Advice/Help Writing with ADHD/EFD

ChillyTiger

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This probably seems like an odd question to ask, but I'm someone new to the world of ADHD/EFD and it's really been affecting my writing. Not only do I struggle with the focusing aspect (or lack thereof), but I also constantly jump from idea to idea erratically in writing and it doesn't flow anymore. I don't feel confident in any of my writing anymore, and it's making it very hard to roleplay or even write for myself. I was wondering if anyone else had ADHD/EFD and roleplayed, if they had the same issues, and if they've found anything that helps them and that weird "writer's block" thing?

Thanks
 
As someone with ADHD (admittedly as I get older it has calmed down and gotten much more mild) sometimes I suffer from that. I'll lose track while writing and lose focus and then boom, "writers block." I don't have any advice for you today sadly, but I just wanted you to know you're not alone here. I've got it too and it can be a bit overwhelming when so many other people on this site seem to have it all in order and can focus really well and stick to one idea lol.
 
Is it that you lose track of your thought mid post or that you want to do a few different ideas at once?

If it’s the first one :
- I found making an outline helps. It helps you remember your train of thought and it gives you something concrete to work with.

If it’s the second :
- lol that’s my own problem (that and very bad memory problems). I would suggest you actually hold off on writing until you can pinpoint a few ideas that come up more then once. I might have four or five ideas in my head at any given time but only one or two of them will still be around week to week.

Those are the ones I focus on. I find for the distraction ideas daydreaming helps. Maybe trying some stream of consciousness writing. Typically ideas that are flights of fancy will fade very quickly when you actually go to write them out.
 
Is it that you lose track of your thought mid post or that you want to do a few different ideas at once?

If it’s the first one :
- I found making an outline helps. It helps you remember your train of thought and it gives you something concrete to work with.

If it’s the second :
- lol that’s my own problem (that and very bad memory problems). I would suggest you actually hold off on writing until you can pinpoint a few ideas that come up more then once. I might have four or five ideas in my head at any given time but only one or two of them will still be around week to week.

Those are the ones I focus on. I find for the distraction ideas daydreaming helps. Maybe trying some stream of consciousness writing. Typically ideas that are flights of fancy will fade very quickly when you actually go to write them out.
It's definitely both. I struggle to decide which idea would work the best, and in terms of losing my train of thought, it's more like I either underexplain or vastly overexplain, and my writing just...sucks. I've asked my partners for feedback but it's gotten to the point where they're starting to get annoyed because I ask so often (and understandably so). My biggest worry is that with this issue keeping me from posting on a rapid/regular basis, I'll be letting my partners down and they'll end up dropping our plays.
And I've actually tried the stream of consciousness writing! Sometimes it helps and sometimes it's as bad as when I actually try. If you're willing, I could maybe send you some examples, both just on the spot SOC and when I plan things out, just to get an unbiased opinion from someone that's not my partner?
 
I'm not diagnosed as having ADHD or any similar disorders, but writing is difficult for me as I tend to lose interest in plots and characters quickly. Writer's block is pretty common for me as I can usually only find myself able to write about whatever it is I happen to be obsessing over at any given time.
 
yooo adhd gang gang~!

I’m in this odd spot where if I don’t reply to something straight away, then I lose motivation to write at all. It’s horrible for my rp partners so pls forgive me. So if I’m on holidays and a friend replies, I have to force myself not to read it until I get back otherwise my brain over thinks about it and then when it comes to writing I’m like meh. It’s probably why it takes me five months to write group rp interest checks

But when I am stuck, talking to my rp partner really helps to get the juice flowing! The other thing is something I learnt from studying drama; make something unexpected happen! If you feel like something is going meh in your post, then add a little spice. For example; my character was in hospital, sick. My rp partners character was the doctor caring for him. I got a bit stuck with my reply; so my dude all the sudden vomited all over the doctor. It brought in another aspect of our character development too which is great fun lol

I also time block a lot (even with my every day routine it really helps with my adhd brain); and so I give myself 15 mins to write as much as I can as quickly as possible and see what comes out. I can usually type between 500-600 words in 15 mins; and then I’ll go in and add and edit things afterwards, taking my time.

Hope some of this helps!
 
It's definitely both. I struggle to decide which idea would work the best, and in terms of losing my train of thought, it's more like I either underexplain or vastly overexplain, and my writing just...sucks. I've asked my partners for feedback but it's gotten to the point where they're starting to get annoyed because I ask so often (and understandably so). My biggest worry is that with this issue keeping me from posting on a rapid/regular basis, I'll be letting my partners down and they'll end up dropping our plays.
And I've actually tried the stream of consciousness writing! Sometimes it helps and sometimes it's as bad as when I actually try. If you're willing, I could maybe send you some examples, both just on the spot SOC and when I plan things out, just to get an unbiased opinion from someone that's not my partner?

Sure. I am just heading out to work but I can give you some advice when I get off.

So for over/under explaining I think reading might help with that. A lot of how you improve as a writer is by reading and then mimicking what you see.

It might also help to do time blocks as weldherwings weldherwings suggested. Just tell yourself I am gonna write for X amount of time and that’s it. The finished product is what I post whether it’s perfect or not.

