5 Questions to Ask When Finding Autistic Representation in Fiction

Writing tips are more common than book-finding tips. The same applies to tips for writing autistic characters versus finding good autistic representation in fiction. While media portrayals of autism spectrum disorder (or ASD) have increased in recent years, their quality can vary. Of course, what constitutes good representation also varies: what might resonate with one person might not with another. Everyone on the spectrum has different experiences from one another. However, “good representation” still has trends – such as avoiding stereotypes – that paint a more accurate, whole, and respectful picture of what life on the spectrum is like. As an autistic person myself, I would like to present a short list of traits that good portrayals of autism tend to have. These traits have helped me find good books in the past, after looking through book reviews and synopses. Whether you’re a neurotypical (i.e. non-autistic) who wants to learn more about autism, or an autistic person having trouble finding a book you can relate to, I hope you find this list helpful.

1. Is the author autistic?

This is probably the most-heard tip for finding good representation in general. It’s especially true for autistics: ASD involves mental processes that differ from neurotypicals’. Put simply, the way autistics think in general is different from how other people think. Not only is an autistic author more likely to understand and respect those on the spectrum, but they’re also more likely to accurately write characters with those unique thinking patterns.

2. Are the autistics in this book characters in their own right?

This may seem obvious at first-glance. After all, why wouldn’t an autistic character be a character? The answer is simple: “characters” can easily become props or plot-devices if they aren’t written well. They may become stereotypical caricatures, unrealistically one-sided entities (i.e. having only one “character” trait, their diagnosis), or mindless props that the plot or other characters string along. Autistics are as human as their neurotypical peers, and good representation will reflect this. One way to determine if an autistic character has been written well is to ask yourself if they’re as fleshed out as other characters. Do they have an identity beyond their diagnosis or hyperfixations? Do they have their own motivations, fears, and misbeliefs? Do they act on their thoughts? If their response to something is passive, is it a result of their beliefs rather than the plot dragging them along? If you answered “yes” to all of these questions, then this not only suggests that the character is well-rounded, but also that the author (and therefore the book) respects them enough to put effort into crafting them as three-dimensional.

3. Do the characters avoid stereotypical extremes?

Like the second point on this list, good autistic characters should feel human, which means including both virtues and vices. Some representation leans completely into one extreme or another: savant versus manchild, savior versus demon, etc. However, these extremes are not only misleading and stereotypical, but they can easily strip humanity from any character. No one is purely good or evil, nor is anyone always right or always wrong. After all, autism is a spectrum. If a book’s autistic characters are balanced somewhere on this spectrum (rather than on the extremes), it’s likely that they’re more nuanced and, therefore, more thought-out and “more human.” Similarly, they should both have victories and make mistakes (excluding “mistakes” stemming from their diagnosis), just like any other character.

4. Is the book pressuring characters to feel the need to be “fixed”?

While this indicator is similar to points 2 and 3 on this list, I feel it’s different enough to warrant its own section. It’s tiresome to read about characters whose only personality trait is their diagnosis. Likewise, when a character’s only problems stem from their autism – or when their only goals relate to “fixing” their autism – it’s problematic. No one is perfect – neither neurotypical nor autistic – and it’s unhealthy to believe that having a neurotypical mind will bring a problem-free life. Please note that I’m not arguing against character growth or learning to live as an autistic in a neurotypical society. My argument is against treating autism like a parasitical infection that must be removed. The difference between this and character development is that “fixing autism” focuses on the idea that someone would be perfect – or able to live perfectly – if only they weren’t autistic. Meanwhile, character growth focuses on someone’s character (not a diagnosis), and good growth will preserve someone’s character while allowing them to become a more mature person overall. If an autistic character develops who they are (as a person) rather than what they are (as a body with a diagnosis), the book they’re in is more likely to treat them as someone with human struggles, rather than a broken object.

5. Is there more than one autistic character?

As I’ve reiterated throughout this post, autism is a spectrum. This means that everyone’s autistic experience is different. As the adage goes, “if you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person.” Similarly, a single autistic character doesn’t reflect the entire community: it only reflects a piece of it. When more than one such character is present, however, readers are able to get a wider glimpse of the community, rather than focusing on one person as a “standard” of what autism looks like. This wider glimpse also suggests that the author understands the idea of the spectrum and wants to show these differences. One other effect is that – when there are multiple autistic characters in a book – it’s less likely they were written to be “token minorities,” which are often thoughtlessly thrown into the story for diversity’s sake.

Again, this list of traits is more of a collection of trends than an absolute guide. Few, if any, books will have all of these traits. Similarly, if a book doesn’t meet all these criteria, it doesn’t mean it’s bad representation. At the end of the day, “good representation” comes down to personal judgment, what the autism community suggests, and the humanity at the heart of a character.