Writer's block, an owner's guide: ADHD
So this morning I put on my therapist costume and attended a seminar on ADHD/ADD. One of the intriguing things I learned there was that children who are challenged by distractability or inattentiveness in most of their school classes often respond better to teachers of music, drama or art.
What does this say about writer’s block?
It’s not hard to guess why this happens. These activities involve the whole person - hands, eyes, assorted other organs according to circumstances. They’re engaging, in a way that writing isn’t. Now, then. Isn’t the same true for most humans? If you were a painter, a choreographer, a musical performer, wouldn’t it be far easier to get something done than it is as a writer? Because writers are not forced to be present, are even encouraged to daydream?
This seems obvious now that I say it to you out loud. But it’s a new answer to two questions that are at the heart of my Today I Write project: (1) why is it that writers are the main prey animals of the Block Monster and (2) if we knew why, would that help us figure out ways to stand up to him?
So now, could part of the answer be as simple as “writing does not encourage focus and concentration”? And if it was, what exactly would that discovery help us to do about it?
I’m thinking, I’m thinking…
Published on October 16, 2004 at 1:28 pm. Linking to this article? Thank you! The permanent address is http://www.todayiwrite.com/journal/adhd.html
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