Writing fiction
I have recently had a psychologist tell me that people with AS cannot write fiction; cannot write good stories because apparently, we cannot imagine things. How come? I can write good stories. What I can't do is try and get 'inside' another author's mind. When I was in English classes at school, we often had to 'interpret' a poem, or short story, or novel. What do you think the author was feeling, thinking etc. I could never do that.
So, is it unusual for us on the spectrum to be able to write fiction?
No, not at all. I've taken writing classes and participated in workshops for many years, and lots of writers, many of whom make a living at it (as I have although in marketing communications), have AS. Like anything else, if it's an obsession, then people learn to do it convincingly through intense practice and opening oneself up to criticism.
I think of creative writing as being similar to method acting. Getting in the zone and taking risks with new perspectives is exhilarating. It can be a bit scary at times. And it has a therapeutic effect of helping me to understand others and reach out to them better.
An English major, I haven't had much difficulty with course content or analysis, although a good number of very good writers just aren't wired that way. Writing tends to take me in a somewhat different direction that is less self-conscious. Analysis is part of it, but then there comes the point where one just has to run with whatever vision one has.
As for cannot imagine things..... HA!!!! Just because we keep it to ourselves doesn't mean we're not imagining things. A lot of the time, I've found myself keeping my imagination to myself, because it's mine, I don't want to share, and besides, I doubt anyone else would be able to understand or appreciate it.
I like to keep my imaginings private also. Sometimes sharing things makes them less special to myself, somehow.
I think we just tend to imagine things from a different perspective.
In High school, I alwas interpreted things differently from the other students. thankfully, my AP nglish teacher thought that it was just genius to not see the same thing as everyone else. It would be hard in a non-Advanced Placement class though- in A, having a different analysis means they think you put extra into it, but in a normal class not so much. :-/
I know that I have a hard time creating plot lines- my imagination of moments is fine because of visual/sensory thinking, but imagining plot lines is difficult- unless I'm observing them as patterns in someone else's work. Long form fiction is difficult for me to write because of this.
Savannah Nicole Logsdon-Breakstone Director of Advocacy 
Savannah, what you've shared applies to me as well. And very likely I shouldn't be attempting long-form fiction because like you I can struggle a great deal with plot. Doubtless you have much more common sense to shy away from it. I tend to be drawn to these grandiose projects like a moth to flame.
In school, I was also called an "out of the box" thinker and agree that what is considered miraculous in an AP or accelerated classroom might be considered woefully misdirected in a regular class. Either that or as hubris.
I've enjoyed writing fiction since I was a child. 
It comes easy, I guess, because I've already got my "secret universe"; my stories are just a manifestation of that.
In fact, I've been working on my latest novel for the past 18 months. Sadly, I don't think it will ever be finished because.. a) I keep changing the plot, and b) My characters always turn out to be, well, autistic. Does anyone else have trouble with characterisation? Writing about a personality that is not your own?
Funny you should mention that... I have recently come to realize that my characters are almost all disabled in some way, at least the main characters. It doesn't seem to be AS-specific. A lot of the characters seem AD/HD or bi-polar, partly because pretty much everyone I hang out with is neurologically different and it's just a preference, partly because they seem to fit well into farce (since my inability to plot makes a lot of the pacing in my stories episodic)!
I have a story with a deaf main character who discovers advocacy and uses lip-reading in some pretty crazy ways. Totally cliche, I know.
Plus the theme of everything I write seems to have to do with disability regardless of the characters: limitations, deficits becoming an advantage, struggling to define yourself, infantilization... took me a long time to realize that, though.
I started writing down stories a few years ago with characters I made up as far back as 6th grade. I will probably never be able to publish, though, because it's too related to Star Trek TOS. I made up a younger sister for Mr. Spock. I could totally relate to, and write stories about, a half-Vulcan/half-human who doesn't fit in on either planet. Then I made up the ultimate friend, a very empathetic human. I can't get into that character's head, though. Then later on I introduced another character, which I never meant to be an Aspie, but when I go back over and read the stories again, she certainly at least has traits. I made up all this pre-diagnosis, and even before I even suspected there was a label for people like me. I find pleasure it writing these stories even if no one outside my family ever reads them.
Tabitha in Alaska
This is really interesting... I have a terrible time making anything up. I have plenty of memories of experiences, and memories of stories I've been told, and memories of dreams that I could use for stories, but if I try to imagine something new... it's a big blank. I used to dread creative writing assignments. I love reading fiction, though. Especially authors who explain their characters' feelings and motivations in words. Orson Scott Card is one of my favorites for that reason.
I come up with some great ideas for stories, I can even tell them, but when I sit down to write they blank out, and I'll remember them at the worst time for writing (like in the shower).
I'm... not entirely sure. I know that I have trouble in English class, because I do interpret the poem and stories differently, but I know that I can write fiction.
In fact, I'm writing three comic books, drawing two of those, plus writing two fantasy/fictional novels.
The ability to write is something that you work on, that you practice and practice and practice. It's not enough to have raw talent, you have to work at it as well. Same as with art.
As for cannot imagine things..... HA!!!! Just because we keep it to ourselves doesn't mean we're not imagining things. A lot of the time, I've found myself keeping my imagination to myself, because it's mine, I don't want to share, and besides, I doubt anyone else would be able to understand or appreciate it.
Now, whether it's unusual for us on the spectrum to be able to write fiction, I dunno. I don't think that it can be said that it can be considered in that way. I mean, it's also been said that we don't have feelings, and can't empathize with others, but from the testiments of people on this forum, I can say that it's not true.
What I'd like to see, before we go saying what's usual and unusual for ourselves (since honestly, we are all unique; you know one autistic, then you know one autistic, right?), is to actually measure the amount of the population in whole who actually writes fiction.
(sorry, the snotty English major in me comes out at times, and my pride as a fantasy writer)
~ Corina
Your friendly Director of Networking and Forum Moderator
“Be the change you want to see in the world.” ~Mahatma Gandhi