Hi there! Could I ask for some advice on writing nonspeaking characters/characters with mutism? One of my characters is unable to speak due to an early injury that resulted in paralysis of his larynx. He primarily uses ASL to communicate. Do you have any tips on how best to write or characterize him?
Hi! To be honest I forgot about this ask briefly, sorry!
So, a character with a paralyzed larynx. While I don't have any experience with this specific diagnosis, I can tell you that there are some ASL signs that require sound - or don't require it, but someone fluent in sign would make sounds with certain signs, which would be a signal of true fluency. Usually, these sounds are not super distinct, as many of the people making them can't hear them. You should explore whether your character makes noise when he signs or not.
It is worth mentioning that this character might not be welcomed with open arms into the Deaf community, depending on Deaf culture where he lives. This is something that is changing right now, but the Deaf community has been known in the past to be insular and difficult to break into if one is not Deaf, even if one does use sign language for a separate medical reason. There can be toxic standards of "Deaf enough" and being "Deaf of Deaf," or the Deaf child of Deaf adults.
Other things to think about - does your character make noise when he laughs? Yells? Cries? What does any of that sound like? Does he ever make involuntary noises? What would that look and sound like?
As a person that is unable to speak, your character might or might not identify with the nonverbal community. He would likely not identify with selective mutism or "mute" as a label, as the former is a separate diagnosis, and the latter is no longer used and often considered offensive.
Think about who he surrounds himself with, how they behave, and how that behavior is addressed within the narrative. Do people learn sign for him, or not? Do they talk over him, interrupt him, ignore him, or try to guess what he's going to sign? If so, what affect does this have on your character?
Finally, the larynx doesn't just aid in speech, it also aids in preventing us from aspirating food and choking on it. Is your character able to eat by mouth? If so, how much? Does he have to eat slower and pay close attention to avoid choking? Does he have to eat certain consistencies of food to avoid choking? Does he have to drink particular consistencies of liquid to avoid choking? If he uses a feeding tube, what does that look like?
These are all just questions to get you started. It might feel overwhelming, but you don't have to know everything right away. Pick a few things that seem right, do some research, and decide more! I'm happy to talk through more questions if you have them. Anyone who has more experience with this or information to add, feel free to tag on. As always, happy writing!
