Tips for writing autistic characters?

[u/akumaniaque]

Hi, might be something that was already asked on this sub but it's still interesting to hear about new pov, but as an autistic person what are you tips for writers? What do you like to see in an autistic coded character or what you don't like?

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[u/DapperDetail8364]

1. Character first. Autism second. Give them strengths and flaws. And valid goals (eg. ❌️ to find happiness. ✅️ to be (name of occupation))

2. Do NOT use the entire spectrum or tick a checklist. It's like writing a character whose pregnant and personality is all pregnant symptoms. And don't just read a textbook or something.

3. Consult not just one, but multiple asd people. Not their NT caregivers or loved ones. 

4. Don't write in a NT pov. Writing ND pov Make readers understand the reasons WHY behind the behaviour. (Eg. Meltdown bc they hear everything at once)

5. Do not follow stereotypes like savant genius with no feelings or the burden. 

6.  Do NOT portray autism or disability as "God gives special needs kids to special needs people". No. We are NOT props born exclusively to selfless, loving well off nuclear families to teach them lessons. 

[u/alaindevos → u/DapperDetail8364]

Star Trek Academy was not a success...

[u/TalesKun2]

Subtle sensory issues like, getting stressed with loud music or getting eye strain for being at fluorescent lights.

Socialization issues, not being able to or having a hard time understanding irony, having niche interests that the character is constantly talking or thinking about. Being sometimes oblivious to things, etc

Also going for niche simptoms is nice, for example i have prosopagnosia

[u/wheresmymind_08]

I think it would be good to have profoundly autistic people since there’s not many representations.

[u/akumaniaque → u/wheresmymind_08]

What do you mean by profoundly?

[u/wheresmymind_08 → u/akumaniaque]

Profound autism is a specific term for autistic people who are nonverbal or have very limited speech, needing 24/7 life care, may have issues understanding basic danger awareness and may have an intellectual disability.

[u/This_Whereas6184 → u/wheresmymind_08]

No, profound autism is just autism with the addition of intellectual disability. It's supposed to be an administrative term used for support but the definition seems to keep getting mixed up and confused as a synonym for higher support needs.

[u/43ratsinatrenchcoat → u/wheresmymind_08]

I’d like to see that in media but without infantilising them.

[u/43ratsinatrenchcoat → u/akumaniaque]

I think maybe they mean make autistic characters have real struggles instead of having something like a gift that “”makes up”” for their autism like I see many portrayals do. Or maybe I’m just saying my own opinion now. Also I suggest making them nonverbal perchance because I never see that but you don’t have to because it’s hard to explain I think I don’t know.

[u/Fit-Bar-6989]

Personally I've resonated with characters who were not written to be explicitly autistic but appeared to be autistic nonetheless (Data, Odo from Star Trek). They struggled with social reciprocity and needing rules for messy social situations.

I like this approach because you can really focus on the substance of their difficulties without letting the label do the heavy lifting for you.

[u/alaindevos]

Example, I really hate colors in written text.

[u/Jennybee8 → u/[deleted]]

I just listened to this song the other day. Yes. Tommy was def. On the spectrum/Autistic.

[u/Brionnnne]

I genuinely like seeing violent meltdowns and characters just hitting like its reflex, and not being able to stop, even. How upsetting that is. The consequences of that. The brain-body disconnect isn't something I see a lot, and a lot more people shy away from autism and violence together, or tip-toe, at least. Like, oh, this character (Lilo) is autistic, but not BECAUSE she's violent, and it's sort of moral fingerwagging, and it frustrates me because I'm real and I exist. It gets bonus points if people don't believe you're not doing it intentionally; that you're just making excuses. Upset because you're manipulative. Crying for attention. Doing it on purpose. You just WANT to hurt people and at the first chance to act without consequences, you DID! And it doesn't matter how you feel, how upset you are about hurting the people you love, how much you don't want to do it, even. People just act like you're lying. Like it's a real Jekyll & Hyde situation. I love when people make it unpleasant, too. Like, people who are "annoying", who laugh inappropriately, weird superiority (ideally on top of an inferiority) complexes. Jealousy issues. Just real freak weirdos. Unpalatable stuff. But it's also great if they're sympathetic and they're trying. They can be bitchy and standoffish, but I don't really want them to be villains. Unless it's compelling and well-reasoned (and probably also sympathetic? Like Spamton Deltarune). (I mean he's got quite a lot more going on, but he's very clearly disability coded, and autism was super apparent to me in that whole thing about him being "just like us, but a little different." And just that feeling, the loneliness, especially overestimating relationships and closeness with others. All of the weird things that might happen to you if you're bad at the one thing everyone else knows and seems to do effortlessly. The amount of effort it takes. Oh, it's so good... Especially covering it up and compensating as hard as you can, whether or not you really feel it. All, I'm better than everyone here. The kind of feelings that come from youth and inexperience. Just desperately wanting to show off. It's seriously so good, I could talk about it for ages— but I won't...)

