How to stay focused while writing
Writing is hard. We know that. Something that adds to the difficulty, though, is when you add neurodivergence to the mix. Then it just gets exhausting. As an author with late diagnosed ADHD and anxiety, I’ve struggled to write. To meet deadlines. I’ve had to push back editing plans because of my own difficulties as I’ve struggled with my difficulty focusing.
Along the way, I’ve found things that help. That work to get my brain on the write path and keep it there. Self accommodations, if you will. Below I’ve listed my top 6 tips for staying focused while writing that actually work for neurodivergent folx.
Five simple tips for authors struggling to stay focused
Comic Sans
Everyone loves to trash this font. I get it. It’s silly. I was once one of you. But, did you know that comic sans is a super accessible font? Letters appear less crowded, have few repeated letter shapes, and do not have serifs. Because it’s so easy on the eyes, it will keep you focused and increase your word count! You can learn more from the Bureau of Internet Accessibility.
Write it Down
Tell me if this sounds familiar: you’re working, in the flow. Words are coming to you at a high rate of speed. And then, suddenly, you wonder: when were showers invented? It’s pertinent to your story— you have to make sure it’s as accurate as possible. So you go to google. Then Wikipedia. Then suddenly it’s 45 minutes later and you’re down a rabit hole and writing is the last thing on your mind. Next time this happens and an intrusive, random thought comes to you, think to yourself ‘I’m not worrying about that right now,’ write it down on a sticky note, and go back to it later. That note is a promise to yourself that you won’t forget. A promise to your brain that you will come back to it later, when the time is right, but we aren’t thinking about that right now. This helps train your brain to not only focus, but to trust that you’ll follow up on your self promises. This is probably one of the harder tips here because it requires some level of impulse control which is hard for individuals with ADHD, but it is also an exercise in restraint that will flow into the rest of your life as well.
Writing Sprints
Sit down and write. Easier said than done, but what if it was only for 10-15 minutes where you focus on nothing other than words on the page. Writing sprints are an amazing tool that many writers swear by. Sitting down and working in short bursts is an amazing way to keep your mind on one task. The time is short enough that you can easily justify put everything on hold just long enough to get the words in. Make it into a game, trying to beat your word count every time you sprint, or sprint with friends and compete with each other. Gamifying it makes it fun and makes it more likely that you will focus and be engaged during this time trying to reach your goals. Another added bonus is that it helps keep you from self editing!
Pomodoro Method
Similar to writing sprints but a bit more structured is the pomodoro method where you have 25 minutes of focus then a 5 minute break and repeat this cycle 2-3 more times before taking a 30 minute break. The goal is to focus only on writing during your ‘focus’ time so you don’t get lost on the internet trying to find how ancient roman aqueducts work. This is a technique I learned when studying for my boards and I found it immensely helpful and transfer it over to my writing. It gives you a clear separation of ‘work’ and ‘play’ time. This can be done with a physical or digital timer such as pomofocus.
Physical Tools
I have two physical tools I recommend which you can find free digital alternatives to : the Visual Timers and the Toast Lamp.
Visual Timer - Sometimes having a visual reminder of where you are in your workflow can help you on task. If you struggle with time blindness like I do, seeing the shrinking disk on a timer helps you understand at a glance how much you have worked and how long is left. You can purchase physical timers or use digital ones. There’s a built in visual timer (and pomodoro function!) that comes preinstalled on windows computers I use when on the go, or sometimes in conjunction with my physical visual timer.
Toast Lamp - My best kept productivity secret is a little toast light I keep on my desk. I swear by it. Ever since I got this funky little light, my prductivity times have been just that: productive. I use it to ‘clock’ in and out of my productivity time. It serves a as a nice, gentle reminder for when I get distracted to refocus because I am ‘on’ productivity time while also being a cute little piece of smiling toast that helps me not be too hard on myself. There’s something about the act of physically turning on the little lamp that helps me switch gears and get my brain into focus mode for whatever task is at hand.
You can find both the visual timer and toast light on my Amazon Storefront. If you purchase using these links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you!
I hope you found these tips useful, please let me know if you try them! I’d love to hear how they worked for you or if you use any other methods not listed to keep you focused!!
