5 Tools to Writing with ADHD
5 Tools to Writing with ADHD
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If you're a writer like me, and you have ADHD, then it must be hard for you to focus on one story at a time. It is for me, and I usually just let my ADHD roam free. But these are the tools I use to help me stay organized with my writing.
1. Notebooks
1. Notebooks
I use notebooks for every single one of my stories and it works well. Because I'm an urban-fantasy, mystery writer, I like to have a notebook that showcases the case file I'm envisioning for the mystery that is to unfold in the story. I'll put the victim's name, age, occupation, and description as the first few items I need. And then, I go into what the crime scene looks like and what the murder weapon was. Turning the page, I'll put the suspects on the back of the page I just wrote on, and then I'll put the clues on the next page, using the front and back.
The killer is on the last page, with the means, motive, and opportunity to help me better understand why this person killed the victim. It helps me better outline the story with the 3-Act Story Structure and keeps me on track, because I would always have a tendency to change up a clue as I'm writing. And sometimes that's okay, because it ends up turning out better than I imagined. But most of the time, I just want to stay focused on the clues that I've given.
Give this a try and hopefully it'll help you.
2. Trello
2. Trello
Now, if you don't know what Trello is, then you've been living under a rock. Trello is one of the most organizational ways of keeping your life together in one cohesive place.
My mom used Trello for keeping recipes and other information stored, and my one uncle used Trello for work. I use it differently: I use it to organize my books and stories into one common area. Trello is a series of boards and you can name them whatever you want! You can name it "Waste of Time" if you want! Or "Crazy Banana Pants"! Whatever you feel like calling the board, and then you go into creating your lists. Each list should be to organize certain aspects of your story.
In the example below this, I am showing you the basics of what I use when I create a new board for a different story. I'll title it what I think would make a good title for the story, whether it's a series or a stand-alone novel, I just put whatever title comes to me (the example for now will be Clue). And then, each list in that board is to be titled the following:
- Important Items
This is where you'd put your templates and anything else that you deem important, like your themes for the series/stand-alone, or anything else you think is important enough to slap into that list. Maybe you want to put your character profile templates in there (because you can fill out the card with whatever you want), or your scene card and story outline templates as well. This is where you'd put them. This way you have easy access to each template without having to go looking for it.
- Characters
The name of that is pretty self-explanatory. You put your characters here, their entire profile (or a short one just to have the basics, which is what I do now) and if you're feeling creative, their photo as well.
- Outlines
Your outlines can go here as well. Now if it's a stand-alone novel you're writing, then your outline should go into the Important Items list at the very top. But if it's a series you're writing, then an Outlines list is the best way to go. They even made it where you can now check it off when you're done with the card in the list (that's what they call the items in the lists: cards).
- Scene Cards
Scene cards are something I'm trying to get into using nowadays with my writing. They are supposed to help you find the meaning behind a scene and how to structure it without overwhelming yourself with the full weight of the story. For ADHD writers especially, big-picture plotting can feel like staring at a 1,000-piece puzzle with no edge pieces. Scene cards break that puzzle into manageable chunks — small, bite-sized moments your brain can actually work with. Think of a scene card as a tiny snapshot: one scene, one purpose, one emotional beat. That’s it!
Trello is a fun and easy way to keep us organized with our stories. We can also change the background to whatever color we want, or we can put a photo instead. And when you have everything filled out, your board should look like this:
Try it out! If it doesn't work for you, then so be it. At least you tried something to stay organized. But I'm telling you... it's worth it.
3. ChatGPT
3. ChatGPT
Now, I know what you're thinking: How is ChatGPT a tool for writing?
Well… because it’s AI, and it has more than a million ideas it can give you depending on the story you're trying to write.
ChatGPT isn’t here to write your book for you — it’s here to support your brain when it stalls, freezes, spirals, or forgets what it was trying to say five seconds ago. (Relatable, right?) For ADHD writers, that kind of support is huge. Sometimes all you need is a nudge, a spark, or someone to bounce ideas off of without feeling judged.
You can use ChatGPT to:
brainstorm plot twists
develop characters and backstories
outline chapters or rearrange scenes
get help clarifying what a scene means
fix plot holes you didn’t notice
talk through messy emotions or themes
generate name ideas, magic systems, settings, or worldbuilding
translate your chaotic brain-dump into clean prose
It’s basically a writing buddy who never gets tired, never gets annoyed, and always has time to help you figure out what comes next. And for ADHD brains — which thrive on external structure, immediate feedback, and fast idea exchange — that can be an absolute lifesaver.
