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Tips for Writers with Disabilities
I’ve thought about doing a panel about this topic at an SMA conference. Since high school, I’ve acquired experience in journalism, playwriting, comic book writing, blogging and even some stand-up comedy. In each of these practices, I’ve written about disability topics and characters with disabilities. There’s universal advice that all writers should adhere to, but writers with disabilities have a unique perspective and voice in today’s society.
If you or someone you know is interested in writing about disabilities, here are a few of my tips.
Find a Platform: In today’s world, it’s incredibly easy to start your own blog, submit articles to magazines and websites or submit to fiction contests. Furthermore, I believe there are publishers looking for fresh voices with disabilities. Don’t expect to make money right away, but start blogging and submitting now, and build a solid online and social media presence. Once you have that platform, keep putting out work on it.
Network With Other Disabled Writers: Networking is a part of any job, and there are ways to find other writers with disabilities. Join Facebook and Twitter groups, find other bloggers to connect with and follow disabled authors and journalists. I recommend reading the New York Times disability section to find established writers with disabilities.
Read Nonfiction and Fiction by Writers with Disabilities: There’s no shortcut to any kind of writing. Like Stephen King says in “On Writing,” you have to be willing to read a lot and write a lot. If your focus is writing about your experiences as someone with SMA or another disability, seek out work by other disabled writers. I’m a big proponent of college of course, but don’t let your education end there. Keep learning, reading and writing, day in and day out.
For more blurbs and writing tips, follow me on Twitter at @kwschaef.
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1 Reply
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Great tips Kevin!
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