In this blog I want to address the executive functioning part of autism and how it relates to writing, in particular plotting and structure.
Just briefly, most people with autism and/or ADHD will have executive function problems. The kind of EF difficulties will be manifested in things like planning, timing, organising, problem-solving, communicating in an ordered sequential manner, prioritzing, picking out what's important, problems with working memory, staying on track and multitasking.
When writing a book one of the main things you need to do is plot it! You need to organising your thoughts and plan out its structure. As you can imagine, all the qualities mentioned above are necessary for this. A plot is often described as a sequence of events and as we can see many autistics have problems with this.
This maybe why I have always been drawn to writing (and reading) character-driven fiction.
In an article by Sean Glatch at Writers.com he sums up this distinction between the two kinds of writing:
"A common distinction between different types of fiction is whether the story is “plot driven” or “character driven.” This refers to whether the plot of a story defines the characters, or whether the characters define the plot of a story. Specifically, this distinction is made to differentiate literary fiction vs. genre fiction. Generally, a piece of literary fiction will have the characters in control of the plot, as the story’s plot points are built entirely off the decisions that those characters make and the influences of those characters’ personalities. Genre fiction, by contrast, tends to have predefined plot structures and archetypes, and the characters must fit into those structures in order to tell a complete story. While this general distinction helps organize the qualities of fiction, don’t treat them as absolutes. Literary fiction borrows plot devices from genre fiction all the time, and there are many examples of genre fiction that are character driven. Your story should build a working relationship between the characters and the plot, as both are essential elements of the storyteller’s toolkit."
What is the Plot of a Story? Plot Structures & Devices | Writers.com
I think readers often come to a piece of fiction and are expecting something plot-driven and then be let down if it's character-driven. This is why it's important to categorise your book. If a reader wants genre and more plot-driven fiction then they are going to feel frustrated with something that's more descriptive, slow-moving or exploring characters internal words or that plays with, for example, form or viewpoint.
However, I was once advised that character-driven is plot-driven and that stayed with me. If I'm drawn to a character I want to know what happens to him or her. Their flaws and foibles will drive a lot of the story as mentioned in the article above.
I always thought plotting was my weak point. When I used to send my work off to agents and I was lucky enough to get constructive feedback it was often things about the plot, structure or narrative arc that came under fire. If you Google different plots and techniques you will see a dizzying array which, if you're anything like me, won't do your ADHD any favours! Hell, some people can do their plot mathematically knowing exactly at what points to put their climaxes. There probably is a Fibonacci sequence for writing the perfect book but that's far too analytical for me. I prefer to feel my way and go with the flow.
After all, if you ever do author interviews online one of the questions you'll invariably be asked is: are you a plotter or a panster? Panster, being the opposite to plotter, is flying by the seat of your pants and seeing where the writing takes you. I do do bits of plotting which evolve as I go along but the freedom of pantsing suits my way of writing and is a perfectly legitimate approach.
Maybe I get distracted by too many subplots, with an inability to see the wood for the trees. Too many parts and not the whole. I used to approach chess in the same manner and took the circuitous route. I did get there in the end but usually played with others who had a similar style of play!
But this is maybe why I like slice of life fiction or stream of consciousness fiction. Novels where plot is looser, that makes use of flashback and less linear sequences, where freshness of thought and observation are just as key. Luckily a lot of contemporary fiction makes use of such techniques
As a final word, I think synopses can be the hardest thing to write especially for us autistics! You have to pick out what's important in your book and as for those who want you to outline what each chapter is about - forget it!
I would love to hear from other autistic or neurodiverse authors to see how you approach novel-writing. Are you a plotter or a panster - or a plotster even! The fact that we've completed and published books at all means we must have overcome or worked around our executive dysfunction and that's to be celebrated!
In the meantime happy new year to all 😊