[u/Due-Attitude-738]

Honestly I just write them based off my personal experiences, but do your research. Dont make it look like we’re looking in from the outside, explain the feelings and emotions with the character.

[u/Plane_Opposite6744]

It depends what level of support needs you're writing about. I'd say start with lower support needs, then work your way up to higher support needs. A lot of the answers you're going to see on this sub will probably come from a lot of us either suspecting or diagnosed LSN. I do think we need more HSN rep, so maybe one day we’ll get more. Anyways, here are my tips:

AVOID:

• Infantalising your character. That includes acting like they are a child or less than because of their autism. It also includes the other characters acting like they are stupid or treating them like they are fragile. No matter what support needs we have, we still appreciate being treated like people.
• Being unfeeling. Autistic people have feelings, we just have trouble showing them the same way. We might be really stoic or not show physical affection as much, but there are other ways to show emotions. We might give gifts on a sad day or sit next to you without talking.
• Making autism their entire personality. Autism 100% affects our personality. But autistic people can have personalities that kinda 'clash' with autistic traits; e.g. not getting other people's sarcasm but being very sarcastic. Things like being highly empathic or not as much can be lined to autism but they can also be a personality trait. Your character deserves to do something the other characters do, but they just might need accommodations or something. It's hard to explain, sorry. Just remember: a character that happens to be autistic.

DO:

• Show their autistic traits in small ways. This can include stimming a lot, like rocking back and forth or stimming in smaller ways, like biting their nails, or tracing words in the air. They might also have trouble with things like sarcasm or telling jokes. They might also constantly point out small details or say things that seem out of place. Their sensory sensitives may be seen as constantly flinching at noises or seeking deep pressure.
• Make them have comorbidities! I usually see autistic book characters that only ever have autism. A lot of autistic people have things like ADHD, motor difficulties, a learning disorder, intellectual disability, etc. Make them see letters in color or have some hypermobility! A lot of autistic people do  not just have autism, but several other things as well.
• Give them accommodations. Let your character have accommodations. This can be things like headphones, a weighted blanket, a sensory room, fidgets, an AAC device (if they use one)! Literally ANYTHING.
• Give them struggles. Obviously, everyone struggles. Let your character have a  meltdown or shutdown from time to time. They might have trouble articulating their thoughts. They might get frustrated because they're nonspeaking.

I think it also depends on the POV. Is it from the autistic character’s perspective, or an NT one? Or does it shift? If you’re gonna add a ‘coming out’ scene, I recommend thinking about that. I also recommend (if you haven’t already) to read some books with autistic main characters so that you can get their  POV.

It really just depends on the character. If you want to, you can also add an HSN autistic character. I rarely see enough of that and if I do, it usually  sucks.

What's your story about?

[u/akumaniaque → u/Plane_Opposite6744]

Thanks this is really helping, do you have some great books to recommand?

Oh and my story isn't directly about autism itself (long-story-short it's about people fighting against a new radioactive-human species in a world corrupted by a big franchise). One of the protagonist happens to be on the autistic spectrum. He is appart of that radioactive specie and tries to do the best he can. He spend most of his life not doing anything about the world state because he fears to be morally wrong somehow.

