To the Dyslexic Writer...

As a writer with dyslexia, I’ve talked to a couple others and know that it makes the struggles every writer faces even more difficult to face. Before I get into the ways we’ve discovered to push through the challenges, I want to get something straight about dyslexia as a whole.

It’s a condition that primarily affects reading, spelling and writing. Some people with dyslexia don’t have problems reading numbers, but I know myself and others who do. Shapes can sometimes be difficult as well, depending on what exactly you have (I used to love games like Tetris, but now I can barely do them to save my life).

Dyslexia is not related to intelligence. It simply affects how the brain processes written language and similar things. For me, it means spelling is a nightmare, I read way more slowly than I used to, letters reverse and/or jumble, and sequencing/connecting ideas and focusing can be tough.

Understanding Dyslexia in the Context of Writing

Dyslexia is hard on anyone. Whatever area of work or life you’re in, you’re almost always going to have to read in some capacity. Whether you have to read a book, or sheet music, or a scoreboard, it’s a form of communication that I think is used just as much as speech in this world (even more so, depending on the situation).

That being said, you can make it a goal to rest from reading. Maybe you go for a bike ride, or play a game, or do the dishes. Anything that changes things up.

When you’re a writer, however, you have to force yourself to stare at pages or documents at least long enough to get some words in. That in itself can be tiring. Then you have the rest of the day’s reading to face.

Many writers give up without ever having to face dyslexia. Being dyslexic adds yet another obstacle to finishing your novel and giving it to the world. That's why I want to talk about some ways to write anyway.

Just some context before I continue - I haven't always had dyslexia. Long story short, I've had multiple concussions, and the latest ended up giving me dyslexia/problems with focus. For that reason my experience might be a bit different from what others know, but I've asked enough questions of others with dyslexia to know these ideas do help.

Strategies for Writers with Dyslexia

Dyslexia can definitely be daunting, but there are ways to combat it and at least lessen the frustration.

1. Use of Technology

Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve probably noticed that our world has a crazy amount of technology. If you find the right tools, they can be invaluable to your writing.

Speech-to-Text: Programs like Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Google Docs Voice Typing, or Otter.ai allow you to speak rather than type, bypassing the difficulty of writing manually. It can sometimes be helpful to focus on your ideas rather than spelling.

Text-to-Speech: The literal opposite of the last option. This is especially helpful in editing. Listening to your writing read back to you can help you catch errors and improve what you might not have caught otherwise.

Spelling/Grammar Checkers: Writing apps like Grammarly, ProWritingAid, and Ginger provide real-time spelling and grammar suggestions, improving your writing without needing to constantly second-guess yourself. Luckily, most softwares like Google Docs or Scrivener will catch those mistakes in the first place.

2. Break Writing into Steps

This is something helpful to any writer. It makes drafting feel much less overwhelming. Vaguely, you can...

Start with a Rough Draft: Don’t worry about spelling, grammar, or sentence structure in your first draft. The focus should be on getting your ideas down on paper. You can always edit and refine later.

Create an Outline: Having a clear outline or plan can help with sequencing and organizing your thoughts. It gives you a roadmap so you don’t get lost in a sea of ideas.

Make Realistic Goals: Setting small, achievable writing goals (like writing 500 words a day or finishing a chapter per week) can prevent burnout and help keep you motivated. If your goals are too difficult to reach, you’ll only end up less likely to do the work even outside of the deadline.

3. Collaborate

You don’t have to write alone. Working with others can not only reduce some of the pressure but can also give you different perspectives on writing, as they are the reader rather than the creator.

Work with an Editor or Writing Partner: Alpha readers, beta readers, and editors exist for a reason. It’s a good idea regardless of your situation to get outside eyes on your work.

Join Writing Groups: There are many online and in-person writing groups where you can share your work, receive feedback, and get support from others. Writers without dyslexia still have their own challenges, just in another way.

4. Focus on Your Unique Voice

One of the most amazing aspects of writing is that everyone brings a unique perspective to the table. That means you write in different styles and with different experience. There may not be anything new under the sun, but there are always various ways to interpret everything.

Conclusion

Writing with dyslexia requires a lot of patience and determination. Luckily, every challenge can be an opportunity for growth, and as you develop strategies and tools to help you along, you can still write great things.

Being a writer with dyslexia isn’t about finding a perfect process but about discovering the techniques and approaches that allow you to share your stories with the world despite the added difficulty.

So, to any dyslexic writers out there, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t write - it's only that much more impressive when you succeed.