I struggled for a long time with the idea that I have a disability. I have a day job at which I work forty hours a week (sometimes more). I’m not on disability. I don’t have a handicap sticker.
Then, I realized that probably describes millions of disabled people around the world.
To define “disability” in my case, I looked up what the ADA had to say:
The ADA defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity.
What the Social Security Administration considers a disability, in my case, isn’t important, since I’m able to engage in “substantial gainful activity.” But, for the sake of what the ADA says, I do have several impairments that “substantially limits one or more major life activity.”
I have gastroparesis, migraines, major depressive disorder, ADD, and probably autism spectrum disorder. These all work, together and separately, depending on the day, to make my life challenging to say the least. I take a variety of medications to help with the things medication can help with. For those things for which there is no medication, or for which I haven’t found the right medication yet, I cultivate patience.
How does this affect my writing?
Working within your limitations.
One question I see a lot is “if you’re a writer with kids, how do you do it?” The answer is largely the same if you’re a writer with a disability.
Write when you can. When my kids were small, I worked on learning to write in sprints. There was a tool I used called “Write or Die.” It served as a timer and provided audible and visual feedback if your writing speed fell below a set threshold.
I no longer use that particular tool, and I may return to it at any time, but it was quite useful. Something like Write or Die or the Pomodoro Technique, which trains you to write in sprints, could well be the best way to take advantage of times when you have the necessary energy.
The power of empathy
A definite advantage of having this constellation of “impairments” is that it gives me insight. I can create a character who has any one or several of these disabilities and have it be a realistic portrayal.
As a disabled person, I think there’s also something to be said for a certain amount of empathy I have for other disabled people.
That’s not to say I know what it’s like to be blind, say, or have any other sort of disability firsthand. That’s no truer than it would be if I were completely able-bodied. But, I am supposing there’s a sort of kinship there, one I’m careful not to tread on too heavily, but which I feel is there nonetheless. That should translate to a better portrayal of disabled characters in general.
I think it also makes me keenly aware of the areas in which I have no small amount of privilege.
As I know my limitations, I also know those areas where I have no more limits than the average human being. I believe I appreciate those areas more than I might otherwise.
Empathy can only make us better human beings and better writers.
Patience is a virtue.
I mentioned patience earlier. I left it for last, because it’s the hardest lesson my disabilities have taught me and are still teaching me.
I want to be a full-time writer, now.
I want to be the best writer I can be, now.
I want to get this damn novel finished, now.
The truth of it is, of the things I want, some will happen and some won’t.
The ones that will happen will happen when the time is right. That’s true whether you’re disabled or not.
The ones that won’t happen are probably completely out of your control.
All I can focus on… All I should focus on… is the next minute, and then the next minute after that.
I should focus on the things I can control – taking my meds, getting the rest I need, hydrating, and writing when I can. Taking one step after another, planning out those steps, for sure, and looking forward to the end of this part of the journey.
Then, I can move on to the next phase, whether that’s editing, or planning, or writing.
Looking back over these things that writing with a disability have taught me, well… They seem like pretty good lessons for doing just about anything whether you have a disability or not.
Wouldn’t you say so?
Do you have a disability? What lessons have you learned as a result? How do you work within whatever limitations you have?
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