Published on 12, July, 2020
Do you generally read or write fiction and/or fanfiction?
I spend my life reading and writing stories of various types, and I wondered if this is normal for autistic people. I thought we were supposed to have very limited imaginations and interests and that was how we got diagnosed. But my imagination is vast, I tend to live in a fantasy world rather than the real world because it is nicer tbh!
What is your imagination like?
I read 'Treasure Island' at around 7 years of age and have been a voracious reader of fiction ever since. I always liked drawing imaginary maps, and in my late teens an imaginary map spawned a whole imaginary world. It started as a world with fantasy elements, but fairly quickly became essentially realistic. It has a history, legends, languages, genealogies, legal systems, religions, social hierarchies, military organisation, dress, architecture etc. etc. It is very useful, if I'm at a loose end or waiting for something, I can just think about some aspect of my world and keep myself amused.
I LOVE MAPS. Many people follow that Twitter account I Fvcklng Love Science, but I follow the one called I Fvcklng Love Maps!
I can generally find my way around using a map, I'm a very good navigator. Or even without a map, I just use the sun or my internal clock. Apparently many people can't understand maps? How do they live?
I was obsessed with Atlases as a boy. Now I, compulsively, plan routes - I'm hardly likely to take - on Google Maps.
'Treasure Island' has a map - 'X' marks the spot! Maybe it was this map that sparked my interest?