I’ve Seen A Lot Of Posts On My Dash Tonight About Users Who Are Threatening Suicide, With Other Tumblr

mutuals whenever i like your posts please remember that i am twirling my hair and giggling and saying “ohmigod really?? thats soooo cool”

Strawberry lemonade, buttercup, meadow grass and cinnamon ❤️

Thank you for the ask! 😄 I feel so honoured someone thinks I give good hugs lol and yes! I’m always open to more friends!

Writing a Blind or Visually Impaired Character

A Multi-Step Guide Written by a Visually Impaired Writer and Blogger

I’m hoping this blog will over time develop its own following, and when it does people will inevitably see my bio and notice what I included: I’m visually impaired.

Yes, a visually impaired writer, and I’ve written with two blind characters before so I have some practice in the field.

So, inevitably, someone is going to ask how to write a blind character.

Or, at least, I hope you’ll ask someone who’s actually blind or visually impaired about writing a blind character before you get too involved with your new WIP.

All parts will be tagged #blindcharacter in my blog, and I will add links to every post as I finish each part. Follow my blog for more writing advice.

Note, this post updates fairly often and old versions are still floating around out there. The most current version of this post is pinned to my blog with any new guides or links you might of missed.

As of 24 January 2021, this is the most extensive and screen reader friendly version of this post.

Part One: Crafting the Blind Character

In which I tell you how to begin making a blind character who is more than a cardboard cutout

Part Two: Narrative Choice, Visual Description, Verbal Description, Social Interaction

In which I give you a basic rundown on how to write from the perspective of a character who can’t see and still make the narration descriptive

Part Three: Tropes and Clichés to Avoid

Your blind readers will thank you for not being the 5000th person to do this and manage to actually finish your story. (Do you have any idea how many stories I’ve noped out of within two chapters because of these clichés? A Lot.)

-New- Part Four: Canes, Guide Dogs, and O&M

Everything I can tell you about 1) how to learn how to use a cane 2) how a cane works 3) how to describe what your character experiences with their cane 4) everything I know on guide dogs

Part Five: Small Aspects of being Blind You Never Thought Of

5 January 2021 Edit: This link has been fixed to correspond with the correct post

Or, really, very normal everyday things for blind people, the inclusion of which will make your characters more real and authentic. It’s the tiny details.

Part Six: Should You Cure Your Character’s Blindness? (Short Answer: No)

There’s no way to write a cure for your blind character that doesn’t make blind readers hate you. Sorry. We came here to finally experience a relatable character who experiences the world like us, but none of us are getting cured so seeing this character we learned to love become something alien from us in the end feels like a slap in the face

Why I’m Blind and What I See -NEW-

I thought I’d finally make a post explaining the complicated situation about my vision. Includes an explanation of visual snow and exotropia, two of the three causes for my vision issues.

Writing Blind Characters Falling in Love, an Advice Post:

Someone asked what being blind and falling in love have to do with each other. Honestly, blindness changes your perspective on everything and it makes an impact on every relationship you have. This includes some things that you definitely do not want your character’s love interest to be/do.

Writing Blind Jokes (Should You Do It?)

You know those flow charts of “should you do x?” going around? It’s like that, but screen reader friendly. Should you write blind jokes. It’s pretty complicated and there are a lot of possible scenarios and details to consider.

Advice for Writing Toph Beifong -NEW-

In this I discuss what I would like to see done in fanfiction with Toph’s character after ten years of reading Avatar the Last Airbender fanfiction

A small essay addressing the frequently asked question on giving your blind character a superpower to help them “see.”

It’s became a popular question, so to make the answer easier/faster for everyone to access, I wrote what will usually be my initial answer. Below there are a few links to some notable past questions on this subject.

Mourning My Vision, it’s More than Depression. 

A small personal essay addressing the nuances of the mourning period you experience with a new disability. The mourning period is mentioned in other guides, but this is more detailed.

Dealing with Heightened Senses, a video by Molly Burke with additional commentary by me

While Molly talks about the myths and truths about heightened senses, I talk about the correlation with blindness and neuro-divergency and how co-morbid disorders/disabilities might affect sensory processing.

Satirical Commentary on the phrase “that blank look in their eyes” used too often in fiction to identify a blind character

a:tla, I’m looking at you (and my eyes aren’t blank)

I Found a Lost Piece of Blindness History

My grandmother told me about her blind aunt and how she sent letters. It led me to speculate about all the O&M things people develop on their own but never get a chance to pass onto other blind people. Technology and techniques are lost in history and reinvented, including the white cane ad guide dogs.

