Author: Arin Blackwood

kristina-meister:

concerningwolves:

Even More notes on writing deaf characters

Talking

  • People talk to themselves and that includes Deaf people
  • I sometimes sign to myself, but whether I mutter or sign depends on why I’m talking to myself
  • Cooking? Verbal speech to keep myself on task. Trying to work out an emotional scene? Signed speech.
  • And using my whole body to talk to myself is allows more creative freedom
  • Also even if a Deaf person identifies as non-verbal, they might still talk
  • maybe a hearing person wouldn’t recognise it as speech, but sound is a part of signed language
  • so muttering and breath-noises are common.
  • It’s also worth mentioning that “sounding deaf” isn’t what you think it is.
  • We don’t yell or make incoherent noises (usually)
  • and even if we do, that’s fine
  • but generally, people who are Deaf over-enunciate and speak very clearly.
  • This is either intuitive and perfected over time, or taught in speech therapy.

“How much can you hear”

  • People love to ask this question, and I can’t give them an answer.
  • Unless I’m feeling snippy. Then I usually ask “Well how much do you hear?”
  • They can’t answer either.
  • Ergo, if you’re hearing and writing a d/Deaf character, don’t compare the way they hear the world to the way that a fully hearing person would.
  • Be particularly wary of percentages
  • I’m 75% deaf
  • and I have no idea what that means
  • because hearing loss is very nuanced.
  • I’ve met someone who is 80% deaf, but she could hear in pitch ranges that I couldn’t.
  • Hearing aids don’t emulate sound either
  • so how a d/Deaf character hears with them in won’t be at the level a hearing person would
  • it’s also very obvious that the sound is electronically enhanced.
  • Putting in earplugs and walking around like that will not provide “Deaf experience”
  • you’re better to listen to Deaf people telling you how they experience the world.

The craft itself

  • Don’t fret about your word choices initially
  • you have the privilege of hearing and that’s okay
  • you take sound for granted, don’t worry about it.
  • (Yet)
  • Once you’ve got the story how you want it, set aside a whole revision just for using the right language if your POV character is Deaf
  • printing out your manuscript in a different font is very helpful
  • it’ll make it easier to pick out “red flag” words and phrases.
  • Whenever you find a chunk of writing focused on sound/hearing, highlight it
  • and then tear it apart.
  • Can your character actually hear that owl hooting, or would the background noise be too blurry?
  • Would your character hear the sound as it is, or would they have an association that overrules the sense?
  • I.e. do they see a raven open it’s beak and think about black bubbles of ink in their throat? I know I do.
  • Cross out any hyper-focus on sounds or re-write them in a different way.

The golden rule

  • Don’t write deaf characters
  • Write people who happen to be deaf
  • Please, include us.
  • Thank.

Great stuff!

bitterrenegade:

Day 3: Joker and Shepard

So I am late to the party but Joker is like my favorite character and I have to participate. Gunna try and do all previous days as well.

  • When they first meet they’re thick as thieves
  • Teasing banter between them is expected but they both know what lines they shouldn’t cross. Most of the time.
  • If a line is crossed they will quickly clear things up and that line will never be crossed again
  • There is a HUGE amount of respect between them regardless of how many times they tell each other to fuck off
  • Joker once read Conrad Verners “Commander Shepard Appreciation Blog” to find some material to tease her with but then decided against it.
  • Outwardly asking the other for help is impossible. Both are too damn stubborn.
  • But in their private messages to each other they have a designated code word to use if they really need each other’s support.
  • After the Normandy’s destroyed Joker sends the code word to Shepard’s inbox
  • She responds about 2 years with a “oops sorry was napping wuts up”