Is it abnormal to be a good writer when you have Aspergers?

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Whisperer
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20 Feb 2008, 5:03 pm

I'm not too keen on applying a term like "Aspergers" to writers whose trascendence is far above and beyond that of the term in question.
I'd suggest Lovecraft as one who had at least some traits that are commonly attributed to Asperger's. Franz Kafka has been sugested - not surprisingly. Jorge Luis Borges would be worth taking a look at too.
. . .but then, these people were geniuses in the most trascendent sense; far beyond what some shrink could possibly label them post-mortem.



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20 Feb 2008, 7:11 pm

True, Whisperer. Perhaps it's their genius that causes their writing to connect to so many people in the writing. But as an aspie, it seems evident to me that some authors stand far above others in my own esteem; Borges and Kafka being two prime examples. So, regardless of what the authors may be labelled themselves, the readers must be able to comprehend the unique perspectives they provide for whatever reason, be it Aspergers or just subversive tendancies.

I wouldnt be surprised to find that many of today's shrinks began their interest in the field of psychology by reading fiction from the likes of Borges or Kafka. So, in a way it's like the fiction writing informs the study of the mind and is immune from examination.



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20 Feb 2008, 7:12 pm

I've been told I'm a great writer! I don't think it's abnormal at all.



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21 Feb 2008, 6:43 pm

Jeyradan wrote:
I like to think I'm a decent writer - and when I took English, I had the grades to back it up.
However, I find it interesting, looking back, just how "non-NT" my writing was... there were detailed descriptions and piecemeal dialogue (emotional subtext? what's that?), but I had a lot of difficulty transitioning between the two, or between different subjects... fascinating.

I read an article today called "What Autistic Girls Are Made Of" (www.kypa.net/drupal/?q=node/816) that seems to indicate that girls on the spectrum are more likely to be gifted writers, whereas boys lean more toward the mathematical side. Perhaps that is part of the equation?

Edited: to insert URL and link.

Sweet, I'm female :D However my close friend with Aspergers isn't a good writer, so it's not in all cases. I've never heard that one before.



Malachi_Rothschild
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21 Feb 2008, 7:39 pm

One of my high school English teachers told me that, whatever I did with my life, I would always be a writer. An English teach in college used my work as an example of how to write well and my presentation of the work as an example of how to read for an audience.



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21 Feb 2008, 8:48 pm

ebec11 wrote:
I got into a extremely hard writing program at my school, and I was wondering if being able to write clearly is normal or abnormal for Aspies? I love writing - especially abstract poetry :D











...I tend to write rather " whimsically " , or , very straight-forward " I did this . I did that . " .
I tend to think of that , now , as two different poles of my Aspie-ness .



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21 Feb 2008, 8:53 pm

It's not abnormal, I am without a doubt better at writing then verbalizing my thoughts.



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22 Feb 2008, 12:11 am

Aspies usually have a specific set of things they're good at, and everything else they suck at. XD So I'm a good writer, but it's just one of my talents. I suck at math; many aspies have math be one of their main skills, and often aren't quite as good at artistic crafts such as writing.



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22 Feb 2008, 4:43 pm

Apparently, it's abnormal to be good at anything creative when you have asperger's, which is weird since about 95% of what I do in my spare time is creative.



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22 Feb 2008, 5:14 pm

What they deem as abnormal and not present is simply a fabrication.

Many people like to say that their idea of creativity is the correct one. Something which is simply not the case. They will deem those with illnesses specific ways, because that is what they assume or feel.

However, if one were to make an extremely algorithmic definition of the science for asperger's..."lack of creativity", would not be a symptom of the list.



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22 Feb 2008, 9:06 pm

GoatOnFire wrote:
I ain't a poet and I know it


Well you just rhymed there. :lol:


Anyway, I don't think it's abnormal. As a young child, at school one of my strengths was writing...especially poetry. It still is, too.


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22 Feb 2008, 11:34 pm

From what I've heard, aspies can be very creative. They can write very well, they just have to work a little harder at it, that's all. Check wikipedia - most of the famous aspies listed there are artists, designers and writers. I believe in the right brain/left brain theory where a person's logical side can be far more dominant than their creative side and vice-versa. I'm a creative, and I'm lousy at math. I can write, though, and am very creative art-wise. I think in aspies, this trend continues to a more extreme level. I'm sure there are studies on this angle, somewhere. If not, there SHOULD be.


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22 Feb 2008, 11:46 pm

Veresae wrote:
Aspies usually have a specific set of things they're good at, and everything else they suck at. XD So I'm a good writer, but it's just one of my talents. I suck at math; many aspies have math be one of their main skills, and often aren't quite as good at artistic crafts such as writing.


I think you're a Creative, where your right side of your brain is far more dominant than your left (the logical side). (Hope I don't have that backwards... I think it's Right= Creativity, Left = Logic)


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23 Feb 2008, 4:15 pm

only possible drawback I would see would be characterization; development, progression, 'fleshing out the character', and interactions with other characters. this might be a bit of a challenge...but nothing impossible. Aside from that, we seem to be a pretty literate bunch...;)



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23 Feb 2008, 5:05 pm

pakled wrote:
only possible drawback I would see would be characterization; development, progression, 'fleshing out the character', and interactions with other characters. this might be a bit of a challenge...but nothing impossible. Aside from that, we seem to be a pretty literate bunch...;)


Hype about Hypergraphia topic

This is the problem I have had when doing the fiction thing. It is easier to write a research paper.
Analyzing is easy for me, so I do the poetry analysis thing. I became so good at it when I took courses at the college level that the professors were not happy when it came easily to me. Oh, well. One of these days I will expand on something I have done on Plath. It has always been easier for me to write than speak. I am not orally articulate.

Good posts, posters.
:cheers: :study:


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27 Feb 2008, 10:07 pm

sartresue wrote:
pakled wrote:
only possible drawback I would see would be characterization; development, progression, 'fleshing out the character', and interactions with other characters. this might be a bit of a challenge...but nothing impossible. Aside from that, we seem to be a pretty literate bunch...;)


Hype about Hypergraphia topic

This is the problem I have had when doing the fiction thing. It is easier to write a research paper.
Analyzing is easy for me, so I do the poetry analysis thing. I became so good at it when I took courses at the college level that the professors were not happy when it came easily to me. Oh, well. One of these days I will expand on something I have done on Plath. It has always been easier for me to write than speak. I am not orally articulate.

Good posts, posters.
:cheers: :study:
I struggle with characters, but since a lot of my stuff is about innocence and disorders, it's okay :P