Aspie authors writing social interaction

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Yes.

Given the topic is "writing social interaction"--some might like to try writing scripts for stage or screen plays.

There are some free programs available:

https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/4-free ... lsrc=aw.ds

Just start with a prompt and start writing. The program formats it for you.

My prompt was "a current news story." I took the fiasco involving Abby Grossberg at Fox News, and turned that into a stage play: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CS9YXKC6

The best advice I ever got on writing social interaction was this:

"Dialogue is actually more like two monologues that are only occasionally talking about the same thing."

As for autistic writers, I confess I don't know any who aren't writing about autism. I don't know of any successful fiction authors who are autistic, but maybe they don't want to make a thing of it?

When I used to go to a writing group one piece of feedback that I often received was that my characters seemed to be alone in their worlds, they seemed friendless and weren't really interacting with anyone. I wasn't doing that deliberately, of course, I wasn't writing 'autistic' characters, it just reflected my experience of how you get along in the world.

My Short Story "Pieces of Truth" (Opening Scene)

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Synopsis: Alice and her childhood crush David drift apart in the aftermath of witnessing the brutal double murder of two classmates. Years later, they unexpectedly reunite only to have their renewed romance interrupted when they both begin receiving bizarre messages from two people claiming to be their murdered friends from childhood.

Are their friends still alive and out for revenge?

Is someone playing a cruel joke on Alice and David?

Or is it a big misunderstanding?
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I couldn’t believe my eyes.

As I was on lunch break at work, I sat at a table eating my lunch when I saw a female customer waving at me from another table. Even though I already know this just like everyone, time of course changes people. However, this female customer who I haven’t seen since childhood hadn’t changed a bit despite being an adult just like me.

The pretty blue-eyed bespectacled blonde girl with a slender build saw my obvious confusion and spoke in a raspy voice.

“David!”

I approached her and I obviously pretended I didn’t know her.

“What would you like to order?”

“A Reuben sandwich with a side of cole slaw please.”

“What about drinks?”

“Just water.”

“Cool.”

I briefly looked around and wrote her order then giving it to the shift lead.

“Your number is nineteen. It should be ready within the next ten minutes, Alice.”

Alice laughed which wasn’t something I expected ever since the day that tore us apart when we were ten.

“Okay Alice, what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to eat somewhere different. What about you, David?”

“I have been working here for the past four years. You still live in the city?”

“No David. After what happened between us, my parents and I moved to a suburb where we got a fresh start. I attended an alternative school for middle school and high school, then my early years of college. What about you, David?”

“Oh, I still live here in the city with my sister and my mom even though Mom did not want me to work.”

“That is awful, David. Why?”

“An example is if she came in here and saw us talking, she would try to call the police and have you arrested.”

“That's insane. Why would they try and have me arrested when they forgot all about me after all this time, David?”

My mentor (a “family man” type) saw me and shouted, “David, get over here! Some orders are ready!”

“Just a minute!”

I looked at Alice and said to her, “Where will you be later, Alice?”

“David, I will be at the park that’s underneath the bridge. In fact, when was the last time you were there?”

“David, orders are ready!”

I obliged and gave out orders that were ready, including Alice's for the team worked very quickly.

“I was there several days ago.”

“Nice, David. What time will you get off?”

“At the top of the next hour.”

“Cool, David.”

She began to eat her sandwich and I continued to give out orders. Even though she tried to look out the window as she ate her meal, I knew for a fact that something unexpected had just happened to me. Could it continue even more despite the fact I haven’t seen her in years?

So, how do Alice and I know each other? Why did I mention we were torn apart when were ten years old and being childhood sweethearts for only a short period of time?
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That's all for now!

^^^

I hope this is the right place to show off one of my stories. Any comments, critiques, etc. are welcome. It is a short read (flash fiction, under 1000 words). And there is dialog which I believe works.

