ADHD and Writing: A Hidden Advantage

Brock Swinson
2 min readNov 27, 2024

Sometimes your greatest perceived weakness can become your strongest creative asset.

Let’s explore how Josh Zetumer transformed his ADHD from a perceived writing obstacle into a creative superpower… And the unconventional approach that could change how you write.

Here’s his groundbreaking perspective on harnessing hyperfocus:

“When I discovered writing, it discovered this thing I could really focus on. Growing up with therapist parents made me want to write characters with psychological complexity. But then I had all this energy…”

Let’s break down his core strategies:

1. Research Immersion

  • Avoid referencing other films/shows
  • Study raw source material (YouTube, interviews)
  • Let obsession drive authentic details

2. Structural Innovation

  • Embrace four-act structure for features
  • Break free from traditional timestamps
  • Focus on emotional continuity over chronology

3. Character-Driven Complexity

  • Write from inside-out using real behaviors
  • Include enough direction to protect intent
  • Leave room for actor interpretation

The game-changing insight: Success in writing complex narratives isn’t about fighting your natural tendencies — it’s about building a process that transforms them into advantages.

His advice for writers:

  • Ground every episode in a single theme
  • Cut historical events that don’t serve character
  • Let obsessive research fuel authenticity

Quick mindset shift: Stop thinking about “overcoming” your writing challenges. Instead, focus on building systems that harness your natural tendencies for creative output.

Keep writing,

- Brock Swinson

P.S. Here’s my full audio interview with writer Joshua Zetumer

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Brock Swinson
Brock Swinson

Written by Brock Swinson

I Help Creatives Get Their Most Ambitious Work into the World... https://www.brockswinson.com/home

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