Following on from my nonfiction book No Heels, No Problem: A Neurodivergent Survival Guide to Adult Life When You’re Dyspraxic or ADHD, I’m working on a novel.

When people ask me what my novel’s about, I’m tempted just to say “Fixation.” Fixation is what drives stories. Most fictional characters are fixated on something or someone, whether out of love, friendship, grief, boredom, or the need to belong. Fixation, or hyperfocus, is something a lot of ADHDers particularly experience as a flip side to inattention, and which very few people recognise. It’s also associated with autism, another type of neurodivergence, and the two can go together. Fixation can be positive, negative or a bit of both. For neurodivergent people without the right recognition or support, it’s more likely to cause problems. For neurodivergent writers, this is often reflected in the stories we tell. This doesn’t mean all our fiction is autobiographical, but our experiences of fixation can be used to help us write driven, compelling characters.

Before becoming a published nonfiction author, I worked on a string of other books, mostly fiction, received two Arts Council new writing bursaries, and was mentored through TLC’s Chapter and Verse scheme. I was also longlisted for BBC Script Room (now BBC Writers) with a TV screenplay, and went to playwrighting workshops with Papatango. I recommend all these places to anyone interested in writing.

Do get in touch if you’re an agent who represents fiction and are interested in hearing from more neurodivergent writers.