**TRIGGER ALERT** this is a homocide mystery story, with a description of the scene - if this sort of thing bothers you, probably best not to open link.

Scavenger Hunt

I write fictional horror stories. I am currently working on an anthology. About social interaction with characters, yes, that can be challenging for me --- trying to sound logical about what is going on in the other characters' minds. For that reason, I find it easier for me to write in third person limited. I have also dabbled with first person narrative and have come to find it an interesting approach, but I still favor third person limited. I must admit, I too feel like I don't write well-rounded characters. Maybe it is for that reason why I write stories in the fantastic and mystical worlds of horror --- things aren't too realistic there.

My Short Story "Pieces of Truth" (Part 2)

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After I left work, I waited for Alice at a park near my house where we walked along a path.

“Alice, you haven’t had any boyfriends?”

“No, David although I came close a few times. And what about you, David? ”

“A few crushes, but one did try to apologize for thinking of me as a creep.”

“When did that happen, David?”

“A few years after high school graduation. We saw each other at a free music festival.”

“Where do you go to college, David?”

I told her the name of my college and she immediately smiled.

“I go there too, David.”

Several days later at my college campus where that I am currently a student of, I attended a social event and beforehand wanted to make sure that Alice was in line to get in. Although social events aren’t really her thing, she wanted to do something different other than what she usually does whenever she’s by herself despite having some friends.

Many people in attendance were dressed “old-school” style, as if like “The Golden Age of Hollywood.” I wore a formal green shirt with dark trousers and dark formal shoes to match.

Looking briefly at myself in a window, I was confused if I looked good or looked stupid because in my opinion, I looked like a young Humphrey Bogart in part because I was slouching with my shoulders onto the table where I was sitting waiting for Alice.

Alice walked in wearing a solid light blue dress with her hair long and her glasses on. I was not expecting her to dress in such a way, but I was impressed.

“You look beautiful, Alice.”

She smirked and said, “You look good, David.” She then looked around and said in part because the crowd was starting to get big, “Where’s the food table, David? I’m starving my ass off!”

I laughed and got into the line where we talked some more as we waited to eat.

After we got some food, we sat at the table where I waited for her at. As music began to play, I suddenly felt a strange feeling of anxiety come over me, but it had nothing to do with Alice.

“Alice, why do you want to reconnect now? I don’t get it.”

“David, before we saw each other at where you work, I had a feeling that someday we would see each other again despite what caused us to change ages ago.”

Now you may be wondering to yourself, “Okay, these two lovebirds got older and didn't feel attracted to each other anymore. But why just by chance years after the fact of whatever changed them?”

Well, it’s not as simple as you may think. It traumatized us to the point where we believed that we may not see each other again.

No, it was not something obvious, but Alice and I did witness something so horrific when we were kids.

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That's all for now!
However, if you are a mod and want me to delete this post, send me a PM and I will do so!

If you are posting for a critique, I have one.

“Alice, you haven’t had any boyfriends?”

“No, David although I came close a few times. And what about you, David?"

You should take out the last David. So it would be.

“Alice, you haven’t had any boyfriends?”

“No, David, although I came close a few times. And what about you?"

Only have people repeat names enough times to make it clear whose speaking. Another thing you can do would be this.

Alice walked in wearing a solid light blue dress with her hair long and her glasses on. I was not expecting her to dress in such a way. I was impressed.

“You look beautiful," I told her.

Writing short stories is smart. Especially when you are newer to writing. It's so much simpler to edit a short story and hone your craft with them. I regret trying novels write away.

^^^
Short fiction has always been my forte. The longest things I ever wrote were a couple novellas.

I think short fiction is kind of underrated these days. I'm not saying there aren't great books in the 500-1000 pg. range, but a lot of them could probably be trimmed down considerably. Short stories and novellas tend to have no fat on them. I also prefer to write them. One benefit is you aren't tied down to one idea for years. You can explore a lot of concepts and characters.