Writing Unmasked: Neurodivergent Creative Cycles with Sol Smith - Weekly Writing Contest

Jun 13, 2025

01:05:10

forum

Ask episode

view_agenda

Chapters

auto_awesome

Transcript

info_circle

Episode notes

Part of our 12-Week Writing Series for autistic creatives and late-diagnosed adults.

In this episode of Writing Unmasked, Dr. Angela Kingdon sits down with Sol Smith—author of The Autistic’s Guide to Self-Discovery and founder of the NeuroSpicy Community—to explore what creativity really looks like for autistic writers. Together, they dismantle the myth of the “perfect process” and make space for cyclical, sensory, and self-directed ways of writing.

Sol shares his journey through authorship, ADHD, autistic inertia, and perfectionism, offering practical encouragement for neurodivergent creatives navigating their own pace. Plus, we announce the winners of our Week 5 writing contest!

🎧 What You’ll Learn

Why perfectionism and creative ruts are not signs of failure—they’re part of the cycle
How Sol’s writing journey led to creating the world’s largest online neurodivergent community
What it looks like to write from your SPIN, not against your energy
How haiku and short-form poetry can unlock powerful emotional clarity
Practical tips for neurodivergent writers who feel “behind” or out of sync with productivity culture

🏆 Week 5 Winners

🥇 First Place:

“Kidnapped (Based on a True Story)”

by Laura Pearson

🥈 Runner-Up:

“And Then I Realized…”

by Genya Vasilov

👏 Congratulations to our winning writers! 👉 Read their full stories here.

👤 About Sol Smith

Sol is a certified autism specialist, author, and creator of The Autistic’s Guide to Self-Discovery. He leads the NeuroSpicy Community, a global support network for ADHDers and autistics, and is a sought-after speaker in corporate, academic, and online spaces.

🌐 www.ProfessorSol.com
📱 TikTok: @bettersol
📸 Instagram: @theprofessorsol
📘 Facebook: Sol Smith
🎥 YouTube: Professor Sol
💼 LinkedIn: Sol Smith

Neurodivergent Narratives Presents: ‘Your Autistic Birthright’ Contest

Prompt: Write a haiku inspired by your Autistic Birthright. Interpret the theme in any way that resonates with you—literally or metaphorically!

🖊️ Haiku Format: