I’m Autistic and Writing Helped Me Find My Voice

Woman smiling, posing outside near flowers
Through writing, Lara Boyle found confidence and community.

Editor’s Note: See Jane Write now publishes articles and personal essays by writers who identify as women, non-binary folks, and our allies. Learn more here.

By Lara Boyle

“Why can’t you let her speak for herself?”

That’s what family members and friends would ask my mom. I’d be at the dinner table in a crowded restaurant or even in our living room when my throat would close up. I opened my mouth to speak, but all the words I needed were gone. Under the weight of everybody’s eyes, I shrunk into my seat, unable to do more than clear my throat. I had no issues learning how to talk. I could ramble on and on for hours about horses, Percy Jackson, Harry Potter or my favorite cartoon show, Alex Hirch’s Gravity Falls on Disney. Yet, somehow I still struggled to say what I thought, to find the right words. I wouldn’t find out until I was eighteen years old that this struggle to speak was because I have a type of Autism Spectrum Disorder commonly known as Asperger’s Syndrome. My voice seemed to disappear until I found it scribbled out in jet-black ink on paper.

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The Best Planner for Writers

The best planner for writers is any planner that will help you achieve your writing goals. I always say the magic is in the planning, not the planner. And honestly, the planning is just half the battle. You must follow through to see any progress. But I’m a huge fan of the Day Designer planner because if you put it to use, it can help you not only make time to write but also design a life worth writing about.

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Word for the Year 2024

What’s your word for the year 2024?

I’ve been choosing a word for the year for over a decade. And it’s a practice I’ve passed on to the women of the See Jane Write Community too.

Your word can serve as your theme for the year. It can be a source of inspiration and motivation, a mantra, or even a rallying cry. Perhaps even a prayer.

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My December Ta-Da List

Each month I help the members of the See Jane Write Collective set 3 major goals – one writing goal, one wellness goal, and one goal for another area of life that needs attention. But in December things are different. In December we craft a December Ta-Da List! No, that’s not a typo. That’s supposed to say “ta-da” not “to-do” because that’s way more fun, right?!

I can’t take credit for coming up with that name. One year a Collective member used the term during a monthly planning session, and it stuck. And since then, it’s become a yearly ritual for me.

Whether you want to finish the year strong or you’re just trying to finish, the December Ta-Da List can help.

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