Let's write a book- on Aspie war vets and ex-mental patients

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I noticed that a LOT, and I do mean a LOT, of WPers have been in the military, and every single one of them I talked to has a fascinating story to tell.


I also noticed that a LOT-- and again, I mean a LOT-- of WPers have been in mental wards, and again, every single one of them I talked to had a fascinating story to tell.


Perhaps every single one of those people that wants to can write their story in full, and we can combine it into a book about Aspies called Aspies Under Stress or something, to educate the public (after all, your true character comes out when you're under stress)!


Everyone else who has a fascinating story to tell can also contribute!


Just an idea.

i think its a great idea! lets do it! i have experienced neither of those but i am a semi experienced author, i can put it together and get it published---there is an open source publishing site called lulu.com i use, my book is published there.
send me a PM and we can discuss this some more!!

I agree. I love the idea! I'm an experienced writer, and I would be happy to contribute. I have never been in the military or a mental hospital, but I do have interesting stories to tell.

I think that the book would be most interesting if all kinds of stories were included. There could even be several different volumes, depending on how many people were interested. Maybe each volume could have its own theme, or maybe they could just be random collections.

I also have publishing experience. I interned with a small publishing company while in college.

I think that a book would be a valuable companion to what we are creating here. Books and discussion boards are quite different, with their own unique advantages. A book could be a fun way to present a more realistic, detailed, and varied view of ASDs to the general public.

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt41039.html

This thread is full of great stories! And they're only partial stories! We need to get it ALL out of them!

to whom would the royalties go?
would it be possible to make them payable to support of this site?

That WOULD be possible. We'll just have to ask Alex for the information.

EDIT: Here's another good thread about people on here who were in mental wards:

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt4148.html

By society's standards, I've led a pretty boring life. Still, I dream about writing an autobiography when I'm older.

I was in a mental ward (voluntary) and met an accountant that had seen God. He was super nice and there was a machine with unlimited Dr. Pepper.

I'd go back if they let me!

I was in Vietnam. Most of the things that happened to me were not what the popular conception of a war is. A book is hard. Who would edit? (no, don't ask me). As to being in a mental ward, well, sometimes, I suppose it's interesting (I've never been on one as an inmate), but again, it's mostly an internal experience. You're going through something heavy, but from the outside it's very difficult to see, and from the inside, it's usually (I'd imagine) hard to get an interesting perspective.

Having said all that, I'd contribute if someone else wanted to edit. But for me, anyway, Vietnam was not a positive experience. It didn't bother me, even though I was right in the middle of it, and sometimes I wonder why not, but most of it was being hot and uncomfortable, and terrified, and doing unspeakable things to other people, which I don't think very many of us who "served" are very proud of. Some of us were drafted, and that was an experience in itself. I wasn't. But I didn't go over there to serve my country. I went over there because I thought it would be fun. Which is kinda sick, now that I look back at it, but what can I say, I was 20, and I was kinda sick. I'm much older now, and a lot saner, I hope.

Beentheredonethat

I've been in a three mental hospitals. The first time was unmitigated hell, the other two not so bad.

Aridarr, do you want to tell what happened?


Beentheredonethat: what IS editing, besides spellchecking and correcting punctuation? I'll do that.

Anna:
Editing is deciding where to put stuff. It's not easy. The other is copy editing.

Merele:

I'm still laughing. What did you say you were selling? I don't want to know, but you're a woman after my own heart!

I was an E3, and after awhile I thought I was losing it. I mean just Dinky Dau. But I managed not to smoke, or anything worse, and I turned down a wonderful chance to frag some guy who thought he was God's answer to the war, which didn't stop the Viet Cong. Someone forgot to tell them that he was unkillable. They killed his ass. As a human being, he didn't deserve it. As an A**h*le he did. I didn't do it.

These are not the kind of stories you tell to kids who don't know what a war is. Especially some of the stuff that really makes you wonder just what kind of a person you are. I don't blame him for goign AWOL. I used to answer at roll call for a guy who hadn't been there for two months. They never caught me, and I wouldn't even try to change my voice. They probably coulda charged me with something, but what were they gonna do, ship me to Vietnam?

Rafe

I think it's a good idea. I would certainly read it.