Despite the fact that I am not deaf, mute, or blind myself, one of the most common questions I receive is how to portray characters with these disabilities in fiction.
As such, I’ve compiled the resources I’ve accumulated (from real life Deaf, mute, or blind people) into a handy masterlist.
Deaf Characters:
Deaf characters masterpost
Deaf dialogue thread
Dialogue with signing characters (also applies to mute characters.)
A Deaf author’s advice on deaf characters
Dialogue between Deaf characters
“The Month I Suddenly Went Deaf”
What It’s Like Going Deaf In Your Thirties
9 Women Share What It Feels Like To Lose Your Hearing
What It’s Like Being a Deaf Teenager (video)
Parenting With Sign Language (video)
Deaf Teen Talks About Losing His Hearing To Meningitis (video)
Things Not To Say To A Deaf Person (video)
Deaf Kids Shining in High School (video)
I recently discovered the youtube channel of the amazing Jessica Kellgren-Fozard, a vintage-loving, lesbian, happily married queen, who talks about her deafness in many of her videos. I can’t recommend her enough.
Black Deaf Culture Through the Lens of Black Deaf History
Black Deaf History
Video: How to Sign in BASL (Black American Sign Language)
Mute Characters
Life as a Mute
My Silent Summer: Life as a Mute
What It’s Like Being Mute
21 People Reveal What It’s Really Like To Be Mute
I am a 20 year old Mute, ask me anything at all!
Blind Characters:
Things Not To Say To A Blind Person (video)
What It’s Like to Go Blind (video)
The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Blind Characters.
@referenceforwriters masterpost of resources for writing/playing blind characters.
The youtube channel of the wonderful Tommy Edison, a man blind from birth with great insight into the depiction of blind people and their lives.
As does Molly Burke, “a typical sushi and makeup loving millennial girl who just so happens to be blind.”
And Alyssa Irene, who talks about her experience going blind and life as a blind person.
An Absolute Write thread on the depiction of blind characters, with lots of different viewpoints and some great tips.
And finally, this short, handy masterpost of resources for writing blind characters.
Characters Who Are Blind in One Eye
4 Ways Life Looks Shockingly Different With One Eye
Learning to Live With One Eye
Adapting to the Loss of an Eye
Adapting to Eye Loss and Monocular Vision
Monocular Depth Perception
Deaf-Blind Characters
What Is It Like To Be Deafblind?
Going Deaf and Blind in a City of Noise and Lights
Deaf and Blind by 30
Sarita is Blind, Deaf, and Employed (video)
Deaf and Blind: Being Me (video)
Born Deaf and Blind, This Eritrean American Graduated Harvard Law School (video)
A Day of a Deaf Blind Person
Lesser Known Things About Being Deafblind
How the Deaf-Blind Communicate
Early Interactions With Children Who Are Deaf-Blind
Raising a DeafBlind Baby
If you have any more resources to add, let me know! I’ll be adding to this post as I find more resources.
I hope this helps, and happy writing! <3