I am thrilled to announce to you beautiful humans that I'm launching a new project!
Author: Allison Wall
writer, reader, editor, minimalist, apocalypse-obsessed, neurodiverse (autism, ADHD, HSP), cats.
not always in that order.
Querying While Autistic
One of the most difficult parts in processing my late autism identification and diagnosis (at 30 years old) is dealing with a constantly shifting perspective, specifically in comparing how I function in the world and how non-autistic people function in it. I spent my whole life assuming my way of being was "normal" or neurotypical,… Continue reading Querying While Autistic
Where Do Novels Go When No Agent Wants Them?
I'm thrilled to be officially querying a brand new manuscript in hope of agent representation! It's titled THE VIOLET TAMARIND and you can read more about it and see a gorgeous mood board one of my beta readers made for it here. But Allison (asked almost no one), whatever happened to that post-apocalyptic science-fiction novel… Continue reading Where Do Novels Go When No Agent Wants Them?
Why I Don’t Like to Tell People I was DIAGNOSED WITH Autism
I was diagnosed with autism and inattentive ADHD in November 2020. Almost immediately after I found this out, I realized I hated saying that sentence, especially the "diagnosed with" part. I am still getting used to, "I am autistic," but through those words, I feel a sense of pride and relief: they help me know myself more fully. "Diagnosed with" never sat well, and as time goes on, it's sitting worse and worse and worse.
Microsoft Word Magic for Writers: How to Merge Beta Comments into One File
Getting beta feedback can make all the difference in your manuscript, but it can be difficult to organize the feedback you get. Microsoft Word can actually help with that! Here's a tutorial on merging comments and tracked changes from multiple readers into one Word file.
Why I Chose to Get Assessed for Autism at 30.
I knew I was autistic. So why did I bother getting assessed?
2020 in Books
This is the fourth consecutive year I've written a "year in books" blog post, and 2020 is the weirdest of them all. This year (ugh, this year) has been wild, devastating, excruciating, depressing, anxiety-inducing, heartbreaking... We've all lost so much. Where I live, the library was closed--CLOSED--for a long period of time. So if I… Continue reading 2020 in Books
Why I Write: Through a Neurodiverse Lens
My recent autism and ADHD diagnoses have prompted some intense reprocessing of my own memories and lived experiences. It's like sitting in the chair at the eye doctor, and a new lens is flipped down. Suddenly, everything is clearer. Through the lens of neurodiversity, many things about me and my life make a lot more… Continue reading Why I Write: Through a Neurodiverse Lens
I’m Autistic. (And I have ADHD.)
Even after hitting "Publish" on this post, I still don't know how I feel about the title statement. How it's worded, I mean. The ideas it represents are absolutely true. On November 9, 2020, I was assessed as having met criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In other words (and maybe… Continue reading I’m Autistic. (And I have ADHD.)
Mantras for 2020
In an effort to process all that has happened in the past months, I collected and recorded what I'm calling Mantras for 2020.
Allison Wall 