Keeping a consistent writing habit is really hard in general but trying it with ADHD can be hell. I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo a few times, hoping that this time I’ll keep the habit beyond the month and finally be able to produce words in more than just fits and starts.
While I’ve successfully pumped out the 50,000 words more than once, I’ve yet to develop the habit. Maybe it’ll last as long as a week into the next month, but it rarely carries forward more than that. Writing is hard and without the sweet sweet dopamine hits my brain is so starved of, it just isn’t something I can maintain for long periods.
Enter 4thewords. I saw it suggested by my editor and thought ‘eh, why not?’. I’m only a month and a bit into using it, but I’ve been able to write an average of roughly 1,000 words a day. My smallest day was over 500, and I’ve topped 2,000 a few times. I’ll admit, I did have a week where work was overwhelming, but the game style of 4thwords had me coming back.
As someone with ADHD I find momentum to be the ultimate resource. Once I get started, I’m pretty much unstoppable. Unfortunately getting me started is hard and if I get sidetracked, getting back into something can be twice as difficult. So having something that not only encourages me to write, but rewards me with those all important hits of dopamine, has been a bit of a game changer.
I get to beat monsters by hitting word goals, I get extra prizes for every day I get words on the page, and I have a cute little character I can dress up and a house I can decorate. It’s just all around really enjoyable and most importantly, I’m writing consistently.
This may not work for everyone, but it seems to be working for me. So if you’re a writer who struggles with motivation, give 4thewords a shot. The first month is free and you don’t need to put in any payment details to access the trial period. If it works for you, awesome! If it doesn’t, that’s cool too. Writing is a personal thing and you should always do what works best for you.
Bronwen Write 