[stylist] writing about blindness

Barbara Hammel poetlori8 at msn.com
Thu Nov 13 19:28:44 UTC 2008 

On that point I must agree.  Google is one of my best friends.  Have you 
ever looked up yourself or those you love?
Barbara

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 9:58 AM
To: "NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [stylist] writing about blindness

> Barbara,
> I remember hating it in college, when people still thought I should be 
> able to use the card catalog at the library.  Now, with Google and all, 
> it's not nearly as bad.
> 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
>
>
>
>
>
> Barbara Hammel wrote:
>> I don't know, but I've heard that people do it quite frequently.
>> Ah!  Come to think of it, I think I've done a bit when I wanted to write 
>> an alphabet poem of world cities.  Guess I know what it is after all.  I 
>> hate it!
>> Barbara
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Angela fowler" <fowlers at syix.com>
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 6:41 PM
>> To: "'NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] writing about blindness
>>
>>> Research? What's that? (smile)
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf Of Donna Hill
>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 8:32 AM
>>> To: NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [stylist] writing about blindness
>>>
>>> Makes sense to me.  After all, there's a little thing called research 
>>> which
>>> is a valuable tool when writing about anything.
>>> 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
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Aziza wrote:
>>>> It is also up to the author's level of education and understanding
>>>> about the disability he or she is choosing to write about. I do not
>>>> hold a lack of knowledge against an author, I hold the fact that they
>>>> chose to write about something they knew little about in a way that
>>>> suggests they know more then they do against them.
>>>> If someone does not know about blindness it is not necessarily their
>>>> fault, but when they choose to write and make up facts in there mind
>>>> and try to persuade people that their "facts" are true, then it is
>>>> their fault.
>>>> I'm not sure if that made any sense, it did to me. Lol. (That doesn't
>>>> always mean much.)
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Judith Bron" <jbron at optonline.net>
>>>> To: "NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 8:03 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [stylist] writing about blindness
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> It is up to the author to paint their character as normal.  There are
>>>>> many books that focus on issues surrounding the mentally handicapped.
>>>>> Is that because mental illness is more obvious, that some mentally
>>>>> ill people are more violent or because society has reached a level of
>>>>> acceptance of the mentally ill?  I think it is up to the author to
>>>>> create his characters in such a way that society sees them as equals
>>>>> rather than different.
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "helene ryles"
>>>>> <dreamavdb at googlemail.com>
>>>>> To: "NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 6:11 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [stylist] writing about blindness
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> My book has blind characters in it. I think that there are so many
>>>>>> negative examples of blind and disabled characters in fiction that
>>>>>> it would be a good thing if blind authors with possitive views on
>>>>>> their blindness would educate people by including a character or two
>>>>>> in their novels.
>>>>>> As for me. I write to make sense of my world. If I was told the
>>>>>> publishers wouldn't accept disabled characters I would still include
>>>>>> them and hope that one day that would change. After all Van Goth
>>>>>> didn't have any of his paintings sold in his life time. But they are
>>>>>> famous now. Maybe people will be more open minded about the disabled
>>>>>> in the future?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Helene.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 11/11/2008, Angela fowler <fowlers at syix.com> 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=25
>>>>>>>> 9244
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> 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
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>>>>>>>>>>>> erreader
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> 09%40gmail.com
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
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