Maxine Sinclair: Why I’ve written a novel with deaf characters (BSL)

Being Greta is a novel about a young deaf woman living in a hearing world. It is about her relationships with the hearing people around her and her struggle with deciding whether to have a cochlear implant.

To watch Maxine signing her blog, click play below:

I am a sign language interpreter by trade but a few years ago I started to write books. After the first two that centred around a group of adult ballet dancers I turned my attention to writing a story involving deaf characters.

Certain decisions had to be made before I’d even started to write. The protagonist, Greta, is deaf and signs but uses her voice with hearing people.

I decided to use italics to represent sign language and I also opted to translate her signing into English and not write in a literal translation from BSL.

Also, initially I began writing the story from Greta’s perspective and this worked to a certain extent but when I wanted to express what other characters were saying it became increasingly impossible. With a rewrite into the third person I was set to go.

I’ll be honest, writing Being Greta was a start/stop project. In previous novels the writing had flowed quite nicely and although, of course, I’d rewritten parts I had stuck at it.

Not so much with Greta. I metaphorically and literally walked away from Greta a few times. At one point I reviewed each character and when I put her hearing manipulative boyfriend, Olly, under the microscope I realised he was two dimensional.

He was just a horrid man! Why would she be with him? He must have some redeeming qualities! As much as he keeps his deaf woman ‘in her place’ I had to think how he sees his relationship with Greta. Having decided to soften his edges I then had to rewrite large chunks.

Having been around deaf people for thirty years my aim was to portray the deaf characters authentically. I really hope deaf readers will identify with Greta’s experiences.

My dream is that whilst reading this book they will nod their heads with a ‘yup, that’s what happens,’ expression. Having said that, I cannot stress enough that Being Greta is a work of fiction and not based on anyone in particular.

It is not a factual or educational book, but I hope that hearing readers of my last books will read Being Greta and gain a small insight into the lives of deaf people.

The central themes of the story are isolation, deaf identity and communication barriers but ultimately, I see Being Greta as a love story. It’s about family love, unhealthy love, the love of friends and romantic love. I suppose it’s chick-lit for deaf people. Does that make it Deaf-lit?”

Being Greta is available on Kindle and paperback at Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07LFCDYPQ