A few days ago, a long-time blog reader sent me a long message complaining about the typos that often appear in my writing on the blog. She said she knew I wrote a lot and was diagnosed with Dyslexia but found the typos annoying and distracting.
She wanted to know if I could do something to eliminate my typos, which were distracting and made her uncomfortable. I said the only thing I could think of was lying down in front of a speeding truck on the highway in front of the farmhouse.
She was offended, and I was hurt. She could not imagine why this would have hurt me.
I needn’t go through the details, but she is no longer reading my blog; I hope she has found a blog she likes with no typos. I suggested she might be happier elsewhere.
People love to correct things on social media, and I get a fair amount of nasty comments suggesting I am lazy or stupid or too cheap or egotistical to hire an editor.
Some messages are pitying and patronizing, like the ones where people offer to edit my writing for free as if I couldn’t afford to pay.
(To be honest, I pay an expensive and highly regarded proofreading service to check my blog before I post anything; it has a great reputation.
It does catch some errors. But it also makes twice as many mistakes as I do, and most of the typos now on my blog are created by the software; how ironic.)
From time to time, I need to explain what Dyslexia is. I owe it to the kids who have it.
The National Health Service defines Dyslexia as a common type of learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing, comprehension, and spelling and show itself in many other ways.
But it doesn’t mean people with Dyslexia are stupid or poor performers. Yes, my spelling is poor, my phonetic skills may not be excellent, and I have trouble reading certain words. I have trouble tying shoelaces, doing math, and figuring out left from right.
I struggle with other languages, and sometimes reading can be difficult. I have worked successfully to overcome that.
I took a special course for dyslexics so I could go on book tours, and I had no trouble expressing myself clearly.
Dyslexia is not due to problems with intelligence, hearing, or vision. It feels creepy even to have to say that. Most children with Dyslexia can succeed in school with tutoring or a specialized education program. Emotional support also plays an important role.
I know because I didn’t get any until I met Maria. My father thought I had character issues and didn’t want to work hard. That’s what he thought about my bedwetting also.
As a child, learning disabilities were not well understood; I was diagnosed in my 50s. I had a lot of catchups to do and still do.
My teachers found me either stupid or rebellious and said so. I was forever having to stand up in a corner as punishment for getting tests wrong. I solved that by playing hooky on test days.
People who stumble onto my blog – this often happens due to Facebook or other sites I am linked to – conclude I am lazy or arrogant. The New York Times can afford to pay gifted proofreaders (I know, I worked there) to go over every word that’s going into the paper. I can’t afford that. It’s just me.
And I write more in a day than I did in a week when I was a reporter. I don’t defend myself to the people who complain. They can take me or leave me.
Most of my problems involve language, comprehension, spelling and meaning; I understand information verbally but sometimes struggle with printed matter. I sometimes see things backward or upside down. There are lots of good books for dyslexics.
They help.
Dyslexia is mostly a learning disability in reading. People with dyslexia have trouble reading at a good pace and without mistakes. They may also have a hard time with reading comprehension, spelling, and writing. But these challenges aren’t a problem with intelligence.
And they can be handled.
I’ve had special training to overcome most of my reading issues. I sometimes have to re-read passages, but in the past few years, I just steam along.
I got the new Jonathan Eig biography of Martin Luther King today (King, A Life), and it’s nearly 1,000 pages long. I could never have read that book 20 or 30 years ago, but I can hardly put it down. I’m loving it, at least the first 30 pages.
But many people still don’t understand what Dyslexia means. It means I see the world differently than most people; I sometimes read letters backward or see words out of order. I don’t refuse to edit anything. I proofread everything I write, sometimes three or four times when I have the time.
But I don’t always see the errors other people see, and my software has the same problem I realize. I am constantly changing words for reasons I don’t understand.
The doctor who diagnosed me said I could never publish a daily blog without serious trouble; he advised against it. He sent me to a support and learning group, where I learned that the opposite was true. There are all kinds of tricks and devices for working with Dyslexia and getting around it. And the dyslexics I met were both accomplished and inspiring.
The biggest reason for my typos is that I wrote so much and made a conscious decision – along with my support group – to write more than edit. It isn’t that I don’t proofread; it’s just that writing is more important to me than grammar or spelling. That was a good choice for me, my blog has a much bigger following than the ones whose authors are afraid of making mistakes.
I am not the New York Times and have no desire to be.
I know too many people who get paralyzed on their blogs because they dread making mistakes in public. They spend so much time cleaning up their prose that they don’t write much.
I’ve never equated grammar and spelling with good writing; one has nothing to do with the other. I tell dyslexic kids that good writing comes from the heart, not good spelling.
Dyslexia or not, people have good reason to fear writing online; there are a lot of ass—– out there. Americans have forgotten how to be gentle with one another.
And I see that small people love to correct others. They tend to do it with cruelty. We are all strangers online unless we work hard to get to know each other.
I’d rather write than edit, it’s as simple as that, and I have a very successful blog- several million hits in a year, about 10,000 individual readers on any given day.
My former book editor reviewed my blog at my request, and he said there are relatively few typos given the volume- he understood my Dyslexia well from having to edit my books.
He didn’t know what the fuss was about.
He assured me that I was not stupid and had nothing to be ashamed of.
My books and then my blog were a triumph, he said, I should be proud of them. I am. Very few people have trouble following or grasping what I am writing about. It would be a lot easier if I wrote less, my doctor suggested. Nuts to him.
It can take a toll. Sometimes, at night, I am so tired from all that writing that it feels like my brain has drained right out of my head.
