Explosive Diarrhea of the Brain....

I know what your thinking... Did she really just say diarrhea of the brain?

Yep. I did. If you can have diarrhea of the mouth, why not of the brain? I certainly do. Since tapping into my creative side, I've developed what I would affectionately call 'Writers ADD'.

In my everyday life, I'm slightly OCD. Being a teacher, it's imperative to function with a routine and order. I make lists. I use a calendar. I carry a daytimer. Everything has its place.

But as a writer, all that sh** goes out the window.
It's true - every tactic's I use to stay organized and meet deadlines at work fail me as a writer. They are completely useless.

GUESS WHAT?? I'm not the only aspiring author to struggle with this very thing. Author Kristen Lamb published an article back in 2013 on this very problem.  As a writer herself, she admitted to having similar issues. Her article '10 ways for an ADD writer to be OOH! SHINY! Productive provides some realistic tips to stay the course. While the list provides similar tactics I use at work, they are specific to mastering your craft as a writer.

BUT the best piece of advice I came across while scouring the internet for someone who felt my pain... came from fellow writer Jessi Stanley.  It wasn't a life-altering suggestion. Nope - in fact, I've been stressing about my madness... when the madness is what will lead me to perfection.

It's simple... Stop thinking, and start writing. Write down every idea as they happen. Spend a designated amount of time writing on that topic/idea. Focus on what you're doing at that moment, and forget about the final draft - that will happen when it's supposed too.

And guess what - your writing will likely improve. You won't be force feeding material into your novel, making it mediocre at best.

If you're an ADD writer like myself... it's ok. Breathe. You can do this. Don't waste your
creativity by ignoring the ideas. Just because you bounce around on topics, doesn't make you a bad writer. It just means you'll produce a TON of material - GOOD MATERIAL, for your fans.

Keep doing your thing. Writing is supposed to be passionate... so stop letting it stress you out - that's reserved for your day job!