I would like to see the essay on Austen and autism; I have the same feeling about her. I've always enjoyed the way she minutely analyses people, because that's how I perceive people. I've also considered writing about the autistic resonances of Sayaka Murata's writing, but I haven't felt able to do it justice yet.
Thanks for putting one of my pet peeves into well-written words! I'm so cross with "show don't tell" that I sometimes insert wide swatches of "tell don't show" into my stories. I probably shouldn't but it just feels so good.
Absolutely agree. And would add that writing fiction is being increasingly beset with rules - do this, don’t do that. And that runs the risk of making all our writing formulaic and lacking in freshness. Show, not tell is a classic example
I've never thought about how abiding by the suggestion from various professors and writing teachers to "show don't tell" as yet another manifestation of my autistic masking, and you have really opened my eyes and helped me reframe why so much of the feedback that I, an autistic woman, got in my writing group felt so bad to me.
Anytime I read in any book the phrase "my stomach clenched" or something similar, I feel viscerally angry the prevalence of these phrases. Your essay here helps me to understand that my anger stems from how boring it is to read such predictable writing, and how much I long for fresh writing that alters how I see the world.
Without the confines of "show don't tell" constricting expression, so many more exciting possibilities for authentic expression arise.
Thank you so much for your extremely helpful perspective here.
Incredibly good. I especially like the point about how economical “showing” feeling has become, which completely defeats the purpose. Some descriptions have become dead metaphors for the feeling they’re meant to show.
Thank you, this was incredibly eye opening! It made realize how stuck I’ve been into describing bodily reactions and left out way too much of what my MC is thinking. She’s actually thinking a lot and I can’t wait to give her mind the space it deserves
I am not a writer, but I am an autistic reader of your novels. Reading this essay has made me realise another reason why I loved your books so much! I really struggle reading descriptions of how characters bodies feel. I would far prefer feelings to just be labelled! The only caveat I have is, that one of my autism presentations is hypersensitivity to body sensations. I feel pain and other feelings very intensely. However, describing the feelings is not something that comes naturally to me and it is not how I would explain how I was feeling to anyone. Therefore, I wonder if this could mean that some autistic writers would naturally describe body sensations...
Naoise, I imagine you have seen the 2007 book by Phyllis Ferguson Bottomer "So Odd a Mixture: Along the Autistic Spectrum in 'Pride and Prejudice'". For those who haven't come across it, her thesis is that, while Austen could not have known of autism as a diagnosis, she nevertheless wrote about characters who were neurodivergent. I do not have the knowledge or skills to evaluate the book, but it is an interesting idea.
I, too, look forward to the essay on Austen and autism.
I would like to see the essay on Austen and autism; I have the same feeling about her. I've always enjoyed the way she minutely analyses people, because that's how I perceive people. I've also considered writing about the autistic resonances of Sayaka Murata's writing, but I haven't felt able to do it justice yet.
I wrote about Murata in the Guardian a few years ago!
Thanks for putting one of my pet peeves into well-written words! I'm so cross with "show don't tell" that I sometimes insert wide swatches of "tell don't show" into my stories. I probably shouldn't but it just feels so good.
Can’t wait to see the Austen/autism essay.
Loved this (as I do all of your writing)
Thank you my love!
Absolutely agree. And would add that writing fiction is being increasingly beset with rules - do this, don’t do that. And that runs the risk of making all our writing formulaic and lacking in freshness. Show, not tell is a classic example
I've never thought about how abiding by the suggestion from various professors and writing teachers to "show don't tell" as yet another manifestation of my autistic masking, and you have really opened my eyes and helped me reframe why so much of the feedback that I, an autistic woman, got in my writing group felt so bad to me.
Anytime I read in any book the phrase "my stomach clenched" or something similar, I feel viscerally angry the prevalence of these phrases. Your essay here helps me to understand that my anger stems from how boring it is to read such predictable writing, and how much I long for fresh writing that alters how I see the world.
Without the confines of "show don't tell" constricting expression, so many more exciting possibilities for authentic expression arise.
Thank you so much for your extremely helpful perspective here.
Incredibly good. I especially like the point about how economical “showing” feeling has become, which completely defeats the purpose. Some descriptions have become dead metaphors for the feeling they’re meant to show.
firrrre
Thank you, this was incredibly eye opening! It made realize how stuck I’ve been into describing bodily reactions and left out way too much of what my MC is thinking. She’s actually thinking a lot and I can’t wait to give her mind the space it deserves
I am not a writer, but I am an autistic reader of your novels. Reading this essay has made me realise another reason why I loved your books so much! I really struggle reading descriptions of how characters bodies feel. I would far prefer feelings to just be labelled! The only caveat I have is, that one of my autism presentations is hypersensitivity to body sensations. I feel pain and other feelings very intensely. However, describing the feelings is not something that comes naturally to me and it is not how I would explain how I was feeling to anyone. Therefore, I wonder if this could mean that some autistic writers would naturally describe body sensations...
THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!!!!!
Naoise, I imagine you have seen the 2007 book by Phyllis Ferguson Bottomer "So Odd a Mixture: Along the Autistic Spectrum in 'Pride and Prejudice'". For those who haven't come across it, her thesis is that, while Austen could not have known of autism as a diagnosis, she nevertheless wrote about characters who were neurodivergent. I do not have the knowledge or skills to evaluate the book, but it is an interesting idea.
I, too, look forward to the essay on Austen and autism.