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Dec. 9, 2004 I know I know that’s a sort of oxymoronic statement. How can you be dyslexic and be a writer. Simple, that’s what spell check is for. Thank the havens and the Microsoft World for the development of the spell check. But in seriousness, we have more obstacles to overcome than the traditional writers do. We have to work twice as hard at what we do. Often we are lucky enough to have a kind considerate soul that can be our editors. For me that’s my husband most of the time. It’s hilarious for him to try and read what I wrote. Always saying and “what were you trying to say here?” It's hard. That’s why many dyslexic writers stay with a genre they have success at. For me I am craft writer. That is I design something, and execute the technical writing with it. I can convey in both the written language and the drawn language the same thing. A talent that many "writers and editors" consider fluff, it’s not. Unlike writers that can simply "pump” out their works, we often get tired fighting with the keyboard; many of us still prefer a pen and a paper. But many writers and those who wont represent us don’t know what Dyslexia is, Or for that matter Irlen. Dyslexia is not a seeing problem as many think. It’s a brain interpretation problem. We can see just fine, its how our brain processes the information that makes for a problem. We are expert slow hunt and peck typists. If you didn’t count the mistakes we can type 120 worlds a minute. But some are just so picky about accuracy! For some, dyslexia is a blind spot. As I my case I miss a, e, o and u. It’s like a little black do that is obscuring those letters. And I get many words misspelled. This was a handicap when I was in school and I couldn’t spell. Luckily for me I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 24. It’s funny how warehouse and whorehouse can be tuned around. Another reading problem is a small condition called IRLEN. It’s a color problem. Not color blindness, as you would think. Color is a perception as well. If a color is too bright for our cones and rods to process, our eyes become over stimulated and we can experience everything from falling letters, to watery pages, to blurs, to just complete color pages with no letters. But by the use of filters we can help this. And in finding the right filter can be a small step. But along process at times. I didn’t realize I had Irlen at all until I was doing an article on it and I found that some colors did improve my typing and reading. Now to find a keyboard that has that filter I could do wonders. Another problem the Dyslexic writer has that some agents won’t deal with dyslexic or reading impaired writers. They often feel that they are not up to snuff or because of the editing needed, and the immense errors. To them its too much trouble and many dyslexic writers are forced to go to the self-publishing methods. And often take months doing editing. Not all grammar check and spell check software can compensate for technical reference or specifics. And sometimes grammar check just sounds so wrong when it makes corrections. It is a shame that so many of us out there that produce good things are waiting in the wings for someone to work with us. And they won’t because of a few spelling errors. Being a dyslexic writer, at least I am in good company. Steven Cannell, Rex Reed, John Corrigan, Agatha Christie, Einstein.. were all dyslexic. So the next time someone comes up to you, and crassely says “ What is this? What you think your an Einstein” you can thank him, because you’re in good company. ------------ About the author: Julia Sherman is now a BA student at SNL@ DePaul University. Working on a New project of making a mummy for a museum exhibit. Her Factoring Diabetes is available at Booklocker.com, and Dollmaking at Lionsong.com. She live son a 30 acre farm, that is slowly being converted in a Haunted Farm for next years Haloween. Email: jimmysdevoted2@bellsouth.net Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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