Writing for Neurodivergent Readers

I don't think I am allowed to link my citations.

You can locate some of this information at the British Dyslexia Association's website and the organization Understood.  

Janky Fluffy

Writing for Neurodivergent Readers isn't about making grammar perfect, but making writing more readable and accessible. 

Please tag my simple guide and paste it into your feed if you found it helpful. I need more writers and readers to see it.  The more we share this information, the more writers know these techniques can make a huge difference.

This might sound super controversial, but readers with dyslexia find italics hard to read. Italics should be avoided if you have accessibility in mind.
Use bold, simple titles, or single quotations instead. But sometimes it's okay not to emphasize a word and let the reader decide on interpretation. 

Some ADHD readers love italics and some despise it because ADHD isn't actually a reading issue. Originally, I was diagnosed with ADHD, but there is no correct diagnosis at this moment. I can read italics, but I find them off-putting.

If you use all caps or italics, use this sparingly. They should not be used every time you want your dialogue to sound interesting. This can annoy even typical readers. 

Remember to leave a note as to why you aren't using italics for typical readers to understand it's not a mistake. This information is not widely known, and I have seen well-meaning grammar sites with outdated information.

Inner thoughts and boat titles are usually italicized.

If you feel you have to use Italics, do not use huge blocks of them. The majority of typical readers hate it.

If you are writing in novel or short form, "avoid replacing quotation marks with fancy or pretty symbols."

~dialogue should not look like this~ *or like this,* ^or like this.^

Scriptwriting has its own formatting rules. You might want to experiment, but this is about making writing accessible.

Do not use interrobang or bang-bang punctuation for prose. Sentences like this!? Or this?! Or this!!! These types of punctuation are grammatically incorrect for fiction and nonfiction, but interrobang is also hard to read for many neurodivergent readers. It's only grammatically correct in text messages and comments. Interrobang also shows a lack of confidence in the writer.

Two characters shouldn't speak in the same paragraph. This confuses even the most typical reader.

Swirly and pretty texts are hard to read, and serif texts should be avoided.

Create a character list. This can be helpful for readers to keep track.

Cast

Mark — The young prince's butler

Lars — A ten-year-old prince.

Prince Alphard — Lars's father.

The recommended chapter length should be 3,000 words or under. And maybe up to 4,000 if you are writing epic fantasy or if the chapter calls for it. Wattpad readers view content from their phones or computers. ADHD readers need breaks after 15 minutes. But even typical readers can have eye strain with an 18,000-word masterpiece. Not all writers lose readership with long chapters, but there is a reason for recommended lengths.

Use time and place stamps. Are special titles that note the reader is at a different place or time? This technique can help a reader from getting lost.

The Past in the Cave or Past: Cave:

Mark grabbed the boy's arm and led him through the dark cavern. "The chamberlain is actually working for the magic night. It's your father, Prince Alphard, who is trying to kill you."

Alphard pulled out a dagger and rushed at them. "Lars, you'll never escape! My father was supposed to give me the treasure when he died. He wasn't supposed to hide it and you from me!"

The Present: Cave

Mark and Lars opened the treasure chest.

"I want to know what my father went to prison for." Lars' eyes fixated on the rusted lock. His hand trembled, and he struggled to open the object that ruined his life.

9. Avoid underlining words because underlining makes a word harder to read.

10. Do not write in all caps outside of book and sometimes chapter titles. Do not use all caps to replace italics. When it comes to neurodivergent readers. Use this sparingly.