"I Don't Have A Special Interest"
For those who are seeking diagnosis, are questioning if they're autistic or self-diagnose as autistic.
Special interests are often portrayed as knowing everything there is to know about one niche topic. It's often shown as the ability to state all facts about that topic, proving every NT in the room wrong.
Whilst yes, this is also how a special interest can work, it is not the only way.
How a special interest can present (just examples and not an exhaustive list):
Collecting random information about a broad topic such as having a Pinterest board of science facts or a folder of dinosaur pictures.
Collecting books about topics but not knowing all the information. Remember, it's the fact that this interest excludes all other interests that makes it a "special interest". It's not the memorising of every fact.
Collecting objects. Having shelves of figurines, stuffed animals, D&D dice, Funko Pop Vinyls etc.
Watching videos on a topic. Not everyone has the money to collect items and other neurodivergences can make reading difficult, so watching videos on your special interest counts as engaging in your special interest.
Learning all you can about a person or character. People can be a special interest.
Your work can be a special interest. Some autistics end up in a field of work that they want to know all about, and it becomes their SpIn.
Multiple small Special Interests. Not all SpIns are big huge topics. Some autistics have small, narrow interests or sometimes broad, vast topics as special interests. They all count.
"Average" interests can be special interests. It's intense interest to the exclusion of all other interests...it's not about whether allistics also like those things. Euphoria can be your latest special interest, a cartoon can be your special interest, a new video game etc.
Collecting images of a topic.
Making that special interest part of your life, such as owning cats or being a dog walker because you love to learn and interact all you can with them and if anyone asks you'll gladly gush for hours about how amazing these animals are etc
Writing stories. I truly think there is a huge amount of amateur fiction and fan fiction written by unaware autistics based on their special interest.
Remember: an standard interest is "yes, I enjoy that. I will talk about this topic if it is brought up.".
A special interest is "I love this and want to discuss it now. Can we bring this topic around to my special interest? I feel like my heart is pounding just even thinking about this topic. Even my standard interests would benefit by having some of my special interest added."