Creative Writing Class issues

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So this is my third year of college now, not really making any progress towards graduating because I can't pass most of my math classes and am probably on the verge of loosing my scholarship soon. I took a creative writing class this term. It was different then most of the other writing classes I took. Instead of just turning some paper in, the professor grades it, and then hands it back, it worked in a different fashion. In this class we create a story, the professor makes copies to give to everyone in the class, class mates read it, then we sit in a circle and say what we do or don't like about the story After being in the class for 8 weeks now I've come to the conclusion that no one in the class really seems to like anyone's story other than the one they wrote themselves. The story we write only has to be 5 pages, I really got into making mine and it ended up being 9 pages. I let my girl friend read it and was so proud of myself for making a long story. I tried to base the main character around myself who is High Functioning Autistic. I was sure to include things like "Byron walked in front of his friend Darren without making eye contact" I didn't really intend for the character to be autistic at first, but beings I was making the main character like me that's how it ended up being before I realized it. I didn't say anywhere that the character was autistic or had any mental problems. In fact, no one in the class even knows I'm that way, let alone anyone on campus. I don't usually tell anyone I am unless I really trust them, which is a VERY SMALL amount of people outside of my family, girl friend, and a few other close online friends of mine. So today we all sit in a circle, and everyone seemed to have hated it. One thing that nearly everyone said was that my characters lacked emotions and they couldn't understand how the main character could be friends with my other character acting like the way they did. I'll put it this way, my self esteem was lowered after that class, and I didn't even wana bother saying anything after we're done going around in a circle, all I said was "let's move on to the next story." So I got home and was talking to my girl friend about it and later on as I was going upstairs to take some things out to the garage, something clicked in my head. How the heck am I supposed to write a story with characters with emotions that are expressed correctly when I can't even do it myself?! I mean I wrote it the way I did because it was all I knew how to do or interact with people. Honestly, I don't even feel like bothering writing another story for that class and going through it again (we have to do 2 more). A part of me would almost be fine with just not bothering even to come to the class anymore, I just really don't know what I should do, or if I should bother with this class.

Being AS makes it harder and easier to write about people interactions. It's harder because a person can only write from experience. The easier part is, we (at least I do) see all this social interaction stuff from a 3rd person point of view.

Think of the character interaction more from a formula based, cause & effect. Character actions are based on the plot line and what role they take. Each character needs to act from their own self-interest and the part they play.

Believable characters in stories are usually stereotypical, someone everyone can relate to because of their odd manners or obsession.

Just step through the story; ask why a character said or did something and how those around should react based on the parameters you have set. You also need to ask how the interaction pushed the plot along.

Good luck.. don't give up. Just figure out the formulas and you should be fine.

Formula's probably aren't a good analogy for me, as I failed the same math class 3 times in a row, if it's anything that involves math or complex problem solving I'm usually never able to do it. The reason why I wasn't able to make a story with made up characters other than one based on myself was because I don't understand how to express emotions correctly and I can't relate a character to anyone except for myself because It's all I have experience with and know how to do.

Please bother with the class. Don't give up just yet. Writing a story is tough. It takes time, and everyone's first draft is usually crap.

Now, don't take this the wrong way. I am really not trying to sound condescending or critical, if that's the way it comes out. So, apologies in advance about the tone. With that in mind:
If I understood your post, the others in the class said your main character has no emotions. Would it then be fair to say that they can't relate to the character? Could I then translate that and say the others find the character boring? Maybe that's because you are saying only what doesn't happen, instead of what does.

When I write, I put myself in my main character's shoes. I write about what I would focus on, and act as though that's normal. Instead of writing about what autistics don't do in comparison to NTs ("Byron walked in front of his friend Darren without making eye contact"), maybe you could write something that gives the reader information about what the character does do. For example (you would have to tailor this to fit your story), "Byron was trying to dodge the flood of kids in the hallway when he walked past a familiar green baseball cap. The cap belonged to his friend Darren. Darren raised a hand in greeting. Byron saw that Darren's hand had a reminder scribbled on it in permanent marker, as usual. A bright flash drew Byron's eyes to the floor. Darren had new shoes, so white they were almost blinding."

