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Help writing an autistic character in fictional novel?

Claire Bridgeman

Hiya, I'm hoping you guys can help me with something.


As you probably guessed, I'm writing a novel. It's my third novel so far, and it features four main characters, one of whom is autistic. I can't tell you how severely autistic or even be that specific on his condition - in fact, that's why I want your help.


I don't want to give away the plot - though I will try to be more specific on it if you need me to - but this is what you need to know if you want to help. My main character is a boy about to start high school. He loved his primary school and he isn't too fond of change, so he isn't looking forward to secondary school. He doesn't know this, of course, but he is going to be bullied and contemplate suicide. He is one of four characters who will go through some kind of issue when going to high school - we will also hear from the perspective of his bully.


I want to be accurate, true and fair to the autistic community, which is why I want your help. The book will be written, in part, from his point of view, kind of like a diary, so I want to make sure I get his voice right. If I do get it right, then I'm hoping that it will help to raise awareness of what autistic teens go through at high school (I have read that a high proportion of those on the autistic spectrum have a terrible time at high school and go through bullying).


So I guess the questions I have are...


Were you bullied at high school? Can you tell me about how you reacted to it? If you had to write a diary about what happened at the time, what would you have written?


Have you contemplated suicide? (I know this is very personal so feel free to totally not answer this one.) Can you tell me more about what you went through?


I have read that some people on the autistic spectrum have very detailed knowledge on niche interests. I wonder if you have any input on what kind of interest I could give to my main character?


I don't want to be completely stereotypical and give my main character a talent in maths, so I was thinking of making him an exceptionally talented artist. I wonder what your thoughts are on this?


And really, what general help can you give me with the way in which he should communicate? I'm thinking I need to avoid making him use sarcasm and figurative language - would that be an accurate reflection of how many or most of those on the autistic spectrum communicate?


Really, anything you can tell me that will help me make this kid a believable character and avoid hitting too many cliches or coming across like an incredibly stupid person who has no idea about autism, that would be great. 


Thank you!

Parents

  • Okay, I seem to have failed to express myself correctly. Let me clarify a few things.

    The reason the character is autisic is that I thought I could do some good by making him this way. I actually do have experience with autism - I'm a secondary school teacher and I have taught a few students with autism, though I admit those who have the condition more severely were never in any of my classes. I have had training on it but not a huge amount; enough that my school and the government would deem necessary, I suppose. The character didn't start off as autistic. He was originally going to be just a kid who gets bullied, as lots of kids do, but I felt that if he were autistic, it might raise some awareness, promote tolerance and highlight some of the issues that autistic students face at high school (the book is aimed at teens and young adults, those who are most likely to be the bullies of autistic teens, so maybe if they read it, it might do some good?). What prompted this was a shocking piece I read about higher bullying rates and more suicidal thoughts in those with autism. But I'm not going to do much good if I can't get it right. Like you said, I want to convey a meaningful and constructive message, and who better to help me do that than those who have been there?

    It was nothing to do with boosting sales, though I accept you only have my word for it. The character is one of four whose perspectives are going to be explored equally. He is not the 'main' character; he is one of them. I don't think it's exploitation of a disability; does that mean that no fictional characters can be in a wheelchair? Or deaf? Or blind? I don't really think it's exploitation; I guess it's a matter of opinion.

    I don't feel like I'm 'quizzing' people; if they don't want to answer, they don't have to. I certainly won't completely take their lives and turn it into a story, though I again accept you have only my word for that. I'm a nice person, I don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable or hurt anyone and I certainly don't want to capitalise on someone else's misfortune. I just wanted to handle an issue as sensitively as possible.

    As far as permission for research goes, I wasn't aware I needed any. If that's the case, then I'm sure the thread will get closed down and/or removed and that's fine. I didn't mean to break any rules. I have posted this exact same thread elsewhere and had nothing but positive responses.

    I'm really sorry if I offended anyone.

    (Oh and he doesn't commit suicide. He just thinks about it.)

Reply

  • Okay, I seem to have failed to express myself correctly. Let me clarify a few things.

    The reason the character is autisic is that I thought I could do some good by making him this way. I actually do have experience with autism - I'm a secondary school teacher and I have taught a few students with autism, though I admit those who have the condition more severely were never in any of my classes. I have had training on it but not a huge amount; enough that my school and the government would deem necessary, I suppose. The character didn't start off as autistic. He was originally going to be just a kid who gets bullied, as lots of kids do, but I felt that if he were autistic, it might raise some awareness, promote tolerance and highlight some of the issues that autistic students face at high school (the book is aimed at teens and young adults, those who are most likely to be the bullies of autistic teens, so maybe if they read it, it might do some good?). What prompted this was a shocking piece I read about higher bullying rates and more suicidal thoughts in those with autism. But I'm not going to do much good if I can't get it right. Like you said, I want to convey a meaningful and constructive message, and who better to help me do that than those who have been there?

    It was nothing to do with boosting sales, though I accept you only have my word for it. The character is one of four whose perspectives are going to be explored equally. He is not the 'main' character; he is one of them. I don't think it's exploitation of a disability; does that mean that no fictional characters can be in a wheelchair? Or deaf? Or blind? I don't really think it's exploitation; I guess it's a matter of opinion.

    I don't feel like I'm 'quizzing' people; if they don't want to answer, they don't have to. I certainly won't completely take their lives and turn it into a story, though I again accept you have only my word for that. I'm a nice person, I don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable or hurt anyone and I certainly don't want to capitalise on someone else's misfortune. I just wanted to handle an issue as sensitively as possible.

    As far as permission for research goes, I wasn't aware I needed any. If that's the case, then I'm sure the thread will get closed down and/or removed and that's fine. I didn't mean to break any rules. I have posted this exact same thread elsewhere and had nothing but positive responses.

    I'm really sorry if I offended anyone.

    (Oh and he doesn't commit suicide. He just thinks about it.)

Children