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

I should have known by now I had ADHD--but I didn't (because I'm smart--sort of)

I'm a lawyer, and I have my BA from UVA, my Master of Science from UNC Chapel Hill, and my JD from Wake Forest University School of Law. I'm supposed to be smart, and I am about certain things. But I forget. And I get confused over things when I overthink them, which is some. I'm not as bad as others, but ADHD is not your friend when you are a lawyer. And why is that? The details, the fucking details. I skip over words sometimes, don't format as well, forget to do things I have written down, texted to me, or however else it is human beings try and remind themselves of shit. And I forget them--a bunch. Yet, I can remember all kinds of statistical and factual information, what people were wearing in high school in October 1993. Specific people. It's freaky, like CIA level shit. None of that crap does me any good. Oh...and I can be a really great writer. The words sing like mockingbirds. I can tell you why your writing doesn't work and how to fix it. But I hate pr...

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 ...

LEGALLY ADHD

Yes, it's true.

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