Resources For Writing Deaf, Mute, Or Blind Characters

Resources For Writing Deaf, Mute, or Blind Characters

Despite the fact that I am not deaf, mute, or blind myself, one of the most common questions I receive is how to portray characters with these disabilities in fiction.

As such, I’ve compiled the resources I’ve accumulated (from real life deaf, mute, or blind people) into a handy masterlist.

Deaf Characters:

Deaf characters masterpost

Deaf dialogue thread

Dialogue with signing characters (also applies to mute characters.)

A deaf author’s advice on deaf characters

Dialogue between deaf characters

Mute Characters

Life as a Mute

My Silent Summer:  Life as a Mute

What It’s Like Being Mute

21 People Reveal What It’s Really Like To Be Mute

I am a 20 year old Mute, ask me anything at all!

Blind Characters:

The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Blind Characters.

@referenceforwriters masterpost of resources for writing/playing blind characters.

The youtube channel of the wonderful Tommy Edison, a man blind from birth with great insight into the depiction of blind people and their lives.

An Absolute Write thread on the depiction of blind characters, with lots of different viewpoints and some great tips.

And finally, this short, handy masterpost of resources for writing blind characters.

Characters Who Are Blind in One Eye

4 Ways Life Looks Shockingly Different With One Eye

Learning to Live With One Eye

Adapting to the Loss of an Eye

Adapting to Eye Loss and Monocular Vision

Monocular Depth Perception

Deaf-Blind Characters

What Is It Like To Be Deafblind?

Going Deaf and Blind in a City of Noise and Lights

Deaf and Blind by 30

Sarita is Blind, Deaf, and Employed (video)

Born Deaf and Blind, This Eritrean American Graduated Harvard Law School (video)

A Day of a Deaf Blind Person

Lesser Known Things About Being Deafblind

How the Deaf-Blind Communicate

Early Interactions With Children Who Are Deaf-Blind

Raising a DeafBlind Baby

If you have any more resources to add, let me know!  I’ll be adding to this post as I find more resources.

I hope this helps, and happy writing!  <3

Naga (Part 2)

Previous

Further down the tunnel.

Shit. Shit! I thought people didn't come down here! Danny thought before he was encouraged to move faster when he heard gunshots behind him.

“Scales to Sphynx. Scales to Sphynx. Do you read me?” Tucker's voice calls from the com in Danny's ear.

“Sphynx? Really?”

“Well, we need code names. I thought it was clever.” Danny didn't need to see his friend to know he was pouting.

“So, whatcha calling me for? I'll be heading home soon.”

“Don't even try to play dumb Danny. You know damn well that I've been covering the cams while you slither around down there. There's honestly a concerning amount down there.”

“There can't be that many.” Danny laughed as he slowed down as he got closer to the manhole closest to the apartment.

“A lot. Enough to say with full confidence that the two guys that you just smashed into the wall were running from the Red Fucking Hood!” Tucker screamed into the com, almost causing Danny to lose his footing as he went to climb out of the hole.

“Well, at least it was Red Hood and not one of the bats. As long as we don’t mess with Hood's shit then we should be good.”

“You're right. Should we tell Sam?”

“She would never forgive us if we didn't.”

“Even if she does the eyebrow thing? Or calls Jazz?”

“On second thought. We'll just forget about this entire thing”

“What are we forgetting about?” Sam asked from behind Tucker.

“NOTHING! Um, I mean not much. Danny forgot why he left earlier?” Tucker chuckled and began to sink into his seat as Sam raised an eyebrow at him.

“......”

“Tucker. Don’t give in. She won't hurt you.” Danny encouraged as he began running up the stairs.

“.........”

“Don’t you dare Tucker!” Danny said as he began to debate using his ghost powers to get to their apartment. Why the fuck did they choose an apartment on the top floor?!

“...”

“DANNY WENT ALL SKAILY IN THE SEWERS THEN TWO GOONS RAN INTO HIM AND HE SLAMMED THEM INTO THE WALL AND THEN THE RED HOOD STARTED SHOOTING AT HIM AND ITHINKTHATTHEGOONSAREDEAD!!!”

“TUCKER!” Danny gasped in outrage at the betrayal.

“Don’t At Me Danny! Sam’s Scary!”

“And don’t you forget it. So what are we going to do about this.” Sam asked as she walked over to the door and opened it right as Danny reached for the handle, causing him to fall and just lay on the floor as Sam kicked his feet out of the way to close the door again.

“Well. Thanks to Danny’s ecto signature all of the cameras fizzed out when he passed them. Hood would need to get his hand on my programs to be able to clear away the ecto interference.” Tucker said as he looked back at his computer.

“And as long as I don’t transform in front of anyone we should be golden.” Danny grumbled from the floor.

“Knowing your luck?” Sam asked rolling her eyes and getting sighs in reply from her two friends.

Something I drew a while back. I'm debating on whether or not to put it in Krita and redo it.

Don't you just love it when people are camping out in the trees outside your house screaming about sex?

I made watermelon chips (dehydrated watermelon) and when I told my kids, I accidentally called them watermelon chicks. It got stuck in my head so I made this.

DCxDP Prompt

Allergy Season

“Aa, aaa, aaaa choo! Ugh.”

“Danny. Just take the medicine.” Jazz said in frustration as she crossed her arms and glared at Danny.

“Oh come on Jazz. It's just some allergies. I'm fine.” Danny grumbled then sneezed again.

“Tell that to the wall you just iced over. Just take the stupid medicine.” Jazz growled while pointing at the bottle she had brought in earlier.

“Oh cool it Jazz. I don't want to take the medicine. Besides, what's the worst that could haaaachoo!” Danny rubbed his nose and looked up to keep talking to Jazz only to see a giant window into space. “Oh this is so cooaaaachooo!”

…

“Did anyone else see a kid sneeze into existence then sneeze again and disappear?” The Flash asked from his position at the meeting table.

“Did the kid have white hair, glowing green eyes, and a spandex suit? If so than yes. I saw them too.” Green Arrow replied.

“Hnn.” Batman grunted before getting up and leaving the room.

“What you want to bet he's going to file for adoption?” Green Lantern joked as he elbowed Superman.

“Oh come on. He is not that bad.” Wonder Woman said from Superman’s other side.

“Just in case, I'm gonna go check on him.” Superman chuckled nervously before taking off after Batman.