ChatGPT isn’t a replacement for your creativity. Your imagination is the spark.
It’s simply the tool that helps you shape that spark into something tangible, especially on the days when your executive dysfunction makes writing feel impossible.
4. Recorders
4. Recorders
Here’s the thing about ADHD: sometimes our brains work faster than our fingers. Ideas come in hot, rapid-fire, and if we stop to type them out, we lose half of them in the process. That’s where voice recorders become a total game-changer.
Using a voice recorder (even just the one on your phone) lets you talk out your scene, dialogue, character motivation, or plot idea exactly the way it hits your brain — no pressure, no perfection, no formatting, no stopping mid-sentence because you forgot what you were saying.
When writing feels impossible, talking usually doesn’t.
And for an ADHD brain, talking is often the most natural way to get thoughts out before they disappear.
You can use voice notes to:
brainstorm story ideas while driving or cleaning
act out character dialogue in real time
describe a scene emotionally before you forget the feeling
talk through plot problems out loud
capture those sudden inspiration bursts that strike at 2 a.m.
outline a chapter verbally
record sensory details or real-life inspiration for later
The best part? You can transcribe your recordings later — either manually or with a transcription tool — and suddenly you have raw material ready to shape into actual writing.
It’s writing without writing.
It lets your ADHD brain do what it does best: speak in ideas, not in paragraphs.
This method turns your phone into a portable writing studio. No laptop needed. No documents. No “sit down and focus for an hour.” Just talk, save, and come back when your brain feels ready.
5. Writing Playlists/Music Regulation
5. Writing Playlists/Music Regulation
ADHD brains don’t just like music — they depend on it. Music can act as a form of emotional regulation, dopamine support, and mental structure, which is why so many ADHD writers can’t write in silence. Silence feels loud. Silence feels heavy. Silence gives your brain too much room to wander.
But music? Music gives your brain a rhythm to follow.
Creating writing playlists helps your mind settle into the “writing zone” faster because your brain begins associating certain sounds with certain tasks. Think of it like Pavlov’s bell, but for creativity.
You can use music to:
set the mood for the scene (romantic, dramatic, magical, eerie)
give your brain consistent background noise so it doesn’t latch onto distractions
match your character’s emotions
build momentum when your energy is low
calm your thoughts when they’re spiraling
Some ADHD writers even create separate playlists like:
“Drafting” – upbeat or energetic tracks
“Deep Focus” – instrumental, lo-fi, or ambient music
“Character Themes” – songs that capture a specific character’s vibe
“Scene Mood” – playlists designed for battles, heartbreak, slow-burn romance, etc.
The magic of it is simple: Music gives your brain something predictable to latch onto, which frees up mental space for imagination, creativity, and flow.
And yes — it absolutely counts as a writing tool. It’s one of the easiest ways to regulate your ADHD brain and tell it, “Okay, we’re doing this now.”
So if you haven’t already, build a few playlists that match the worlds you’re creating. Your brain (and your story) will thank you.
Writing with ADHD isn’t easy — let’s be honest about that. Some days the ideas pour out of you like a waterfall, and other days it feels like your brain is made of fog and static. But that doesn’t make you a bad writer. It doesn’t make you lazy. It doesn’t make you “less than.”
It just means your brain works differently — and different doesn’t mean broken. Different means creative. Different means imaginative. Different means you see stories in ways other people never will.
The tools in this article — notebooks, Trello boards, ChatGPT, voice recorders, music playlists — aren’t rules or requirements. They’re just options. Lifelines. Ways to support your unique brain so you can write the stories only you were meant to tell.
And if you ever feel overwhelmed, discouraged, or stuck, remember this:
There is no “right” way to write. There is only your way.
Your process is valid. Your voice matters. Your stories are worth finishing.
So try different tools. Experiment. Play. Build a system that works for you — not for the person next to you, not for the writing gurus on YouTube, not for the traditional “perfect writer” mold that was never meant for ADHD brains in the first place.
At the end of the day…
You’re writing.
You’re creating.
You’re building entire worlds out of thin air.
And that’s something extraordinary.
Keep going.
Your stories are waiting for you.
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