A Guide to Crafting When You Live with Disability

Many members here know that I'm a Canadian who lives with disability. I'm not shy about it. This is just my life.

As I continue to develop my craft, I've often needed to translate in my mind to apply certain lessons within my abilities. It can be exhausting. I don't blame the book and article authors. We all write what we know. However, I've wished many times that someone would write an article for emerging writers from the point of view of a disability.

So I offer this article to you.

Accessibility

In everyday life, accessibility is obvious. Either that building has an automatic door, or it doesn't. Obvious.

Developing a craft while living with disability? Not obvious.

I think of it this way. When pursuing a craft, all doors are automatic. It's only a matter of finding the right doors for you. It may take time. Take however long you need.

A Wide Variety of Disabilities

According to the World Health Organization, one billion people live with a disability of one kind or another. That's... a lot of people.

I'm hard of hearing and deaf in one ear. I live in three worlds all the time. Deaf, hard of hearing, hearing. On one hand, this allows me to have empathy toward everyone. On the other hand, I confront discrimination on a regular basis.

But you don't sound deaf.

Yeah, well, 12 years of speech therapy, and I still practice all the time by reading out loud.

Why don't you call on the phone?

I can't read lips on the phone.

But, but, you don't act disabled!

Look, I'm not going to apologize for not fitting anyone's stereotype.

Of course, I'm making all of this sound easy. It's not easy and takes daily work just to function. But you already know that. Living with disability doesn't mean less, it means living with more.

Online Mobility Aids

I never recommend using any app or software to write for you. It will be obvious that the writing does not have a human voice. However, there's absolutely nothing wrong with using any app or software as a mobility aid to enable your craft.

I'm prone to optic neuritis due to MS. It's not all the time, just every once in a while. Over-exertion is the number one cause. So whenever I'm self-editing, that's when my optic neuritis acts up.

Here are two free resources that I find useful. Both have the option of paid upgrades.

Language Tool

https://languagetool.org/

Quillbot

https://quillbot.com/grammar-check

What I like about both of them is that they look at overall language. Choosing different dialects is an option. The suggestions and comments are respectful, and leave it up to you.

Different Can Lead to Success

I've had many creatives living with disability approach me in private messages over the years. They just want to chat with someone who understands.

I had one conversation with a woman from England who's autistic. She wanted to know how I approach creative writing.

I told her a mind over matter thing that I do for myself. Over here is a big stinking pile of all the things I can't do. And it's awful. Ignore that pile. Over here is a much smaller pile of all the things I can do. Focus on that pile only.

She liked my method, but it wasn't enough. It took me a while to figure out what was bothering her so much. We kept talking and I asked a lot questions. Then she said it. She was afraid that autism meant she'd never become a writer.

Heartbreaking.

Her disability makes it hard for her to express human emotions. While I'm a big fan of emotion-driven writing, I recognize it's not for her. So here she was, thrown into a depression because every online article she found insists that you have to write from the POV of human emotions. And she can't.

So I asked her, have you ever considered writing from the POV of inanimate objects? And she got so excited! Yes, she can do that! I'm so happy for her.

There's Always Hope

I have five diagnosed disabilities and one chronic illness. I'm nowhere near Hollywood. Many of my plans fell apart after Covid hit in 2020. I've overspent money on pandemic and medical-related expenses. And you know what?

I've optioned scripts on Script Revolution. I'm doing paid screenwriting jobs on Screenwriting Staffing. The best part? I've done everything 100% online, using text only. That's my can do pile.

I'm well aware there's plenty of discrimination. I've had bad experiences online, too. Many opportunities require abilities a person with disability may not have. The people who respond well enough online are the ones who are respectful of my disabilities.

The world can suck, but there are good people out there. Be sincere. Show your craft in whichever way works for your abilities. Be you.