Can I still be an author?

Question

uhh... this is really awkward all of a sudden. you see, I suffer from really severe dyslexia, seriously, my spelling is second grade level, and I'm in 8th(my friend is typing this for me.) But the weired thing is, I read a lot, more than most kinds my age; when I'm not at a friend's house, 4 or 5 hours a day. I really want to be a writer. But who's ever heard of an author who can't actually write?

My vocabulary has been at collage level since fifth grade, and I have the ability to come up with pretty interesting stories. But they just slip away since I can't write them down. So should I just prepare for my life working at a gas station? Because, honestly, I've tried everything. My friend is much too busy to write them down for me, my parents are rarely home(and I don't particularly want to talk to them), and I've even tried programs where you talk into a microphone and it writes what you say down for you. But it never understands me. I'm in desperate need for help. Thanks.

Answer 1

You can definitely still be an author.  Like your friend who typed this for you, you can find people who are willing to help you write your ideas on paper.  

I for one, love reading books, essays, and stories written by those who had personal/physical struggles to get it down on paper.  It makes me appreciate their work all the more.  Often people like you give the rest of us a different perspective on the world, and it's very refreshing.  If you dream to be an author, then by all means, pursue that dream!  If you want it bad enough, you'll find ways to overcome the obstacles that block your way.

An idea for something for you to write is about your experiences in your life.  If you need some encouragement, you should read Nancy Mairs's essay "On Being a Cripple."  Mairs suffered from multiple scierosis.  You can easily find it via google.

Answer 2

I like the recording idea. Get an mp3 player or something to get your thoughts down. At least that way, your stories won't slip away.

Answer 3

u can do anything if u set ur mind to it, no matter what ur disability.

Answer 4

Yes..too long...but I read the first half...get voice recognition software for your computer

Answer 5

WOW  is what I have to say about  your college level as a 5th grader.You should just pay someone to get used to understanding you and then writing down your ideas.Good luck!

Answer 6

Sure you can be an author!  Thats what editors are for...  Keep working on it.

Answer 7

You can use a dictaphone to get your ideas down, and narrate your story that way. If you come up with something that you think is really good you will be able to write it down that way by hearing it over again.

Answer 8

You could record your voice, if the program that tries to undersand it fails. When u got the whole story on tape etc, you could ask someone to type it for you.

Answer 9

TOO LONG

Answer 10

Stephen J Cannell, a big writer of 70s TV (most notably the A team and The Greatest American hero) is dyslexic,

You can retrain yourself to get through this

Answer 11

absolutely...when one of my favorite authors was in an accident (Stephen King) he used a program that is available fairly affordable that you just tell it your story and it will type it for you and you can use the editor section for correct spelling and every thing...you can basically type it as fast as you can say it...kinda like the court room digital stynographer..go to Stephen Kings web sight and view his history...click on his accident and view details of the one he used or go to personal stenography.com

Answer 12

of course you can-there is already software that helps you figureout words-and more will be developed-

there is also software taht types for you-you just speak into a microphone-it wasn't great when it started-but is constantly be improved....

keep a tape recorder handy-audiotape your idea-then you can type at your own pace-

once you have money you could hire an assistant to do teh typing for you---

Answer 13

If you have something to say you can write. You can overcome dyslexia. Not cure it but follow your dreams in spite of it. General George S. Patton was dyslexic. He wrote poetry, Military papers on war strategy and books. He struggled in school and at West Point because of it. All writers have editors. If you are determined, you can be a writer. Your spelling isn't second grade, its just how you see things. Don't let it get you down. Be determined and don't let anyone discourage you. Voice recognition programs haven't been perfected. General Patton was one of the greatest Generals that ever lived. Its all up to you.

Answer 14

Use spell check and voice recognition software to write.

Answer 15

You can still be an author -- or anything else you want to be!

It will take a lot of work, but you've really got to train the computer to understand you by reading paragraphs into the microphone it usually takes several paragraphs over a few days to get it (or several hours in one day). But after a while, it will recognize your words.

Answer 16

Of course you can hun....

If we ran from opposition every time it came our way, then America would not exist, Abraham Lincoln would not have been president. It may be harder for you to reach that gaol, but a hard earned goal is worth more than a hand out.

Dreams are reachable even if they are reached in old age, how many of us have been told can't or no, Don't let anyone tell you you cannot for it shows them to be the can't type of person also known as a defeatist.

God has never stopped trying to reach out to us even when we cuss him and spit on him he still believes he can, you can too.

God Bless

I always tell my kid it's the Little engine that could not can't.

LNSu