Does autism aid your creativity?

Hi Simon,
I'm a composer and do lots of writing of words as well, and I'm hoping to train as a therapist soon which is arguably a very creative career as well. 

For me being Autistic is central. It helps with the passion and commitment these kinds of practices need. Musically, my sensory desires and needs definitely impact the kinds of sound I choose, (I often aim for quiet, smooth, luminous and/or downy sounds and either very still or softly rippling musical textures). In terms of poetry, my sensory world infuses how densely packed and vivid my images can be, and my tendency to see connections impacts my conceptual and narrative choices. 

I hope none of that sounds arrogant - it's impossible to see our own work in objective terms, so none of the descriptors I've used are intended as value judgements. 

Thanks for asking such a fascinating question! 

Hi Simon,
I'm a composer and do lots of writing of words as well, and I'm hoping to train as a therapist soon which is arguably a very creative career as well. 

For me being Autistic is central. It helps with the passion and commitment these kinds of practices need. Musically, my sensory desires and needs definitely impact the kinds of sound I choose, (I often aim for quiet, smooth, luminous and/or downy sounds and either very still or softly rippling musical textures). In terms of poetry, my sensory world infuses how densely packed and vivid my images can be, and my tendency to see connections impacts my conceptual and narrative choices. 

I hope none of that sounds arrogant - it's impossible to see our own work in objective terms, so none of the descriptors I've used are intended as value judgements. 

Thanks for asking such a fascinating question! 

Do you ever feel constrained by hyper-self-criticism when composing? 

What a beautifully-written post!