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 do the same! i have so many fanfictions & fictions in my reading list, and dozens of my own drafts. glad to know i’m not the only one!
No thank you. I can't concentrate on long books anymore, and I'm an editor so I read books for work every day. I need to carefully preserve my eyesight for my work, I already wear thick glasses and I need my eyes to earn a living. I've always preferred films for relaxation.
maybe you should try something else for a change
like reading the same book in different languages, that makes you think about how imaginative are some people doing translating, and how terribly botched job can do other. I read mainly sci-fi and fantasy. there is plenty of made up words. some very difficult to translate, I had few in Asimov's Fundation even a colleague studying english literature at uni had to give up
So the 'experts' cof cof cof are wrong when they say autistic people have limited imagination. Interesting indeed isn't it.
I remember Janet and John! I was reading long before I started school, my mum said I called them Stupid Janet and Silly John
I think I had the same thing- I had to read through all the boring books before I got to the interesting ones at school.
My daughter is the same. I don't know how she learned to read- one day she couldn't and the next day she could!
Whereas my husband struggled at school and still does struggle with reading.
Different types of brain I guess?
Mandatory reading has ruined literature for me. I used to be a voracious reader but having to study English Literature put me off. I like to write my own now.
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.
I can't finish anything either. It makes me feel rubbish about myself, but it's a relief to hear that it may be down to my autism and not just being a crap, undisciplined person
I wish I had parents like that
It was 'Janet and John' books in my day. We had a lot of trouble with our daughters and prescribed reading. Long after they were both up and running, reading voraciously for their own pleasure, the schools were insisting they read books that were both below their proficiency and of no interest to them. A total waste of their time. In the end, as parents, we would just sign that they had read books that they hadn't touched. A farcical situation.
haha I was doing the same thing, after teacher gave me E few times in a row for not reading, when I couldn't tell the name of a main character, because I struggle a lot to remember names, but I was reading the books until then
Harry potter is my favourite thing on earth, so i definitely love fiction. However, I remember when it came to mandatory reading in school I HATED 'biff and chip' books etc, and refused to read anything but non-fiction books.
what was your favourite profession and race to play?
Hello
I only read factual books, dictionaries, books about the mind for example ‘the marshmallow test’
fiction I have to re read and struggle to keep the storyline in my mind.
I do love to write though and have a vivid imagination, or my world so that’s the same thing. Yes I would agree autism and imagination do go together, after all we are individuals as different as each cloud in the sky.
sometimes I would employ real life characters if they have a unique and amazing character fitting better, that is how Kiki The ShockTrooper came to existance :P
mix of Kiki and Cara Dune
'Treasure Island' has a map - 'X' marks the spot! Maybe it was this map that sparked my interest?
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.
I've read lots of times that autistic people are supposed to have limited imaginations, limited interests, limited sense of humour....But that must be inaccurate and short sighted judging by the autistic people I now know. That is reassuring.
I'm great at finishing stuff though. I love finishing up a project. But I do lost interest in lots of things and move on, usually very abruptly.
e.g. I learned Spanish for 2 years then suddenly lost interest.
Yes, real life is very disappointing isn't it.
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?