Disabilities
Posted: November 4th, 2009 under blog post.
So, this year's NaNo novel features not one, but two people with disabilities. The main character suddenly can't talk because of magic. And a pretty important supporting character is in a wheelchair because of a bullet to the spine.
It's a bit daunting because I don't have either of these disabilities. (Although I'm sure some of my classmates back in middle and high school wondered if I was actually mute.) The mute girl doesn't actually require much research. For one, she's affected by magic, so it's not like it's a typical case. And she's just been rendered mute, so it's not like I need to research ways she'd have adapted over time.
But the paralyzed man has been in a chair for decades. So he'll have to be pretty well adjusted. For instance, I needed to figure out a way that he can drive himself and get upstairs on his own. And without fancy gadgets, because he's kind of poor and more likely to go the do-it-yourself route. I already found a pretty good way to explain both. I just hope I don't insult any disabled people too badly with my ideas of what their life is like.
On top of that, this is a world with magic and spells, so there's always the temptation to magically fix my paralyzed character. Which I really don't want to do. I think *that* would be more insulting to disabled readers than any factual mistakes. As much as I like my character and want to give him a happy ending, the wheelchair is a physical trait not a plot point to be resolved in Act 3. "White washing" him back out of the chair is like saying no one could be happy living the rest of their life that way. And there are plenty of real people who do lead normal, happy lives without the ability to walk.
So.... I don't know why I felt the need to add the challenge of realistically portraying disabilities I know nothing about, but I'm gonna do my best.
Tags: NaNoWriMo, writing
It's a bit daunting because I don't have either of these disabilities. (Although I'm sure some of my classmates back in middle and high school wondered if I was actually mute.) The mute girl doesn't actually require much research. For one, she's affected by magic, so it's not like it's a typical case. And she's just been rendered mute, so it's not like I need to research ways she'd have adapted over time.
But the paralyzed man has been in a chair for decades. So he'll have to be pretty well adjusted. For instance, I needed to figure out a way that he can drive himself and get upstairs on his own. And without fancy gadgets, because he's kind of poor and more likely to go the do-it-yourself route. I already found a pretty good way to explain both. I just hope I don't insult any disabled people too badly with my ideas of what their life is like.
On top of that, this is a world with magic and spells, so there's always the temptation to magically fix my paralyzed character. Which I really don't want to do. I think *that* would be more insulting to disabled readers than any factual mistakes. As much as I like my character and want to give him a happy ending, the wheelchair is a physical trait not a plot point to be resolved in Act 3. "White washing" him back out of the chair is like saying no one could be happy living the rest of their life that way. And there are plenty of real people who do lead normal, happy lives without the ability to walk.
So.... I don't know why I felt the need to add the challenge of realistically portraying disabilities I know nothing about, but I'm gonna do my best.
Writing Progress:
Title: Unintended Necromancy
Words: 10,463 of 50,000
Progress Today: 2,429 of 2,000
Title: Unintended Necromancy
Words: 10,463 of 50,000
Progress Today: 2,429 of 2,000