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

i dont understand why no one will fall in love with me. everyone deserves to be loved

i dont understand why people fall in love with me

having to resist the urge to completely trash my book bc the draft isn't perfect

Okay, so as a counterpoint to this survey >>>

found an old doc of a story i started in february, a rewrite of a story a few friends and i wrote back in 2020 (meaning the og was awful when looking back) and im absolutely hooked by my first two lines.

We all agreed to write down our stories, all twelve of us.

We are the new gods of Olympus

OTP Prompts: Children (Part 2)

[Part 1]

When B is feeling stressed or worn out, A always their child out for a couple of hours to let their partner rest, spoiling them with ice cream and park visits, and vice versa.

Once a week, their child gets to pick what they have for dinner. It can be take-out, a home cooked meal, food from the freezer - whatever they want, and they always pick the same meal.

Your OTP taking their child camping for the first time. They get to do all their favourite activities, like swimming in the ocean and cooking marshmallows over the fire. Perhaps they even get to invite one of their friends from school and their parents to come with them.

B comforts their child after a nightmare. Perhaps they sit up late and watch their favourite show, or B makes them a warm cup of milk to help calm them down again. Maybe they sleep with them in their bed for the rest of the night, or invite them to sleep in bed with A as well. Whatever it takes to put the kid's mind at ease again.

Your OTP take their child to buy clothing for their first day of school. They're excitedly running around the store greeting everyone they see and telling them all about why they're here, with A and B hurrying after them.

Their child has always wanted to go to Disney Land, so your OTP takes them for their birthday and they get to do everything they've ever wanted, including riding a plane for the first time if they're from overseas.

They excitedly celebrate their child losing their first tooth, as well as taking them to the store to spend the money they received from the tooth fairy. They end up spending more than they got, but their parents are more than happy to pay for the rest.

B teaching their child to read. Sitting on the couch with them on their lap, slowly flicking through each page as the kid sounds each word out as best they can. Maybe A is watching from the kitchen/other side of the room, smiling at how wonderful their little family is.

Your OTP cooking with their child, letting them crack the eggs or mix the mixture together. After, they may get to lick the spoon, and they all eat the yummy food together on the couch with a movie playing and a blanket on them all.

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