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?
Yes I spend at least 2-8 hours a day reading fiction, largely fanfiction as I like its predictability but also reading some favoured books and series over and over.
I think autistic people vary a lot. I do have two autistic friends who don't read any fiction as they really don't enjoy it and don't understand it. Although I have a very good imagination, I am not good at, nor have I ever been, 'social imagination' where you do stuff like play make believe with other people. That is because I find it very difficult to change my imaginary world/series of events to suit others added story lines. So while I play in my imaginary worlds a lot of the time, again over 3 hours a day most of the time, I struggled with that side of exhibiting imagination.
I used to be good at role play with others when I was younger, I am quite adaptable. But I like my own private fiction to go the way I want it.
what was your favourite profession and race to play?
I did play a lot Warhammer and Forgotten Realms (one of D&D worlds), usualy some rogue/dwarf/cleric character
Oh no, I never do role play like that. Never got into that. Might be fun. I would do a Downton Abbey one or Blake's 7 probably
What about you?
I can imagine :D
I meant roleplaying games like D&D, It stopped being a popular hobby it looks like,
Er...I don't know. I used to like doing dramatic plays with the students when I worked as a teaching assistant. Acting with kids is so much fun. Once I directed a scene from Romeo and Juliet starring two fairly macho 15 year old boys. One of them played Juliet talking about how she loved Romeo, the other played the nurse. It was the most hilarious thing I've ever done.