Or something like that, I don't know. It's tough to give examples when I haven't read the story. But please don't quit taking the class. It sounds hard, VERY hard, but I know you can handle it. I mean, a 9-page story that was meant to be 5? Really, you've got motivation. You have what it takes to be a great writer.
Hope this helps. Good luck.

You wrote some complex sentences here in your post. I guess it's how you view it, but in order for you to read and write.. it involves a lot of decoding. You wrote in an active voice and conveyed your message clearly. You seem to grasp the patterns and formulas of writing well.

But there are only about 7 main plots out there.. please forgive the cut & paste below:

1. Overcoming the monster -- defeating some force which threatens...
e.g. most Hollywood movies; Star Wars, James Bond.

2. The Quest -- typically a group setoff in search of something and
(usually) find it. e.g. Watership Down, Pilgrim's Progress.

3. Journey and Return -- the hero journeys away from home to somewhere
different and finally comes back having experienced something and
maybe changed for the better. e.g. Wizard of Oz, Gullivers Travels.

4. Comedy - not neccesarily a funny plot. Some kind of
misunderstanding or ignorance is created that keeps parties apart
which is resolved towards the end bringing them back together. e.g.
Bridget Jones Diary, War and Peace.

5. Tragedy - Someone is tempted in some way, vanity, greed etc and
becomes increasingly desperate or trapped by their actions until at a
climax they usually die. Unless it's a Hollywood movie, when they
escape to a happy ending. e.g. Devils' Advocate, Hamlet.

6. Rebirth - hero is captured or oppressed and seems to be in a state
of living death until it seems all is lost when miraculously they are
freed. e.g. Snow White.

7. Rags to Riches - self explanatory really. e.g. Cinderella &
derivatives (all 27,000 of them)! !!

Here is some more cutting and pasting- what is needed for your main character:

1. A hero – the person through whose eyes we see the story unfold, set
against a larger background.

2. The hero’s character flaw – a weakness or defense mechanism that
hinders the hero in such a way as to render him/her incomplete.

3. Enabling circumstances – the surroundings the hero is in at the
beginning of the story, which allow the hero to maintain his/her
character flaw.

4. An opponent – someone who opposes the hero in getting or doing what
he/she wants. Not always a villain. For example, in a romantic comedy,
the opponent could be the man or woman whom the hero seeks romance
with. The opponent is the person who instigates the life-changing
event.

5. The hero’s ally – the person who spends the most time with the hero
and who helps the hero overcome his/her character flaw.

6. The life-changing event – a challenge, threat or opportunity
usually instigated by the opponent, which forces the hero to respond
in some way that’s related to the hero’s flaw.

7. Jeopardy – the high stakes that the hero must risk to overcome
his/her flaw. These are the dramatic events that lend excitement and
challenge to the quest.

I'm a writing buff, and short stories are really hard. I'm a lot better at stream of thought abstract type things (ironically). But take this into consideration: they are trying to help you. I've been in a creative field of college for three and a half years now, and there's a lot of heartbreak involved. You're going to get a lot of feedback, and most of it is going to be negative. This is not a reflection on you, but it is simply how the creative world works. Consider their remarks as more advice on how to move forward than just "hating it." It is called "critiquing" and sometimes you have to listen to the advice, but if you don't agree, you don't have to take it.

I think that writing in third person for you is a great idea, but I'm also going to say this: stories do not always have to take place outside of the mind. You can have a completely internal story, using first or third person. Heck, even try second person. Use more description that action. Everyone is trying to "make a point" in their story. Why does the point have to involve conversation or anything like that? Write what you know. Write how you live.

On a side note, if you are failing almost every math class, you might have dyscalculia (the inability of your brain to process symbols, such as in math), which is very common in AS. You can take a test to see if you do, and then you go to your Dean and you can make some arrangements. My brother is dyscalculic and had to take Symbolic Logic in order to get his MA, but he was doing really poorly in it so the dean arranged for him to take a different class.

Good Luck!