Maybe this should have been my IWSG post yesterday, but it’s driving me nuts.
All my life, I’ve fought my dyslexia. It’s not like you see in media. I can read (extremely well, actually) and do math (less well, but still…). I can’t however remember phone numbers to save my life, and right and left… I still hold my hands to make the ‘L’ when giving directions.
But basically like my in-toeing and depression, it’s a part of who I am, and mostly it doesn’t bother me. Right up until someone starts reading my rough drafts.
There, their, and they’re? I do know the difference, but once I get in a typing groove, I’ll be damned if my fingers do.
Its and it’s… *sigh*
And even worse, that reading thing I mentioned above? I’m a fast reader and I comprehend what I’m reading, but I’m fast because I can (and do) scan whole paragraphs at a time. I get them in their entirety, comprehend the meaning (and remember the details), while barely reading the words.
So proofreading… I try. I really, really do. But my style of reading pretty much means I’m boned. And Prowritingaid.com, while fabulous, is not a fail safe for these things.
So I get critiques with people explaining basic grammar to me. And I appreciate it, as I do their time, and their willingness to keep reading an apparent idiot’s work, but I also want to just scream.
I’m not a moron, but you’d be hard pressed to tell reading some of my rougher drafts.
Words That Burn Like Fire 
I can suggest placing the ‘Please don’t explain grammar to me, I know it’ type of thing in your crit notes, but I know it’s often a lost cause. I’ve done similar things for special instructions, and they get completely ignored. Hang in there!
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Oh it’s more my own frustration. I know my stuff needs proofreading, but I jut want to scream some days.
Especially since I’ll probably never get any better.
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It’s funny, I do the same thing with left and right, I always have to picture the “L,” but sometimes I forget which way an L goes, and then I’m really in trouble. When I talk about my mouse or label hotkeys, I label them “near” and “far” in relation to the keyboard because I’ve got them so mixed up.
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Being aware of the problem means it can get better. It’s just tedious practice, like anything else. 🙂
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I wish, Jeanne. It’s mental wiring though. It’s all correct in my head, but I can’t get it out the right way.
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You know–you’d think by now they would have invented something that would import into Microsoft Word (or your entire computer) that would correct for dyslexia. I don’t think such a thing exists–but it would do well, so someone should create it!!!
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I have dyspraxia—very severe, and mild dyslexia which is JUST enough to make things interesting. Crit sites are great for getting those crucial in-line nitpicks we need so much, but placing guidance for your betas and critiquers along the lines of “dyslexia, I know the rules, I may miss it in the prose.” Then of course there’s the proofreading gaps, the things you miss because “you’re too close to this, I’m taking you off the case!” You need those eyes on your text, repetitions, missing words, strange spellings that not even the spell check can suggest alternatives too. But dyslexic writers often have an edge in terms of storytelling, in terms of the imagination, plot and characterisation. Embrace it. Your writing would not be your writing without it.
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I’ve considered mentioning it in my crit instructions. I just don’t want to sound like I’m making excuses.
Especially since I really, really do appreciate the grammarians and spellcheckers among us.
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I do too! It takes ALL sorts to beta.
“Diagnosed dyslexic so I tend to , keep an eye out for thorough nitpicks are desired for THIS crit, but on THIS crit round I need feedback on etc. Also if you’re posting for beta critique on a certain site I have decided not to promote right now because the owner has trouble being respectful towards the strong female authors there (you know the one I mean) grammar explanations may be used by some critiquers to bump up the word count of the crit. Let them have the wordage, we all need the money, right?
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I do know the one you mean. If the owner would have returned the gift someone gave me (pro-rated) I wouldn’t be there, but alas, the owner is too busy reminding us that they do not run democracy to remember that they *are* running a business.
Once my gift is up not one more penny of mine will be spent there.
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Well, as I reminded the autocratic gentleman in question last week, insulting and abusing your customers, who not only paid him but paid for others, might not be the best business decision. I’ve pulled Sunday Shoes to remove his site from the acknowledgements, and instead will only be acknowledging individuals and perhaps the whole of Fight Club for their help with the actions. Silly boy. We ARE your business. The value is added by the minds that contribute.
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Yes, I will be thanking individuals and groups. But not that site.
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Yup. I have another author friend who was all set for Life Without Premium and then someone gave her membership. I think she might actually be cross with them. However, from the point of view of managing dyslexia, its best to leave detailed critique guidance for your betas. And not judge too harshly if folks up their wordage a bit. Only an idiot would think you were an idiot.
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