Creating Disabled Characters @creating-disabled-characters - Tumblr Blog

So You Want To Write A Disabled Character...?

[Plaintext: So You Want To Write A Disabled Character?]

Summary: Hi! My name is Ember Phoenix. My blog is @emberphoenixisgoingtolivee My pronouns are they/them and fi/fire/fires/fireself. I am an amateur writer who is disabled. I am going to teach you how to write disabled characters well. This is inspired by the blog @creatingblackcharacters. Each lesson will include summaries at the top. Each lesson will include plaintext. The list of lessons I am going to give you are below. You are welcome to ask me any questions! Below is a list of hashtags I use, and some things about me and this blog.

Hi everyone! My name is Ember Phoenix (of the blog @emberphoenixisgoingtolivee), my pronouns are they/them and fi/fire/fires/fireself (if neopronouns are hard to use, they/them is fine) and I’ve been an amateur writer for six years, and disabled my whole life! There is such a lack of disabled representation in the media, and as an avid consumer of books, films, TV shows, fanfic, fanart, etc, I would love to see people like me represented.

So I made this lesson series as requested for my friends, and inspired by the amazing @creatingblackcharacters blog and their lessons on creating Black characters with intent, thought and sensitivity (which, btw, you should read and follow!!)

If all goes to plan, with the help of this blog, you will have more knowledge and understanding of disability, and will feel more confident and equipped to make amazing, well-rounded, nuanced disabled characters!

Masterpost (to be updated when I post the lessons):

[Plaintext: Masterpost (to be updated):] Lesson 1 — Intro lesson (if you can only read one thing, make it this!) Lesson 2 — Which labels to use? Lesson 3 — Know the disability you’re writing Lesson 4 — Common disabled experiences Lesson 5 — Good tropes and representation Lesson 6 — Bad tropes and representation Lesson 7 — Rep I’m on the fence about Lesson 8 — Disability and Self Hatred Lesson 9 — Curing disability: should you do it? Lesson 10 — Disability jokes: when are they actually funny? Lesson 11 — Disability and (in)convenience Lesson 12 — Disability and romance Lesson 13 — Disability in fanfic Lesson 14 — Disability in art Lesson 15 — Disabled people tell you what examples of representation we want to see Lesson 16/epilogue — We belong in every genre

This series will go into common advice that spans ALL disabilities (physical, mental, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, neurodevelopmental, neurological, mobility, etc), and I will do more specific ones based on my own experiences with being disabled

Upcoming series... [Plaintext: Upcoming series...:] Creating Neurodivergent Characters Creating Characters with Mental Health Disabilities Creating Characters with Chronic Pain/Illness Creating Physically Disabled Characters

Most lessons will come with tips for writers at the bottom, where I tell you things to keep in mind as a writer. Though this is very book/film/TV show centric, advice about thoughtfully representing us can apply to fanfics, comics, art, roleplay, OCs, D&D, and any situation where you’re making disabled characters!

All lessons will come with a simplified text summary at the top. This is to make it accessible for disabled people who may struggle to read long lessons (I do have a tendency to ramble!) but if you are able, please do read the whole thing! There’s so much nuance and detail I can’t fit into one single paragraph

If you need something summarised, explained, simplified, or want me to add an accessibility feature to my lessons, I am very happy to do so!

If you want to show me your disabled character/s, and/or ask me for advice, I am very happy and willing to give you advice (or just share in the joy and love of your character)!

[Plaintext: If you want to show me your disabled character/s, and/or ask me for advice, I am very happy and willing to give you advice (or just share in the joy and love of your character)!]

You can also ask me what I think of disability representation in already existing media and ask me to review it.

Hashtags:

[Plaintext: #hashtags]

#lesson post — posts featuring lessons (you can also find lessons by searching the hyperlinks in this intro post!)

