Literally

A joyful, realistic and relatable guide to being autistic, whether you know you are, think you may be or love someone who is.

There are three reasons why this book is called Literally:

Number 1: Autistic people can take things literally.

Number 2: This is a literal book. Clear in its language, easy to understand and accessible.

Number 3: It’s relatable. What do you say when someone says something so profoundly relatable that it connects to your own experience perfectly? ‘LITERALLY!’

Tenuous fourth reason: It looks great on a front cover.

Illustrator and content creator Ella Willis was 22 when they were formally diagnosed with autism but this was no surprise. Growing up they felt like they’d surely been dropped on earth by aliens and would eventually be rescued. Social blunders, overstimulation, intense joyful special interests: with the label of autism, these experiences made so much more sense.

In Literally, Ella is here to help you navigate all parts of being autistic, destigmatize neurodivergence and offer accessible, practical and hopeful advice. From getting a diagnosis to self-diagnosis, stimming to masking, navigating relationships to sensory issues, Ella uses their personal story, research, illustrations and interviews to provide a clear-eyed view of the autistic experience to help you thrive.

About the Author

Ella Willis (they/them) is a queer neurodivergent illustrator, content creator, and speaker. Ella has built a significant social media following by sharing their lived experience as an autistic ADHDer and their journey to discover this. As an illustrator, Ella has produced work for ODEON, LNER and Durham University. They illustrated ‘The Autistic Guide to Adventure’ (2023), a book that guides young autistic people through sport, hobbies and adventure and founded the CIC ‘Canny Queer Collective’ in 2021, creating safe and empowering spaces for queer folk in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Ella uses their platform and art to advocate for queer and disabled rights, aiming to shift the narrative around autism and neurodivergence to create a more understanding world.