Writer: The Label I've Always Embraced

There is one label I have embraced since the second grade:
Writer. It is the one word I know describes me now and always has described me. I currently write plays and poetry, both of which I think are best heard, not read, by others.

I write. Not a few pages here and there, but often thousands of words in a week. There have been times when I have written complete manuscripts, over 100 pages, in two weeks. I find that complete stories often come to mind, and I "see" these like films playing in my mind. The biggest challenge is writing to capture the story before my mind has moved ahead to the next project.
— C. S. Wyatt, personal website
When people ask why I don't "do more" for autism advocacy, or disability issues in general, I respond that I am first, second, and third, a writer. I write first to entertain, then to persuade. Then, I'm a teacher and a half dozen other things. But, I am a writer first. While I wish I could be everything, and curiosity compels me to read on dozens of topics, creative writing continues to be how I define myself. A curious creative writer, exploring human nature and other topics of interest to me.

Allow people to pursue their interests and goals, without demanding that everyone be some sort of crusader for "the cause" behind your personal passions. I understand that parents, educators, and caregivers want me to be some sort of role model. But, isn't the best way to be a role model for young students to be good at what I love?

I write comedies and young adult fiction. I do not want to write "autistic" stories. What would those stories be? Episodes of Touch or screenplays like Rain Man? Not that I wouldn't enjoy telling a good story that happened to include someone with a disability, but I don't want to write with a checklist of causes to support on my desk.

Celebrate the programmer, the scientist, the teacher, or the writer. If you need to prefix "autistic" for some reason, I suppose that's okay, but I want to be known as a good writer, not a good autistic writer or a good writer with a palsy. Simply the writer of good and entertaining stories. If I am not as good as or better than other aspiring writers, I don't want special recognition or honors. I want to be judged by the words I write.

Comments

  1. "isn't the best way to be a role model for young students to be good at what I love?"

    Indeed.

    ReplyDelete

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