A 20-YEAR-OLD autistic man from Chard has overcome his difficulties to have his first book self-published online.

Jon White started writing when he was 17 to create worlds he could escape into and now just three years later, his first book, Becoming, is available to buy on Amazon.

He said: “I used to draw a lot of pictures but instead of drawing things from television shows and movies I started creating and putting this world down onto paper.

“Writing allows me to escape into this world through my mind and see things from different people’s perspectives. I can make different personalities and it helps me to make different characters more realistic.

“I looked online at what was probably the best way to get my books published and I learned that Amazon do this self-publishing thing.

“Only about 30 per cent of applicants are successful, but it gives writers a chance to get their work out there.”

Becoming: Volume One is set in the year 2332, and follows the life of Lauren, a droid who thinks and feels like a human.

Mr White added: “The story is based around synthesis and the idea that humans are creating machines that will one day outdate us and we will have to keep up.

“In the world of Becoming, a lot of rules are imposed because people are worried that if they merge with machines then they will lose what makes them human.”

Alan Gitchen, Jon’s grandad, said: “He told us some time back that he was writing a book and it is a trilogy and he’s got the plot plans done for all three.

“Some time later, he said, “Oh by the way, I have pretty much finished the first book of three,’ and he gave this great manuscript to my wife.

“She said to me when she was reading it that it was incredible, it was really good. I couldn’t believe the quality of some of the writing and descriptions.

“He just seems to spend every waking moment on these books.”

Muriel Gitchen, Jon’s nan, said: “He hasn’t found life easy by any means with his autism. He is very deep and every day is a surprise with Jon.

“He has had this idea for some time and it had to come out.

“He is a remarkable man. I have worked in education for some years and he is certainly among the more remarkable people I have met.”