#tips — short posts/reblogs that give a little bit of information

#long post — long posts/reblogs

#reblog — reblogged posts

#advice reblog — people’s original posts I add my own thoughts to

#ep’s writing guides #writing advice #writing guide #writing reference #writing representation #writing tips — specific to writing characters

#writers on tumblr #authors on tumblr #writerblr #authorblr — more writing tags I use

#image described #image description #id in alt text — an image used is described; I describe as much as I can

#undescribed — posts (often reblogs) not described

#eyestrain — posts that could be visually triggering

#flash warning — hashtag I use for flashing posts

#tw [insert content] [mention] #cw [insert content] [mention] — hashtags to trigger warn posts (“insert content” is where the potential trigger goes and “mention” if the trigger is brief)

#plaintext #plain text — posts where plain text is provided

#disabled and #actually disabled — tags I use to talk broadly about being disabled; more specific conditions will be tagged accordingly

#mature — posts that may contain content not suitable for children to see on the internet (such as discussions of sex (outside of a factual context) or violence)

#cdc inbox #inbox #asks #ama #ask me anything — answering asks you send me!

You may block any hashtags you don’t want to see!

About me (and this blog)!

[Plaintext: About me!]

I have years of experience in being disabled, writing, and creating characters

I’m also very involved in the disability community and have many disabled friends

I’ve been diagnosed with autism, ADHD, hypermobility spectrum disorder/joint hypermobility syndrome (HSD/JHS), and scoliosis

I’ve not been diagnosed with but still experience: depression, anxiety, OCD, chronic fatigue, cPTSD/some form of trauma, other unspecified mental illnesses, and I am likely Hard of Hearing (culturally hearing but I do know a bit of BSL!)

I’m not currently a mobility aid user for complicated reasons, but I should and will be some time in the future

I interact via @emberphoenixisgoingtolivee and post/reblog anything unrelated to disabled characters there

This blog will never feature jumpscares or violent/gory imagery unless *explicitly tagged and warned*

All blog content is suitable for ages 10+ unless it’s tagged mature

This blog does not contain swear words (unless it’s in reblogs)

All potential triggers will be tagged — if I miss any triggers, that is my own fault entirely and I accept full responsibility

I use tone tags often; if anything is untagged, assume I am being genuine, serious, and informal. We’re not in school, you can relax!

I believe everyone deserves human rights, but I don’t talk about politics on this blog

I’m very friendly and happy to help!

I give advice for writing other miscellaneous, non disability related things here [plaintext: here]

I will answer questions about my own experiences being disabled, but my experience is not the only disabled experience

The only questions I won’t answer are questions related to sex, or my personal life and details

All of this being said, I am still learning and I will make mistakes, so if I say anything wrong, I am happy and willing to be corrected! /gen

#moots i’ll save you the trouble. there’s five separate jwcc/t references in this series #intro post #disabled #actually disabled #masterpost #creating disabled characters #plaintext #plain text

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rileyh20

Okay, guys, I need help with writing.

I'm planning on writing a horror short story revolved around anxiety and overthinking.

My friend said I should do first person, which I agree with, even if I'm not the best of writing it

But my problem lies in how to start it

If anyone has any ideas lemme know

The premise is basically MC overthinking at night about being murdered and what not, in MC's house. It doesn't have to start there, and it could something random, but I really just have no ideas rn...

Please help <3

creating-disabled-characters

hiii!! i think i can help you out - the main thing that springs to mind is, if you're doing this in the first person, you're going to have to do a LOT of research into anxiety DISORDERS if that's what you're going for. a good way i like to show disorganised thoughts via formatting and syntax changes - look up some of the passages in all the things we never said by Yasmin Rahman, which do an amazing job of showing emotion through syntax!

there's been so much stigma around mentally ill people in horror, particularly as the perpretraitors of violence - so i think if your character is a protagonist, that's a good way to go! just keep this in mind if your character encounters any villains is the character going to actually find something, or is it more of a short story showing how they overthink? if it's longer, it's likely your mc will encounter people who don't believe them - and your mc will be stuck trying to convince people it's real. but be careful treading the line between "person with legitimate concerns" and "person in psychosis/paranoia who believes in something that isn't there." you can touch on it, but it would be tricky, and you'd have to speak to people WITH psychosis/paranoia disorders to help.

