As a publishing house, it cannot be overstated how much we believe in the strengths and talents of neurodivergent people, and how eager we are to welcome neurodivergent authors onto our roster. In literature, readers are always hoping to feast their eyes on something that feels new or fresh, whether it is a concept, plot or perspective, and few can provide unique perspectives in the way that neurodivergent writers can.

Here at Olympia, we wanted to kick off this annual Neurodiversity Celebration Week by offering some tips on how to approach writing as a neurodivergent author.

Let Yourself Be Seen

Neurodiverse people- speaking from experience- are often social chameleons, employing a technique called “masking” to adapt to situations, something that can render them fantastic imitators. That being said, masking is quite literally that- assuming a faux personality to appear more relatable- whilst suppressing yourself and your perspective.

Remember, your perspective and experiences are of the utmost value, especially as a creative. You will find that there are plenty of people in your prospective audience who are able to relate to your outlook, and those who perhaps don’t relate may well be intrigued by your ideas and perception of the world around you. If you are writing fiction, allow your neurodiversity to shine through in the characters and worlds that you create!

Do Not Doubt Yourself

Whilst much of writing is accepting criticism and looking back on your work for the sake of self-reflection, doubting yourself will get you nowhere.

This goes double in the case of neurodivergent folks, and we’re particularly addressing the dyslexics in the room here. Given the nature of something such as dyslexia, an all-too-common- misconception that arises is that dyslexic people simply cannot be writers. This is not remotely true, and we have famous examples to prove it.

Agatha Christie, perhaps one of the greatest crime writers of all time, was in fact dyslexic. In her own words: “Writing and spelling were always terribly difficult for me. My letters were without originality. I was…an extraordinarily bad speller and have remained so until this day.” Other such examples include “Alice In Wonderland” author Lewis Carrol, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of such classics as “The Great Gatsby” and “Tender Is The Night”.

So, there you have it. Even if spelling or grammar is something that has dragged you down, having a natural aptitude for storytelling is often all you need.

Accommodate Your Neurodiversity During the Writing Process

When approaching the writing process itself, you should be mindful that no one’s methods are going to be exactly the same, and instead of delving into advice that sets out very strict rules for writers and their work, you should instead take things at your own pace.

Of course, scour the internet for articles, borrow pieces of advice here and there to see what works for you, but don’t put the pen down for good just because you find it challenging to meet the “1000 words per-day” quota that some might suggest you stick to.

As a neurodivergent writer, you should learn to work with your neurodiversity to create a writing method that works for you. For some, especially those with ADHD, it can be difficult to maintain a long-term focus on something, and as a result, their approach to writing will naturally differ from someone who is able to fixate on something for a long period of time.

The long and short of it is; make sure you do what’s best for you! Don’t feel guilty for not being able to construct a whole chapter every day, don’t feel like you’re inadequate for keeping a spellchecker to hand. Your methods are your own, and whatever helps you craft the best work you are capable of is what’s right for you.

First established in 2018, Neurodiversity Awareness Week is an initiative that seeks to eliminate misconceptions surrounding neurodiversity, asking that we recognise the strengths of those who are autistic, dyslexic, dyspraxic or have ADHD. You can read more about the initiative here.