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27 February 2026

Posted by Susan L. Edser

Character

We often remember stories because of a convincing protagonist, likeable or not, who drew us into a fictional world and made us stay until the end. This week in Mask Off, we explored how to do this and created our own unique character.

The first step was to consider fictional people we already knew and try to pinpoint what made them a ‘good’ character. We combined our thoughts on a flipchart and came up with an impressive list, including being relatable, flawed, and with a solid backstory. We discussed other key elements, such as what the character wants and why, and how the social context impacts their experiences and decisions. 

The group then devised the outline of their own character using a character profile pro forma. We discussed how some authors rely on tropes and stereotypes to portray autistic or ADHD characters. The group shared some of their neurodivergent experiences and then wove them into their characters to create a neurodivergent one that they could write about authentically.

The next part of the workshop was to bring these characters to life by pairing up with another person and introducing them to each other. The writing exercise focused on how they met and what happened. This is a great technique for exploring different people and how they interact, and often, with us, the writer, just observing.

We concluded by considering three autistic authors whose stories feature neurodivergent characters. Common tropes may still be used, but the neurodivergent traits are more subtle and skilfully written. We listened to an excerpt from All the Little Bird Hearts by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow, which is an excellent example of this.

The women left with brand-new characters and inspiration to accurately portray some of their experiences, which hopefully will improve understanding and encourage allyship in the wider community.

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