by Eric Gmeinder

A Life with Autism, and Then Some

I have enjoyed writing my biweekly column very much. Jordan Lindsey, who publishes The Arc’s Monday Morning Memo, has told me about how it’s enlightened many readers and other workers at The Arc. My parents are proud of me for being a published writer. I will still write here for the time being, but I thought I would reveal a similar project that I’m hoping will reach a much wider audience.

People talked about autism more during the 2000s than in the previous fifty years combined, so it was only natural that around 2006 several family members suggested that I write a book on my experiences with having autism (or Asperger’s, which was then still in the DSM). Autism isn’t quite as novel to people as it was back then, but very many people still don’t know any person with disabilities personally, and books about autism have continued to be turned out consistently. I think there are very few types of people it’s still socially acceptable to be prejudiced against, and people with autism are among them.

A little over a month ago, I revisited the idea of writing my book. I think the idea is a good one, but what kind of book is it? As I will point out in my introduction, a memoir is different from an autobiography. An autobiography is a recollection of one’s entire life; a memoir is a recollection of an important event, period, or aspect from one’s life. As I will also point out, I think I can get away with making this book both. In my twenty-five years, I have more stories to tell about my character and my struggles than just autism. Some of them are as novel to most people as autism, while others are more commonly experienced if not always understood. I think combining them will pique readers’ interest.

My good writing style will probably help. But, using my experiences, I will go to lengths to debunk a false and potentially dangerous idea people tend to have: that all people with autism are savants and can communicate very clearly with strangers.

I plan to set time aside every day to write this book. When it’s getting closer to publication I’ll see to it that you know.