My friends Ibby Grace And Amy Sequenzia are editing an anthology titled “Typed Words, Loud Voices”, a collection of works by people who type to talk always or sometimes. They’re looking for essays, poems, stories or whatever form of expression you’d like to share your message in.
The full details about the book, including submission guidelines are at Typed Words, Loud Voices.
Why Am I Sharing This?
The obvious reason is that I think this is a terrific and much needed project and want to support Ibby and Amy. The less obvious reason is that I’ve sent in a contribution.
When Amy initially contacted me about contributing, my instinctive response was that the guidelines of the book didn’t seem to apply to me. Intimidated and uncertain, I put off writing something for months.
I communicate by speaking on a daily basis. I don’t use AAC or another form of typing as my primary means of communication. If you met me, you would initially assume that I get along okay with speech.
What you would be missing is how much of my internal world I’ve managed to access and share over the past two years through writing. Typing unsticks the words in my brain in a way that speech doesn’t. It plays a very specific role for me–helping me access the words that describe my experience, where I’ve been, what I feel, what I want, who I am. It may not be my primary means of communication but I’ve come realize that it’s an essential element of communicating the totality of me-ness that I experience.
Typing Across a Spectrum
If, like I was, you’re doubting whether you might have something to say that would be appropriate, take a look at the submission guidelines and then go read this terrific blog post by Mike Monje about how text-based communication allows him to socialize more and with less stress, which has removed some limits he’s felt in the past around socializing. Like me, he uses typing to extend his capabilities in a specific way. Like me, he has contributed to the anthology as a way to stand in solidarity with people who communicate in a wide variety of ways.
If you type to communicate full time or for specific reasons or when speech isn’t happening or because you prefer text over speech, I hope you’ll consider submitting something. The editors are looking for a wide range of voices and experiences that challenge the notion that oral speech is the only way that we can fully participate in society.
P.S. If you just got all excited about submitting something and then got discouraged by the rapidly approaching Oct. 1st deadline, you can email the editors at typedwordsbook@gmail.com to let them know that you are working on a submission and need a little extra time.
Musings of an Aspie 
A great topic. I’ve been blogging for years, many years.And with many different blogs. I was blogging because it seemed like it was the only way for me to communicate effectively. To communicate how I was feeling as I interacted with the world every day. And this was long before I discovered that I was on the spectrum.
Before I retired, I was an instructor, beleive it or not. But, I told my boss that I would only teach on a one on one basis. It was the only way I could instruct effectively. And once our company had email, back in the early 90’s, I avoided the phone as much as I could. I still do today.
After I retired I would post half a dozen times a day on my main blog and would always contribute something to my other blogs at least once a week. At the same time I was writing a daily journal, a full page every day.
I’ve slowed down considerably. I think it’s because I am finally tired of the lack of response I get for my writing. There are simply too many ‘words’ out there on the internet for mine to be noticed among them.
But that’s alright; I’ve found that just typing out the words unburdens me when I need it.
Writing and especially blogging has been a real gift to me. Like you say, it’s a way of unburdening and processing that is hard to accomplish in spoken words for some of us.
Hi, I have not been diagnosed with asperger’s, but see a fair amount of characteristics pointing me in that direction. I have a question: I have hated driving from the moment I learned. I hate driving still. I avoid driving anywhere that I don’t know how to get to, I avoid highways, aggressive drivers leave me frazzled. Is this an area that many aspies struggle in?
thanks, Lou
Definitely. When I have to go somewhere new I use my GPS and I take printed directions as a back up! Driving involves a lot of sensory processing, especially when you have to do it in new or unfamiliar places. There are also some potential executive function challenges that come into play, so it can be a frustrating or even impossible task for some people on the spectrum.
I *can’t* drive. I’ve learned to do it twice now and there is no issue of my ability to handle a car but my anxiety level goes up so high and I feel so vulnerable that I just cannot do it. There is so much information coming at me when I drive and I don’t have time to process it. I have no intuition for what the other drivers are going to do. I get out of the car near tears. I finally told my husband to give up all hope of me ever driving. Now if people look at him funny when he has to explain that I don’t drive he tells them that, it’s just the price he has to pay for having a unique wife.