Characteristics Of Autistic Writers

People on the autism spectrum are individuals like everyone else so it’s difficult to generalize about them as writers. However, there are some general characteristics that apply to them as a group.

Austistic writers often have trouble with sensory impressions. Loud noises, smells, visual clutter and temperature can all distract them from the writing task and when interrupted in this way they find it difficult to start writing once more. This can be a problem because people on the spectrum have difficulty getting started once they stop; the converse of this, though, is once they have commenced writing they can work for hours without stopping. Any break to their writing routine is also detrimental.

One of the biggest challenges facing autistic writers is called ‘autistic burnout’ which is a term used to describe what happens they become overwhelmed and exhausted with a task. According to sufferers, it comes from sensory overload and the stress and anxiety that comes with an activity, including writing.