I typed up the title for this blog post, then stared at the screen while trying to find a way into my mental whirlwind. There are dozens of blog posts on this site, I certainly know how to write. So why can’t I get started? Why is it so hard to put your thoughts into words with ADHD?
As an ADHD writing coach, I’ve developed a framework that finally made sense of this for both me and my clients. And so, I have both answers and solutions.
Let’s start with the explanation first. Because everyone knows that ADHD comes with a lot of creativity, which makes it seem illogical that we would struggle with this issue.
The real reason ADHD makes writing so hard
While most (neurotypical) people think in neat, straight lines (from A, to B, to C), my theory is that for us ADHDers that is not the case. Instead, we think two-dimensionally. We start with point A, see how that connects to points B, C, and D, and generate connections outward from there. We don’t think in straight lines, we think in two-dimensional maps.
That isn’t necessarily a problem, until you try to communicate and you have to put your thoughts into words. Have you ever noticed how much language around writing is linear and one-dimensional? There are lines of argumentation, storylines, character arcs… Writing is a linear practice, you tell the story in one straight line, broken up with periods, commas, and paragraph breaks. (I first wrote about this in my post on why writing is hard with ADHD.)
If you like mathematics, you’ll know you can’t cram two dimensions into one. And yet, that’s exactly what we’re trying to do when we ADHDers are writing: we try to take our two-dimensional map and fit it neatly into a one-dimensional storyline or line of argumentation.
Three ways the 1D/2D translation problem gets in your way
When you’re trying to translate your thoughts to the page, this translation between 2D and 1D can cause a host of issues:
- It might make it hard to start: a line has a start and endpoint, a map does not. If everything is connected, where do you start telling your story?
- When ADHDers write, we often produce texts that are much longer than they are supposed to be. To a linear reader, it seems like we’re going off on tangents. But to the writer? There are no tangents: everything is equally important.
- Nothing you write can ever reflect the complexity and nuance of the 2D map that lives in your head. You can’t capture all the connections, all the details, all the elements that make the story worth telling. Which means it’s really hard to feel satisfied about what you’ve created.
Just because translating your thoughts to the page feels impossible sometimes, that doesn’t mean you are a bad or hopeless writer. It’s just a translation problem, and when you know that, there’s something you can do about it.
How to translate your ADHD thoughts into a written text
If you are old-fashioned, and you want to plan a trip, you start with a map. But everyone knows that you can’t see or do everything on a two-week holiday. What you need to do is make a selection, find the most important spots for you to visit, and then draw a line that connects them. You’re not trying to capture the map, you are going through a process of selection, then connect the dots.
Let go of the idea you’re trying to capture your thoughts. Your inner world is too expansive and nuanced to exist in a single text. Instead, draw a route through your mental map that serves the purpose you have for this text. And if it’s hard to make that selection, you can always keep in mind that this is just one text of many: things that don’t serve your argument or storyline in this text might show up in another.
The first thing to do when your thoughts feel like a whirlwind
I can hear you thinking, right now, “I’m with you, Susanne, but how do I draw a line through a metaphorical map in my head?”
I’m with you. Let’s make this a bit more practical.
To avoid overwhelm, the best way to go about this is to get the map out of your head and onto the page or screen.
For most of us, it’s easiest not to try to work on a bullet-point outline straight away but to go through a two-dimensional medium first (so you don’t yet have to translate). And that’s what mind maps are for.
How mind maps solve the 2D-to-1D translation problem
Mind maps are two-dimensional models that capture different thoughts, and the relationships between the thoughts, without having to necessarily think about the order yet. You can add to point C, then B, then C again, before you capture a thought you have that relates to A. As such, it aligns a lot better with the way our brain works than a traditional outline. And that makes it easier to translate your thoughts into words.
Once you have your two-dimensional mind map (whether you used software, pen and paper, or sticky notes to create it), you can finally let go. You don’t have to desperately hold onto the whole picture anymore because the tool is holding it for you.
What’s more, you have something physical you can start to organize, without having to mentally hold on to all the pieces.
Here, you can draw a line through the map to sort out the order, you can cross out “destinations you’re leaving for the next trip”… You can start manipulating and working with your mental map in a hands-on way.
Ready to stop the mental juggling?
I created a workbook to help you mind-map your way to a finished project plan. It’s designed to be a low-pressure, messy-friendly space where you can dump the whirlwind and find a clear path forward.
Input your name and email address below, and I’ll send the workbook straight to your inbox. Let the map carry the weight so you can get back to the joy of writing.
Let's translate your thoughts to the page!
In this workbook, I’ll show you step-by-step how to turn your whirlwind of ideas into a practical project plan – by leaning into your natural 2-dimensional thinking.
Just tell me where to send it below, and I’ll share it with you straight away.
