if you are writing with ADHD. Regularly returning to the same place to write will help your brain click into “writing” mode and help you get on with your next draft or manuscript.  

However, you should still expect to get distracted even if your space is adjusted perfectly to help you focus on writing. Rather than getting frustrated with yourself, try to utilize some tools that improve focus and help you reclaim your productivity. 

If you primarily suffer from inattention, it may be worth investing some time in tools that help you stay organized. In particular, you might benefit from mind mapping your writing process. Mind mapping tools are important if you find that you are often muddled and lose track of your thoughts when you sit down to write. 

A good schedule can also aid your quest for greater writing productivity. ADHD-positive writing schedules are highly personal, and you might need to experiment with some trial and error before you find the best time of day for your writing. The key is to write at a time of day when writing feels good and try to stick to that pattern of behavior. Do your best to protect these hours, and try to treat the time you set aside for writing with the same respect that you do for work. 

Conclusion 

Writing is never easy. It requires your full attention, and most writers spend a lifetime honing their craft and finding their voice. Writing is even harder if you are struggling with undiagnosed ADHD and haven’t yet received the help you need to stay on track during the writing process. 

You can better your chances of remaining focused while writing with ADHD by getting a diagnosis as soon as possible and working with a specialist who is right for you. Beyond that, you should aim to create a calm, productive work environment with minimal distractions and low foot traffic. This will improve your chances of sticking to a schedule that works for you and increases the efficiency of your writing process. 

Ainsley Lawrence is a freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest. She is interested in better living through technology and education. She loves traveling to beautiful places is frequently lost in a good book.