ADHD makes me a better writer

Writing well requires mental discipline as well as the ability to let your mind roam free, to see things in a different way, and to phrase things so that it captures peoples' minds. We all know when we've heard an arresting phrase, which leaves our mind feeling its been grabbed and yanked out of its humdrum daily plodding. And that yank says to us, "Pay attention. This language, this subject matter, or whatever you think it is...well...it's interesting. Listen. Take it in. Learn something, and enjoy."

Certain phrases evoke envy. Hemingway's "stronger at the break." Faulkner's "the last ding-dong of doom." Angelou's "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." Joni Mitchell's "They took paradise and put up a parking lot." All of these writers saw the world differently, which made their POVs unique.

Normally, ADHD allows me to see things more clearly and have a unique POV that gives my writing some juice others don't have. The downside is you are not as good a proof-reader, yet can be a very good editor. I'm a great writer, good editor, and adequate proofreader (when I want to really focus on proofreading, which I hate).

Comments

Sometimes it's just crazy being ADHD

You hear things differently and realize the ambiguity of language. But...you may lop off a few words. For example, "we are going straight there from the office." Sounds clear, right? But..."after we go home first." It gets left out. Now, that changes the meaning of it, but you need to listen to the whole message if you have ADHD (or if you are anyone else) not to fuck it up. The brain does not usually take in all the words it "sees" when you read a sentence. I suppose it makes sense I wouldn't hear every word that's said, too. I don't think it's a lack of focus because sometimes I am acutely aware of everything that's being said such as when I'm in court. I hyper-focus them, or if I'm out running. I feel like I can hear grass grow and crazy shit like that. That's a bit of an exaggeration, but not completely. It's not that you can't focus. It's just that you focus on your own terms regardless of how you might ...

ADHD comes and goes, yet is always there

Some days I'm clearer than on other days. It's hard to say what causes it. I guess the Adderall hits better on certain days than others. It's incredible how tough it is to actually get Adderall. Perhaps the government doesn't want you to get it. They sure let the Oxycontin flow in until it got so bad that they couldn't ignore it. That was right about when US Attorneys and State AGs figured out they could use it to run for Senator or Governor. Such is politics. Today has been pretty decent. I've been clearer today, and I think that's because I've been focused on writing and doing work in solitude. Something about the weekends gives way to that. The downside is your mind wanders and goes down dark paths. At least mine does, but I am an imaginative SOB. Perhaps that's the reason, but who knows?

LEGALLY ADHD

Yes, it's true.

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