Who has the right to write?

On November 11, 2024, Steering Group member Lisette Auton shared her experiences as a disabled person and author in a comment piece for The Bookseller.

This excerpt talks about how the steering group wanted to give disabled book creators the chance to share how their experiences shape their work, but without pressuring them to do so, and why that’s important."

"The steering group were only too aware that there’s often an expectation that disabled people share personal medical information when this wouldn’t be expected of non-disabled people. As a diverse group of people we all had different personal boundaries. Some, like me, disclose little. For many disabled and neurodivergent people, "proof" is a traumatic concept, having fought hard for diagnoses. Others find power and pride in naming specific conditions.

We had many nuanced discussions about this area, but in the end came to the conclusion that giving book creators the choice, means that it is the decision of each individual, and it is hoped that the report can start to explore this area, with the acknowledgement that any insights will be anecdotal."

Read the full article.