Celebrating Special Interests Through Writing

This chapter focuses on the significance of special interests in the autistic community and introduces a writing prompt for crafting love letters to these passions. It highlights how such interests shape identity and joy, while offering a contest to encourage inclusive expression and support for varied experiences.

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Part of our 12-Week Writing Series for autistic creatives and late-diagnosed adults.

In this episode of Writing Unmasked, Dr. Angela Kingdon explores how writing can gently support recovery from Autistic Burnout—a deeply misunderstood experience of emotional, sensory, and cognitive depletion caused by prolonged masking and social misattunement.

As part of our Neurodivergent Narratives Writing Series, this episode invites listeners to use storytelling, journaling, or creative fiction as a way to reconnect with self and rebuild energy without pressure or perfectionism.

We also announce the winners of our Week 2 writing prompt contest!

🎧 What You’ll Learn

What Autistic Burnout actually is (and what it isn’t)
How writing can serve as a gentle form of stimming, self-regulation, and re-connection
Creative strategies for writing when you feel like you can’t write at all
Why SPINs (special interests) are a core part of autistic resilience and joy
Why “love letters” to SPINs reveal deeper truths about autistic identity
How this weekly writing series is designed to build confidence, not critique

🏆 Week 2 Winners

🥇 First Place:

“Reflections of the Past – A statement shared by the Friendship One United Earth Space Probe Cooperative on the day of the launch”

by Daron Williams

🥈 Runner-Up:

“The Clockmaker’s Daughter”

by Libby Banks

✨ Congratulations to our featured writers, and thank you to everyone who submitted! Want to see their full entries? Read them here.

📝 Neurodivergent Narratives Presents: ‘Recovering From Burnout’ Contest

Prompt: Write a love letter to your special interest (SPIN) as if your special interest were a person.

🖊️ Open to: Everyone

🗓️ Deadline: Wednesday, May 28 at 12 PM ET / 5 PM UK