Autistic Writer Series: Introduction

tyunglebower ♦ January 4, 2023 ♦ Leave a comment

I’m an Autistic writer.

I only sometimes use the term, however–in short bios and such. That’s because while both “Autistic” and “writer” are considerable components of who I am, the term doesn’t define me. Not all of me, at least.

Further, while I do write about being on the Autism Spectrum, it’s not my only topic. It’s not even a topic for the majority of my work.

Nevertheless, it would be foolish to conclude that being on The Spectrum had zero influence on my writing. There are times the impact is minimal, and times when, at least to me, it’s quite clear. This is true of my fiction, my essays, my freelance articles, and yes, my blog posts.

This year I want to post weekly on just how I feel being Autistic has shaped much of my writing. Rules, trends, word choices and topic selection and much more in my work have been and continue to be touched by my neurodivergence. It was so even before I knew I was in fact neurodivergent.

To be sure, some of what I will explore in this weekly piece is present in those not on the Spectrum. And of course some of it may be a result of who I am, and who I have become over my years of writing and living, apart from ASD.

Still, the experiences I’ll be sharing in this column are those I have determined over time are in fact tied into my particular manifestation of Autism. Like oil paints, divergent colors mixed in varying amounts will yield different results. I am but an artist with both the pigments I have been given from birth, and those I have mixed together over a lifetime. (Some intentionally, and some quite by chance.)

Autism Spectrum Disorder is one of those pigments.

Whether you be on the Spectrum yourself, neurodivergent in some other fashion, or are neurotypical but curious, I hope you will enjoy these weekly illuminations.

Please feel free to post respectful questions or comments, as always.

Next week, I’ll start by discussing my relationship to my fictional characters. See you then.