This summer, I was diagnosed with ADHD. Which explains a lot, including my bizarre reading habits: unless one book totally sweeps me away, I read a chapter from a different book every night, sometimes with dizzying results. Here’s what I’m reading right now, and what I think.
Slaughterhouse Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
Vonnegut mastered close, liquid and downright interesting prose. Each sentence teaches the aspiring writer. I have read SH5 twice already. Each reading brings new insight and awe.
The book tells of Billy Pilgrim’s time in WWII, his abduction by aliens, and the rest of his life, which gradually falls apart. Vonnegut has no problem telling you how much of the story comes from his own experience in WWII, though he doesn’t claim aliens have ever taken him.
A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories, by Flannery O’Connor
“The collection that established Flannery O’Connor as a master of the short story,” states the cover. No lies detected.
I’ve only read the first two stories in the collection: A Good Man is Hard to Find and The River. I read Good Man for a writing class this summer, and thought then it was the best short story I’ve read. The River rivals it.
Both stories are set in the mid-century Southern US (which I believe was O’Connor’s mode) and explore faith, fate, vice, neglect and fear.
What If? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers
My writing class requires me to read this one, so I may be cheating here. The exercises within it, though, are phenomenal for writers of all callings and skill levels. To boot, the short story anthology in the back of the book contains some great stories, like “White Angel” by Michael Cunningham, and “Sheep” by Thomas McNeely.
Let Me Tell You, by Shirley Jackson
If you’ve been a long-time reader of Wasp and Xylem, you likely know how I adore Shirley Jackson’s works, especially her novel We Have Always Lived in the Castle. Edited and compiled by two of her children, this is an anthology of literary stories, popular stories, essays, and talks about craft. Come Along with Me (another anthology) contains one of the best craft essays I’ve ever read. I hope to find similar excellence in this book. So far, I’ve only read a small bit, so my opinions on this book are limited.
Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamont
This treasure is one passed from writer to writer. It’s one I’ve heard mentioned in several writing groups and after a friend emphatically recommended it I finally bought my own copy. The used edition I bought is full of marginalia, underlines and highlights, adding to the mystique of the book, which is really about getting stuff (like writing) done.
To oversimplify Lamont’s thesis, I’ll write: choose a specific, actionable thing to write. Keep your targets small. Today, I’ll write a description of the main character. Or, today, I’ll show the reader how the argument between the mother and daughter started. Another thesis: give yourself permission to write total garbage.
Atomic Habits, by James Clear
I don’t like self-help books. I find they tend to be written by the mentally unsound. Clear is no exception. But he still has insight to offer, and a lot of it aligns with Bird by Bird. He suggests goals should be action based.
So instead of “my goal is to lose five pounds,” an action-based goal would be, “my goal is to work out three times per week.” And they should be specific. “My goal is to work out on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at Planet Fitness at 8 am.”
The universal obstacle that aspiring writers face is time. Combining Lamont and Clear’s advice, writing goals can shift from “I want to have something published in 2024” to “This week I will write every day except Tuesday. I will write at 7pm in my office. On Monday, I will write a description of the character’s house. On Wednesday, I will…” and so on.
Driven to Distraction, by Ned Hallowell
There are some phenomenal researchers and writers focusing on ADHD, and Ned Hallowell is among the best. Smart, grounded, and fluent in his combination of research and case studies into ADHD, his writing is illustrative and inviting. If you want to know more about ADHD, this is the first place to turn.
Shamelessly, I’ll add that another worthwhile place to look is my own blog, ADHD+.
Let me know in the comments which of these books you want to read next, and please be sure to share this piece with someone who would find it useful. It helps us to grow. Thanks!