Support for Indie Authors discussion

My current WIP has two characters that I need some advice/help with. One is the MC's mother who has Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) I was wondering if anyone has any experience with how this might effect MC or how the character should act. If you know of any good websites where I can research APD more, let me know.
The other character is MC's friend who is blind due to a car accident that happened a few years before the beginning of the book. The friend has accepted her blindness. Do any of you know how MC should act around her friend? It will be awkward at first, but then what? What are some habits blind people do, like say, count their steps in a new place? I don't want to make her seem weak, but I'm unsure of what she can and can't do.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Again, if you know any good blind or APD websites that I could use for research, let me know. I LOVE researching stuff so feel free to throw whatever you want at me. :)

Google Antisocial Personality Disorder and you'll have tons of web sites pop up. Same with blindness. But, I would recommend going to the library and finding books on the subjects. Chances are they will be more in depth and contain better information.

Don't tell anyone, but I'm not just a writer. I spend my days in my secret identity as caregiver to adults with disabilities. I have worked with all sorts of disabilities and disorders, so kudos to you for wanting to write characters such as these.

But, as for how the characters should act? That is completely up to you. The APD character is likely to be deceitful, impulsive, lacking in empathy, aggressive, and show little respect for the law. No two APD sufferers are alike. How old is she? Is she getting treatment? Is she on medication? These play factors in how intense her behavior might be.

Reactions from your main character could vary, depending on what kind of person she is, how badly she wants a "normal" relationship with her mother, how accepting she is of her mother's condition, how much of her mother's behaviors have directly affected her, etc.

Similarly, when it comes to the blind character, the main character should act the way you want them to act. She could be helpful to her friend, sympathetic, she might try babying the friend. She might be resentful that the girl lost her sight. She might feel she's not the same person (and she probably isn't) and maybe she doesn't like her as much. She might be a cheerleader or a coach, loudly encouraging her friend to do things. It's up to you.

There are not many habits coming to mind that I've observed in all blind people I've worked with. Counting steps is okay, but I've never known a blind person to do this. I've seen it done in the movies and it's possible that some blind people do that, but I'd be kind of surprised. The only habit I can think, and this may not be true of all blind people, but it is definitely true of all the ones I've cared for - they are much more in tune with their other senses. This doesn't mean they are like Daredevil with super hearing and what-not, but they learn to rely on touch, smell, and hearing more than most seeing people do. The only other thing that comes to mind, if the blind woman is in touch with any other blind people, such as in a support group or if she's active in the blind community, she's probably going to be far more trusting of her blind friends than the seeing people she knows. This is not true of all blind people, but a good number.

What she can and can't do is pretty much determined by how blind she is and how independent she is. Will she ever drive a car or become a sharp shooter? Probably not. But, there are many things blind people can learn to do. Or not do. If your blind character does not challenge herself to learn karate, paint pictures or go skydiving, that does not make her weak.

Thank you so much! You gave me a lot to go on.

Does the MC know the mother has APD because that will make an impact on how she reacts around her mother. She may think she is just cranky rather than recognising she has a disorder and reacting accordingly.

I always recommend not just googling symptoms, but also searching for personal stories about diseases and disorders. How it affects people's lives, relationships, etc.

P.D. Workman (Pamela) wrote: "I always recommend not just googling symptoms, but also searching for personal stories about diseases and disorders. How it affects people's lives, relationships, etc."
I did actually! Thanks.

Roughseasinthemed wrote: "Does the MC know the mother has APD because that will make an impact on how she reacts around her mother. She may think she is just cranky rather than recognising she has a disorder and reacting ac..."
MC, and her two brothers, are aware of the disorder and help her remember to take her medicine. Speaking of, is there a good way to bring up her disorder or should I just drop hints and let the reader make the connection?

Grace wrote: "Speaking of, is there a good way to bring up her disorder or should I just drop hints and let the reader make the connection? "

Depends on the story, I suppose. I have a short that is about a man with autism and ID. I flat out say, several times, what his condition is as it is hugely important to the story. In another, I have an older man suffering from dementia. Even though it is integral to the relationship the man has with his son, the son is the narrator of the book and so consumed with himself and his problems, he doesn't take a lot of time to explain what is going on with "Daddy", usually referring to it as "time travel". In my current work in progress, there are a number of characters with mental illnesses / disorders, but I don't label any of them as it takes place in the eighties when most of these things had no label.

Dwayne wrote: "Grace wrote: "Speaking of, is there a good way to bring up her disorder or should I just drop hints and let the reader make the connection? "

Depends on the story, I suppose. I have a short that i..."
Okay, thanks!

The way your MC deals with their friend's conditions is entirely a character decision. As unhelpful as that is to say.
As for the idiosyncrasies of a blind person, that's a bit tougher. Talking to or just observing a blind person helps. If you really want to get "experimental," you can take a day or two where you have no social responsibilities, blindfold yourself, and take a crack at how living in your house feels with no vision. I had to do something similar once for an acting class. Of course, you can never fully understand what it is like to be permanently blind, but it is an option and can be more informative than you'd think. Just be safe!

Isaac wrote: "The way your MC deals with their friend's conditions is entirely a character decision. As unhelpful as that is to say.
As for the idiosyncrasies of a blind person, that's a bit tougher. Talking to ..."
Thanks, that sounds like a fun way to get into my character's head. :D