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I do have one other tip to offer about writing about people with mental illnesses: Don't treat them like they're children or babies or man-children who constantly throw tantrums 24/7. Just because someone is diagnosed with something like Autism or Down Syndrome or something of the like, doesn't mean they're so brain damaged that they act like children all their life unless their cases are extremely severe, and the majority of them aren't. You'd be surprised at how many fiction books starring autistic characters always portray them as feeble-minded children with no concepts of anything who constantly throw tantrums over the slightest thing all the time and we're supposed to think, "Oh! Raising an autistic child must be soooo hard on the poor parents! They're such a burden, aren't they?" Yawn. That stereotype needs to die. This might apply to other disorders, mental or physical, too.
Seriously, I cannot echo this statement any harder. Fan fics exist so people can explore things that the show or book itself never went into, and that's the beauty of it. You can write super grimdark and edgy stories for light hearted shows for kids, or fluffy, comedic, lighthearted fics for serious media like Shin Megami Tensei, Bayonetta, Grand Theft Auto, Fallout, NieR, and so on. The possibilities are endless!
I advocate being unashamedly indulgent where fanfic is concerned. Friends of mine have got really into an MLP/Fallout crossover of all things. You're not writing professionally for a broad market, right? You're writing for yourself and people who're into the same niche shit you are. That's a good thing. You can be creatively free. And hey, if you're self conscious about it, no pressure. It's up to you when and how you approach your project.
Seriously, I cannot echo this statement any harder. Fan fics exist so people can explore things that the show or book itself never went into, and that's the beauty of it. You can write super grimdark and edgy stories for light hearted shows for kids, or fluffy, comedic, lighthearted fics for serious media like Shin Megami Tensei, Bayonetta, Grand Theft Auto, Fallout, NieR, and so on. The possibilities are endless!