Includes a little history on the introduction of guide dogs into the 20th century

The Following are Answered Anon Questions

Making Your Blog More Accessible

Making Links Accessible to Screen Readers

Reblogging to Add an Image Description to Someone Else’s Image

Why I Write Image Descriptions

Writing Blind Characters

Advice for a Character Who was Born Blind

Over-Protective Parents of a Blind Character, Why They’re Over-Protective and How to Avoid Crossing a Line

A Blind Character in Victorian Era Historical Fiction

Is It Bad Not to Have Guide Dogs in a Fantasy/Historical Setting Without Guide Dogs (short answer: it’s not bad)

Someone Asked About My Thoughts on a Medusa-like Character Blinding Herself to Avoid Hurting Anyone

-New- Characters Who Have Recently Gone Blind and Avoiding Inspiration Porn

Talking about Popular Blind Characters In Media

Does Daredevil’s Echolocation Negate His Blindness

Someone Else was Asked How to Write Daredevil Fanfiction

Blind Characters with Superpowers/Fighting Styles

World Setting where the General Population has a Superpower

Superpowers that don’t involve sight, Five questions to ask yourself if this superpower is a bad idea or a good one

-New- Your character would not use a cane as a weapon, it’s a bad idea

D&D/Roleplaying Blind Characters

-New- Animal Familiars Acting as Service Animals and Advice for Communicating with Your DM

-New- Portraying Older Blind Characters + Causes for Vision Loss with Old Age

Lovestruck’s Ask Game!!

17, 18 and 20👀

Ohhhh thanks for the ask! 😄

17. do you write or draw fan content?

Yup! Everything I’ve written for LS can be found over at the @wlw-lovestruck-fiction blog! I’ve been meaning to reblog them here but always forget lol

18. favourite ships, not including the mcs?

Darla x Jo, Ruelle x Piama and Onyx x Yvette! Not only are the dynamics between those characters interesting, but all the pairings are also very cute and the interactions are just golden – I mean, can someone honestly tell me they didn’t smile at least a little bit with Darla’s interactions with Jo? I’m always up for seeing different sides of each character, especially considering Darla’s whole “queen bee” persona, and the side Jo brings to light is adorable!

And the amount of Ruelle x Piama in Xenia’s route is just 🥺🥺🥺

20. How do you feel abt the routes that end in marriage and/or kids?

It makes me feel all fluffy inside. The first route I read that ended in marriage was Serena’s, and I could have melted right there and then. I couldn’t stop smiling! When the weekend challenge came for her, the episode I reread the most was that one. I definitely didn’t think I would care so much for a proposal or wedding scene yet here I am, hoping desperately it happens in Yvette’s route. It all just hits different if it has or ends with scenes like those.

I haven’t read a route that ended with kids yet, but I’m sure I’ll like it all the same!

Hello, My MC is nonbinary. I'm lost on a title of address for them, like Miss Mister Sir Ma'am. My story is a fantasy setting so using Mx feels out of place. They're not royalty or have any occupational title that I can use, later in the story they begin to be addressed as Healer, but other than that I can't think of a way to have other characters address them. Some people address them just by name, or as 'friend MC' but I can't apply it to everyone depending on the characters in question, specifically those of different social class. I don't want to turn sir or miss into gender neutral words because I have other trans characters and I don't want to address them in a way other than their preferred pronouns. Do I just make up a gender neutral word?

Making up a gender neutral word is totally acceptable!

I think that Mx (pronounced Mix or Mixter) would not be any more out of place than Miss or Mister, but it's okay to use something else. I know in Dragon Age they have different terms for different ranks, and plenty of fantasy novels and video games etc, all have different terminology for that sort of thing.

I think making up your own is really powerful, and probably the best route.

You might also be interested in this list of gender neutral titles from the nonbinary wiki, or this list from Gender Queeries.

- mod nat

THANK YOU SO MUCH

A HANDY CHART FOR THOSE OF YOU WONDERING WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH THESE. NOTE THAT THESE ARE ALL THE INFORMAL AND YOU IS THE FORMAL SO LIKE YOU WOULD ALWAYS ADDRESS YOUR SUPERIOR/ OLDER PERSON/ SOCIAL BETTER WITH YOU BUT WITH YOUR BUDS YOU CAN USE THESE. 

let me just say that… i love the symmetry of FMC being the keeper of the lighthouse and Arin being the guardian of the library, or even of the university itself.

in order words, they protect the two most important and magical locations in New Whitethorn, both of which bring light: the lighthouse in a literal sense, of course, and the library in a metaphorical sense—the light of knowledge.

the symmetry is beautiful. i can’t wait to learn more, and i hope they take it in interesting directions.

please, untitled document was my father, call me untitled document (1)