[stylist] writing about blindness

Tue Nov 11 22:36:54 UTC 2008

If you are going to write about a minority, be that racial, ethnic or 
handicapped, you  might want to try publishers or periodicals that are 
dedicated to that particular genre.  Yes, there are times that you can 
transcend the divide, but you have to write with the audience you are 
writing for.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net>
To: "NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 4:34 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] writing about blindness


> Jim,
> You make a couple of good points here.  I am very conscious that, if I 
> intend to market a short story, having it be about blindness may turn off 
> a publication.  I do have several ideas that I've been sitting on which 
> are about the ironies of how blind people are viewed and treated, but, as 
> I say, I'm sitting on them.
> Donna
>
> -- 
> For my bio & to hear clips from The Last Straw:
> http://cdbaby.com/cd/donnahill
>
> Apple I-Tunes
>
> phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=259244374
>
> Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind
> www.padnfb.org
>
>
>
>
>
> James Canaday M.A. N6YR wrote:
>> Aziza,
>> that's one problem we're up against as blind people in this society: very 
>> very few examples or role models in the media, the books, etc.
>> whether to write a character as blind or not is honestly not the first 
>> thing on my mind because I'm more interested when I have an idea, I want 
>> to write a story about some particular struggle, some puzzle to be 
>> unravveled.
>> it is also important to remember that sometimes having a major character 
>> who is blind makes your story harder for some readers to get into, have 
>> the verisimilitude, because they don't experience blindness and don't 
>> know a blind person.
>> so there is also a catch-22 about it.
>>
>> ***
>> personal update:
>> by the way I seem to be getting sicker with more of the flu-like symptoms 
>> getting very bad: headache; other aches; stiffness; etc.  apparently I 
>> will get worse before I get better.  last thursday I started the 
>> once-a-week shot to treat my autoimmune disorder.  thank you for praying 
>> if you do.
>> jim
>>
>> Jim Canaday M.A.
>> Lawrence, KS
>>
>>
>> At 01:14 PM 11/11/2008, you wrote:
>>> I suppose I could write about blind people better, but I read a lot of 
>>> fiction books, and most of them have sighted characters. I draw from 
>>> those descriptions, also in class, you don't see the teacher teaching 
>>> many texts with blind people in them. I think I can write about fiction 
>>> sighted characters as well as I can blind fiction characters. I may of 
>>> course be wrong.
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Angela fowler" <fowlers at syix.com>
>>> To: "'NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 12:07 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [stylist] writing about blindness
>>>
>>>
>>>> I guess it depends on your frame of mind at the time of writing. While 
>>>> blind
>>>> fiction writers can depict blind characters obviously far more 
>>>> accurately
>>>> than sighted fiction writers, we limit ourselves if we stick 
>>>> exclusively to
>>>> blind characters or blindness issues.
>>>> As for articles, I've been writing about a lot of blindness related 
>>>> stuff
>>>> lately. Its funny, I went into my historical research and writing class
>>>> vowing I was going to write about anything but a blindness issue, and 
>>>> ended
>>>> up writing about the way the ADA effects blind people. Go figure.
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>>> Behalf Of Aziza
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 10:00 AM
>>>> To: NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List
>>>> Subject: Re: [stylist] writing about blindness
>>>>
>>>> I don't write about being blind either. I mean unless it's my articles. 
>>>> But
>>>> when I write storries, all my characters can see, and have other 
>>>> problems
>>>> they must overcome in their lives.
>>>> I don't think it's denial at all.
>>>> Aziza
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Judith Bron" <jbron at optonline.net>
>>>> To: "Stylist" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 8:51 AM
>>>> Subject: [stylist] writing about blindness
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> I'm not in denial nor do I ignore the fact that I do have a handicap
>>>>> that I have to overcome on a daily basis.  However, when I am writing
>>>>> I seem to go into a different world.  I write about people who are
>>>>> ill, some of my characters die and others fall into the clutches of
>>>>> bad people.  If I say that blindness bores me, you might come out with
>>>>> an arms length of causes for my symptoms.  However, a person does not
>>>>> necessarily want to write about those things they live with and rise
>>>>> above on a daily basis.  I am fat.  Writing about being fat falls 
>>>>> under
>>>> the same category as blind.
>>>>> Live with it.  Fight against it as much as possible, but it shouldn't
>>>>> dominate every facet of your life.  Again, you may think I'm in some
>>>>> kind of denial, but I'm not.  I won't drive a car into a crowd, try
>>>>> sewing a garment while it is on the back of my would be victim and I
>>>>> won't pretend to read the paper when I can't even make out one picture
>>>>> in the blasted thing.  Judith
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> stylist mailing list
>>>>> stylist at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>> stylist:
>>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/acwaterreader
>>>>> 09%40gmail.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> stylist mailing list
>>>> stylist at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> stylist:
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/fowlers%40syix.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> stylist mailing list
>>>> stylist at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>>>> stylist:
>>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/acwaterreader09%40gmail.com
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> stylist mailing list
>>> stylist at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>>> stylist:
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/n6yr%40sunflower.com
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> stylist mailing list
>> stylist at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>> stylist:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/penatwork%40epix.net
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.0.0.386)
>> Database version: 5.11100
>> http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/
>>
>
>
>
>
> E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.0.0.386)
> Database version: 5.11100
> http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/
>
> _______________________________________________
> stylist mailing list
> stylist at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> stylist:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/jbron%40optonline.net
>