I don’t have this issue with writing but I do have this issue with speech (under or over explaining). Ironically my mom and I have the same issue so communication between us can be a nightmare.

I have found that stress only makes it worse and sometimes getting something out and then letting your partner ask follow up questions if they’re confused helps.

Cuz sometimes we are explaining things well enough to get the point across even if we haven’t gotten all the right words in our own heads to convey it.
 
This probably seems like an odd question to ask, but I'm someone new to the world of ADHD/EFD and it's really been affecting my writing. Not only do I struggle with the focusing aspect (or lack thereof), but I also constantly jump from idea to idea erratically in writing and it doesn't flow anymore. I don't feel confident in any of my writing anymore, and it's making it very hard to roleplay or even write for myself. I was wondering if anyone else had ADHD/EFD and roleplayed, if they had the same issues, and if they've found anything that helps them and that weird "writer's block" thing?

Thanks

I also have ADHD and struggle with the same issues to this day. So you're among friends!

I have indeed found ways to help focus myself though, so it's not quite as bad as it used to be in years past.

1) Expend excess energy before trying to write anything.

- ADHD peeps like us have a lot of excess and pent up energy that we don't ever really know what to do with. It can manifest in a lot of ways like rapidly and unconsciously tapping our feet, rolling our fingers, biting our nails or the insides of our mouths, etc.

- Expending energy can be anything from a light jog around the block to just running in place for 60 seconds at a mild clip. Not enough to exhaust you. Just enough to expel some energy and get you breathing for a bit.

- Take a drink of water and let your breath come back, and then try sitting down to organize some thoughts. If you find your mind is still jumping around, repeat the exercise.

2) Take 10 minutes to sit quietly, and relax as much as possible before writing.

- This is not the same as meditation, but if you want to meditate then do that too. But the main purpose of this is to sit as still as possible and keep your body relaxed. Especially your shoulders. When we have a lot of energy still worked up, we'll have a tendency to want to move. Resist that urg and let your body go limp except for your back as you should be sitting with a straight back the entire time.

- For me at least, this helps to relieve some of the tightness that my body can accumulate throughout my workday sitting at my desk job. I often have an awkward sitting posture, and change positions quite frequently as a result. And this can sometimes lead to tightness in your muscles.

3) Eat something.

- Sometimes it's as simple as getting a full stomach to help settle your mind and body and help you achieve a more relaxed state before you try writing anything.

- Or, you can try chewing gum. It might sound like an odd tactic, but chewing gum is a great way to distract your body, with all its pent up energy now going to chewing, which can often leave your brain free to focus a bit better on what you want to work on.

- Be sure that if this is the route you choose that you only delegate about 20-30 minutes to the work, though. As it won't last long. This is a more short-term solution. So if you know you can finish whatever you want to work on in 30 minutes or less, give it a go.

4) Do a full body workout.

- This is in the same vein as the first point. But sometimes, if your ADHD is really bad, then a short exercise to get you breathing might not be enough. Instead, do a full body workout. Something simple with body weight so that you don't have to go to a gym is fine.

- 2 sets of 25 push ups, 2 sets of 25 situps, 2 sets of 50 squats, 2 sets of 10 burpees, and 2 sets of running in place for 60 seconds. Anything along these lines for a brief, but full body workout will really help to tire your body out so that the excess energy is gone and your brain should have enough breathing room to focus on writing endeavors.

- This is my preferred method of expending all that energy, and it also helps you feel good when it's over. The more used to this you get, the stronger your body gets, and the more you can add to the numbers of each set to keep you pushing so you never get too used to it.


Anywho, these are some of the things that helped me cope with my ADHD.

It's still an issue from time to time. Especially on days where I have little to no motivation to try any of them. I also was also recently diagnosed with low grade depression, so there are occasionally days where I just don't bother.

But if you can burn off your excess energy and put your body in a more relaxed state, it should help a lot with focusing on your writing endeavors.

Cheers!

~ GojiBean
 
Thank you guys, I really appreciate all the advice. I think most prevalent issue besides getting distracted from writing easily is the seemingly deteriorating quality of my writing due to idea-hopping or over/under-explaining. If anyone else would be willing to give feedback on some writing I've done recently, I'd appreciate that, too. I'd like to know if it's just me getting into my own head or an actual problem associated with ADHD.
 
Thank you guys, I really appreciate all the advice. I think most prevalent issue besides getting distracted from writing easily is the seemingly deteriorating quality of my writing due to idea-hopping or over/under-explaining. If anyone else would be willing to give feedback on some writing I've done recently, I'd appreciate that, too. I'd like to know if it's just me getting into my own head or an actual problem associated with ADHD.

Hoyo!

Send me a sample of your writing in a PM and I'll be happy to give you an in-depth an constructive critique!
 
I have ADHD too! :)

I started RPing in games and forums a really long time ago and I found what helped is sticking to smaller posts, like 150 words or so, though sometimes it can go much higher depending on the context of the post. This is completely viable in video games due to text limits and really works well for me since I don't have to write for long before I get a reward of some sort (a post in response!). I know this isn't always a popular method especially in places like RPN, so in settings where longer posts are much more acceptable I try to start writing as soon as I see the post, because I have trouble with starting things lol. I notice once I get into the groove when it comes to writing, it's hard for me to stop.
 

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