i have some kind of mental health disability similar to what your character is describing, and it might verge into paranoia or psychosis territory - definitely do your research!!! if you wanna represent psychosis/paranoia/other more stigmatised disorders, remember that they have a long history of being stereotyped as being violent and unsafe to be around, as well as people treating their delusions like they are ridiculous or nonsensical. trust me, as someone who (might) have some degree of those things, it's real and it's TERRIFYING as hell :') like. genuinely believing you can't roll over in bed at night because someone is lurking behind you and will hurt you is REALLY scary - your character would realistically be terrified - maybe shaking, sweating, or hiding themself in the duvet, trying to rationalise with themself "well there's danger in my room, but if i stay under my blanket, i'm safe."

that could be a good way to start it off! your character hiding under their bedsheets frantically bargaining with themself. or, you could show them getting ready for bed as their delusions get worse until they don't feel safe enough to leave their bedroom as they believe downstairs has mysterious monsters or entities with scary faces (this is all VERY based off my own experiences... i need to never stay awake past 10pm or my brain does shit like this)

most of all, i'd recommend tuning in to my upcoming writing series about how to create disabled characters thoughtfully and respectfully!!

#reblog #mental health disability #mental illness #advice reblog

gay-jewish-bucky

including disabilities from the source material, no matter the universe, should be the default, not the rare exception

fluff isn't ruined by incluing disability

smut isn't ruined by including disability

happy endings aren't ruined by including disability

escapist fantasies aren't ruined by including disability

including disability doesn't require a phd in disability studies

including disability doesn't require a focus on suffering and tragedy

including disability can be as simple as, at minimum, a good faith choice to periodically note how a character interacts with their immediate environment and/or other characters

it's that easy, no emotional labour required

#reblog #writing tips

markthekng

Hey you, yeah, you, give that character a mobility aid. Do it. That girl who canonically has a leg injury? Give her a cane. That guy that doesn't have a canonical injury but whom you feel ok your heart is definitely chronically ill? Give him a wheelchair. That character you headcanon as disabled because they just kinda feel like it in your head? Give them crutches! That character you really really like and really really relate too? Give em a rollator! Sky's the limit! Go wild! People are gonna have problems with us creating a space for ourselves regardless, might as well bring a few of our favorite characters and OCs with us!

#reblog #writing tips

crow-in-springtime

There should be more things where a protagonist or major character becomes permanently disabled without that becoming a death sentence

bugbraiin

We are the surviving becoming disabled in a piece of fictional media brothers

I will forever love this show for its disability rep. THANK YOU for having Ben in a wheelchair after his injury and for that NOT being a point of sadness!! He is alive and the wheelchair is helping him stay that way! And Brooklyn refusing to use a prosthetic that was forced on her, eventually using one of her own because it was HER CHOOIIIIICE!!!!

Brooklyn's struggle to come to terms with and also navigate her disability was handled with such dignity in Chaos Theory. It being made harder by her abusive boss forcing an able bodied standard on her was so realistic, and I love that she spent a good amount of time not using a prosthesis until SHE chose to do so, with one that fit her personality no less <333

Ben needing a wheelchair after his injury was very satisfying in my humble opinion. As someone who only became a wheelchair user after a certain illness, it was nice to see a show finally acknowledge that there is no miracle magic cure for a lot of things. It is never commented on negatively, and his friends already have a ramp in place and a free space at the table. I'm going to explode

#reblog #writing tips #rep in the media #jwct #chaos theory #jurassic world chaos theory

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phleb0tomist

he would not fucking say that, but with disability.. he would not fucking be able bodied. sick n tired of characters walking away from multiple life changing injuries without a scratch. let’s get some natural consequences in here.

give that knife/sword fight survivor nerve damage. give the character who was shot in the gut a stoma. give that fire survivor lung damage and an oxygen cannula. give that leg injury survivor a cane. give that starvation survivor gastroparesis. give that spinal injury survivor a manual chair or powerchair.

while we’re at it, give your characters congenital disabilities too, just because. give them intellectual and development disabilities. give them acquired and postviral illnesses. dare to make somebody bedbound. for me.

#reblog #PLEEEEEEAAAAAAASSSSSEEEEEEEE do this omg #writing tips

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