I have decided to make the main character in my dinosaur book autistic. I have made this decision with some reservation. The reason for this is because even though I have lived with autism my entire life, I didn’t know how to accurately portray an autistic character. I was afraid I would unintentionally offend my readers. Now, after much thought, I have changed my mind. The reason for this is extremely personal because when I was a kid with uncontrollable autism, I absorbed prehistory data like a sponge. During this time, I was OBSESSED with the ambition to become a paleontologist, but I never fulfilled that ambition. With my writing, I get to make that ambition a reality on paper by making my protagonist an autistic scientist who brings dinosaurs back to life. I am thinking of incorporating some of my mannerisms to my main character, which will add a more personal touch to this character than some of my previous ones.
Yes, we need more neurodivergent characters out there. And you write it your way. We are just as diverse as everyone else. Good luck!
Go for it. Congratulations in advance. I’m rooting for you. 🙂