Writing Neurodivergent/The Psychological Issues of Characters

[whaley]

Should probably tag newer people 😜 @rae @jonas @savannah_grace2009 @scoutfinch180 @trailblazer

#ProtectAdolinKholin

[RAE]

@whalekeeper

9-10 (9.5?) agreement.

Thank you for sharing (Am I supposed to call you your Banananess now?)

"You need French Toast."
#AnduthForever (hopefully 💕)

[Anonymous]

@whalekeeper

9 out of 10.

I think it’s more important that we write good characters and not worry about their “mental health “issues”” and focus more on making them good, relatable characters.

 

Know when a writer is writing about something like autism or whatever, sure, that’s good. But otherwise, not so much y’know

[Trailblazer]

@whalekeeper

Also 9/10. Freedom pretty much summed up everything I was going to say lol.

"Real love is for your good, not for your comfort." -Justin Whitmel Earley

[whaley]

Cool 😎 I just needed to scratch that brain itch, to everyone’s expense 🤣

#ProtectAdolinKholin

[whaley]

@rae

(Am I supposed to call you your Banananess now?)

This is my official title now…

#ProtectAdolinKholin

[Keilah H.]

@whalekeeper

yeah, as an autistic person, I get super excited when a character is obviously like me, but I kinda agree that trying hard to force a character’s symptoms into a specific condition isn’t really a good thing, y’know?

Like, take my profile pic, a character named Tech from a Star Wars TV show. The common headcanon (and one I support lol, since he’s almost just like me) is that he and maybe his siblings are autistic or otherwise neurodivergent, due to their mannerisms and behavior, and if they are, they’d be the first Star Wars characters I know to have such a condition.

But while I think that’s at least partially true (specifically for Tech), I don’t think his writers did it on purpose. I think when creating him, they were just aiming for a socially awkward genius character whose brain defaults to logic over emotion–which just happens to line up with something that exists in our world. And I think if they’d tried hard to make him autistic–effectively forcing a diagnosis on him if you know what I mean–I might not have connected to him the way I did.

I think it’s just kind of a coincidence thing. Create the character first, and if they do have something close to an existing condition, then that’s fine, but don’t define them by it the same way you wouldn’t define a human being by their mental condition.

 

 

 

So……That was a rant and I don’t even remember where I was going with it…..?

oh, and I used “condition” so much because I hate it when people say I have a “disorder” lol, because from my perspective, true “disorder” would interfere with life processes to the point where the individual cannot function normally and have a normal life without constant intervention from either other people or a machine.

I’ll stop before I rant again XD

"When in doubt, eat cheese crackers."-me to my charries who don't even know about cheese crackers

[whaley]

@keilah-h

*struggles to find words for some reason*

I pretty much agree with everything you just said XD

#ProtectAdolinKholin

[RAE]

Charries grow on their own. All agree?

They create their own problems for us, all we gotta do is write them in character.

"You need French Toast."
#AnduthForever (hopefully 💕)

[whaley]

@rae

Yeah, pretty much. Within a line of control, at least for me XD Because sometimes what you’re drawn to write for a character isn’t actually consistent with the character, you know? Like if you’re in a weird mood. But if you’re in the zone, you’re good.

#ProtectAdolinKholin

[RAE]

@whalekeeper

Agreed. XD. Is it just me or is nothing consistent in a writer’s life? Either everything is perfect, or horrible, and every day it switches.

Funny, I remember years ago before I write hearing someone talking about how long it took to write a book and I remember thinking Ack! I’ll never ever become a writer, it’s just time wasting! And here I am!

"You need French Toast."
#AnduthForever (hopefully 💕)

[whaley]

@rae

Nothing in anyone’s life is consistent… except for God.

*Classic Christian punch*

XD But yeah, you’re right, even your own expectations fluctuate without realizing. It’s messy, but sometimes pleasantly surprising.

#ProtectAdolinKholin

[RAE]

@whalekeeper

God might be consistent, but Human’s aren’t in their relationship with him, making even that appear the change.

rn, the inconsistencies of my life are not pleasant. No one else knows this yet, but I’m struggling with my health rn. I might be fine one day, the next I’m sick. Almost nothing rn I can depend on. Not even myself.

"You need French Toast."
#AnduthForever (hopefully 💕)

[Sara]

@rae

Oh no I’m sorry *hugs*! I’m praying for you….I wish I could be there for you….<333

@whalekeeper

Yeah, I agree with Freedom and Janessa,

Lukas&Livia
#Lalbert
Sef&Chase
#HOTTOLINE
LEFSE FOREVER!!!!!! <333

[whaley]

@rae

I understand. It’s hard to find those consistent things, especially when you or a loved one cannot function consistently. It’ll take time, but give it time <3

• This reply was modified 10 months, 4 weeks ago by whaley.

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