[stylist] writing about blindness

Wed Nov 12 00:24:36 UTC 2008

Well said Donna.
Aziza
----- 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 5:58 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] writing about blindness


> Angela,
> Probably would help.  Better we should do it  than Jose Saramago.
> 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
>
>
>
>
>
> Angela fowler wrote:
>> I wonder if writing about blind characters who are just ordinary people,
>> maybe even having a minor role in the story and publishing it mainstream
>> would help to transcend that divide?
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Judith Bron
>> Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 2:37 PM
>> To: NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] writing about blindness
>>
>> 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=259244
>>> 374
>>>
>>> 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%40g
>> mail.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.co
>> m
>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> 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.ne
>> t
>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 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.n
>> et
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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/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/acwaterreader09%40gmail.com