Why I’d Rather Write a Post Than Read One (Yep, Definitely ADHD)

What I Learned About My Brain When I Tried to Read Substack—and "Wrote" Instead

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I opened Substack to read today. That was the plan. A good plan. Maybe even a noble one. I had dozens of unread newsletters queued up and a full tumbler of iced coffee and a protein shake.

And then … I started writing. I wrote my 100th post, then I wrote my 101st post. Then, I started researching why I tend to create more than I consume, and started working on this post.

It wasn’t procrastination. It wasn’t avoidance. It was instinct—my brain whispering (or, let’s be honest, shouting), "Make something!"

Because here’s what I’ve learned: when you live with ADHD, reading can be running a marathon in molasses. But writing? Writing can feel like liftoff.

But as I settled down to write this one—my third post of the day—my brain started to short-circuit. Maybe I’d already written too much. Maybe I just hit the mental wall. Either way, I still felt compelled to investigate why reading felt impossible today, and still in this moment.

So, I turned to my GPT. I even gave it a byline, even though it’s not technically the right GPT. See, I have

Kit Blaise

as a GPT for working on one type of post. And Jagonista for writing another one. Jagonista is the one I’m using for this post. Each has been carefully curated for different needs. But,

Kit Blaise

has an account here because she’s part of the 50-50 Project. I digress.

Giving my GPT a byline is the signal that there’s more AI in this post than normal; it’s doing more than spellchecking and wordsmithing today.

How so? This post is created by Jagonista, my GPT, which was trained and prompted by me. I gave it more freedom in the writing, though I edited the final post. But, it’s not fully me.

You’ll always know where my words come from, and when the GPT is more than a co-conspirator—sometimes, it’s a co-author. And sometimes, I ramble when the ADHD is hitting hard. Let’s let Jagonista take the reins again …

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When Consumption Feels Like a Chore

Reading requires stillness, sustained attention, and working memory. You have to hold one idea while reaching for the next. And for ADHD brains, that kind of mental juggling often drops all the balls.

Studies show ADHD can impair executive function—the ability to manage focus, memory, and time. Longform reading taxes all three. You start a paragraph, then realize your mind wandered halfway through. You reread it. Then get distracted again. Rinse and repeat until the browser tab becomes a guilt loop.

But Writing? Writing Is Flight

Here’s where it flips. Writing plays to ADHD strengths:

• Hyperfocus kicks in when you're chasing an idea.

• Immediate feedback (even if it’s just your own brain saying "YESSS!").

• Creative dopamine that rewards momentum, not monotony.

When I write, it feels like a spark mid-sentence. Even when the ideas are tangled, there’s motion. There’s agency.

I’ll take five false starts over five unread books any day.

The Science Behind the Spiral

Research backs this up. People with ADHD often excel in divergent thinking (generating lots of ideas), but struggle with convergent thinking (zeroing in on one conclusion). Writing lets you expand, while reading often asks you to sit still and absorb.

A 2016 study in Frontiers in Psychology showed that adults with ADHD reported more difficulties with reading comprehension—but also noted they were better at coming up with creative solutions.

The UNC Writing Center even offers ADHD-specific advice for graduate students because the writing process can unlock a different kind of brilliance—structured chaos, you might say.

So What Do You Do With That?

First: honor it.

If your brain craves creating over consuming, lean in. Don't force yourself through a reading list when your thoughts are sprinting toward a keyboard.

Second: batch your reading when you’re more focused—or shift to audio or conversation-based mediums. Reading is still essential—but your intake method can flex.

Third: write first, read later. Capture the inspiration while it’s fresh. You can always loop back to see how others said it.

TL;DR (Ironically)

I write more than I read. Not because I’m a better writer—but because I’m a different kind of thinker. The writing works for me. The reading? I’m still figuring that part out.

And if that’s ADHD?

I’ll own it. Loudly. In longform. With hyperlinks and flair.

Because sometimes, creating something chaotic and half-formed is better than consuming something perfect. Sometimes, the post that didn’t exist five minutes ago is the most honest thing you’ve got.

And sometimes, writing is just easier than reading.

Even when you were supposed to be reading to begin with.

Ironically, I had to write about why I couldn’t read … and I had to do it with help.