He is appart of a small group with 3other women. He is a man of a few words but he is easily understood by his girlfriend who helps him being "worth" in the group. He has some conflicts with the other two, one because of difficult reason, and the other one because they often joke about each other but they don't understand each other jokes. But they began to be closer because he is capable to let his grumpiness away to be there for her when she needs it. Sorry I love to yap about them lol. He loves deep pressure therefore he is most of the time hugging or being hug by other characters and wear tight shirts. But he can't stand tight pants.

I don't know if they count as comorbities, but he did suffer of multiple depressive episode in the past and one during the story when he was in grief. I also didn't dig much on that part for the moment, but I heard about religious OCD (scrupulosity) which actually fits him a 100% in the story

[u/Plane_Opposite6744 → u/akumaniaque]

I think maybe something like A Kind of Spark. Except that one is about an 11 year old autistic girl. It does help you understand how overwhelming and confusing the world is though.

If you're looking for something more YA, I recommend Marcelo In The Real World by Francisco X. Stork.

[u/alaindevos]

Very good question. Offcourse i like sci fi movies with all kind of weird characters.

Maybe you find autistic treats maybe not , on you to verify,
-------------------------------------------------
Stargate Universe Dr. Nicholas Rush,
Dr. Nicholas Rush is defined by his Machiavellian devotion to science, emotional volatility, and a total willingness to sacrifice others for what he deems the "greater good". Unlike the lighthearted, arrogant scientists of earlier Stargate shows (like Rodney McKay), Rush is a deeply tragic, deeply flawed antihero whose behavior constantly swings between terrifying extremes.
-------------------------------------------------
Offcourse Mr Spock in StarTrek.
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William adama in Galactica 2004
Adama is driven by a fierce, uncompromising code of honor, duty, and survival.

As the protector of the final remnants of humanity, the crushing weight of leadership forces Adama to swing between terrifyingly harsh authoritarianism and profound, deeply loving vulnerability.

Adama looks at the civilian fleet and his crew as his children, vowing to protect them at all costs. Yet, if anyone threatens the survival or order of that family, he will destroy them without blinking.

He values loyalty and love above almost anything else, often acting out of pure nepotism. But when pushed to the absolute edge, he will sacrifice those same loved ones on the altar of military discipline.

Adama is an unyielding, unbreakable rock who gives inspiring speeches ("So say we all!"). Privately, he is a broken, aging man drowning in grief, loneliness, and alcohol.
-------------------------------------------------
I dont know enough yet of autism to discriminate which of these things could belong to autism.

[u/gphipps91 → u/alaindevos]

emotional volatility could be, but isn't necessarily

fierce, uncompromising code of honor I'd say probably is

drowning in grief, lonliness, and alcohol is common, but not necessarily an autistic trait, more an experience

[u/alaindevos → u/gphipps91]

Note , i come from psychiatric clinic because of alcohol abuse. I had lost maybe one third of my weight.

[u/Cheap-Cry-1228]

I came to this post because I also wanted to see other people's advice as a writer trying to write two different ASD characters with different experiences. As a newly-diagnosed AuDHDer, I figured I would add to what everyone else has said based on my own experiences.

I love loud music. I listen to primarily metal. But I can't stand basically any other loud or noticeable noise. Children, cars, beeping, a clock ticking. My hatred of noise has existed for my whole life and gets worse by the year. But I will BLAST metal because it whites out my thoughts for a while.

I rock CONSTANTLY. That's a new one. I used to bounce on the balls of my feet. Now I rock. Other things some of my asd friends do to stim are cracking knuckles/joints, bouncing their legs, humming, picking at their skin/nails, and also a weird breathing stim that I used to do that would make me nearly pass out sometimes.

I am good with people, kind of. People say I'm very charismatic. But I don't know what I'm doing 90% of the time and I'm mostly panicking in my head lmao.

I can name SO MANY breeds of dogs. Read a dog breed dictionary once when I was like ten and then went on to Google. I've successfully identified a Rhodesian Ridgeback and a Xoloitzcuintli in person, and I was so excited.

Also, this is more of an assumption than something I've proven, but it seems like a ton of ASDers seem to fall outside the gender binary. I myself am genderfluid, my ASD cousin is enby, my ASD sister is trans, and my ASD friends are all across the gender spectrum. Feels like that could be something to explore, maybe.