I’m OK with dyslexia. It helped shape who I am, whoever that it is. And it has certainly taught me empathy for all the people who struggle with disorders and handicaps with grace and coursage.
The literature about Dyslexia suggests that many people view people with the disorder as incapable rather than impaired. That can hurt.
I’ve done some Dyslexia mentoring, and it is painful to see the scars on dyslexic children who were not diagnosed early.
I’ve met too many parents who blame their children for being impaired.
My regular blog readers understand my Dyslexia and the volume of writing I insist on doing. Some have become fond of my typos. It’s seen me out and away from the pack.
I get a lot of first-timers on the blog who say they have not seen any other like it. Many stick around, and some run for their lives for one reason or another.
Some get cruel.
I no longer respond to nasty messages, nor do I have the time or wish to spend it defending myself. I don’t want to sound arrogant, but my blog is a take-it-or-leave-it proposition.
It’s accessible; my grandmother taught me never to complain about something free.
Those people usually go away, whining and moaning as if they spent a lot of money for nothing and got cheated.
My blog is crucial to me in many different ways. Everything word I write is an affirmation for me, a kind of victory.
Maria was impressed this morning that I have learned how to fix the toilet seat when it gets broken.
That is the sort of challenge that always defeated or frustrated me. If you were in my house this morning, you could have heard me shouting from the bathroom, “Hey, Maria, I fixed the toilet seat.” I couldn’t have been prouder.
She gave me a great big hug. Progress!
For most of my life, I thought of myself as incapable, and I have been sensitive about that. I’ve worked through that. I could never produce a blog as diverse and wide-ranging as this if I were as dumb as some people assumed I was.
My daughter also has dyslexia and school was sometimes challenging. There was some help but not much. She hated being called out of class for extra help. More recently I began going into schools with my 12-pound poodle and kids read to her in a READ (Reading Education Assistance Program). The kids who worked with Sofie LOVED leaving class and the kids in the class wished they could too. At the end of the year, every child’s reading ability had improved noticeably.
While I notice words, etc in your blog that are ‘incorrect’ I am easily able to mentally correct them. Done! I love your blog – thank you for being so open about the challenges of dyslexia and so many other things.
Thanks for hanging in there with me, Barbara…
Barbara – I’m so glad to see that you and your poodle are involved in the READ program. I am a retired teacher, the last ten as a reading specialist in a primary school, and saw firsthand the effects of the wonderful READ program. I have several friends, here in CT, who have dogs that go to local schools and libraries and always have such a great response.
And, I agree with your words to Jon…it’s so easy to mentally correct misspelled words and just move on with our reading. I just don’t understand why some people need to be so cruel. Dyslexia and Dysgraphia are real challenges for so many.
Jon I’m so sorry this person hurt you! My granddaughter who is 16 now was diagnosed with adhd 2 years ago. She has to take meds to focus. She’s very high functioning and that’s why it wasn’t caught sooner. She goes to an honors high school and with the diagnosis this would not have been possible. This person needs to mind her own business. If she has issues she could have moved on! People amaze me. I was taught what goes around comes around.
Tell her good luck from me and hang in there, Debbie..there is light at the end of the tunnel…
as you mention…..dyslexia takes on many forms. It is sad to me that it is so very misunderstood….and that many must endure ridicule for it and feel the need to defend themselves . Sad state of affairs…….all too common these days.
Thank you though, for bringing it to the forefront again and describing it as it relates to your own life…….. this may be extremely helpful to many people.
Susan M
Thanks Susan, I hope so, I think of all those kids out there who may think they are not bright..
Thank you for sharing your world with the rest of us.
Folks who stress out because of spelling or typos have their own issues.
Continue to send out your thoughts and photos with the rest of us.
Hang in there! You are appreciated and a treasure!
Thanks for sharing my world with me Mary..
It’s so, so apparent that you are not stupid. Getting even one book published is no small feat. I remember that what I wrote was often misprinted in the papers I worked for. I edited like crazy so this raised my ire. It was my name on it after all, and I know readers don’t understand mistakes are generally not a writer’s fault. Also, people are cruel about disabilities. I’ve been haunted most of my life with a variety of ailments (when I was in my 50’s I was “finally” diagnosed with MS). Today, I got horribly lost while going to the dentist. Cognitive issues are a part of MS. This doesn’t mean I’m stupid my brain is just foggy at times. Jon, family can be awful when it comes to learning problems. I couldn’t see the blackboard when I was a child. Finally I was tested at school and it was discovered I desperately needed glasses. I also had to take speech therapy in school. This only reinforced my mother’s thinking that I wasn’t very bright. Amazingly, I went to college in my 40’s and never missed the Dean’s List with a double major while also handling a host of health problems and poverty something none of my siblings managed. And I too would rather write than edit.
Thanks Jean, I love writing and have never much-loved editing…even tho I need it, as all writers do…:)
Maybe your blog should come with a warning: Proceed With Caution – Dyslexic Author Ahead! (Just kidding) I have been following your writings since the first Bedlam Farm and honestly, I’ve never had a problem figuring out what you mean. Sure there are occasional misspellings and puzzling word choices but I think they add to the humor and charm of the blog. Jon, you are obviously an intelligent man. Just keep posting your thoughts. We’ll figure it out.
I’ve learned to love my typos, Barbara, they are an authentic part of me…thanks for the nice words..
I have been enjoying your blog ever since I saw it in my Facebook feed. I started following you in 2015, and not a day goes by that I don’t read it. Thank you for writing a living memoir for us to enjoy.
I’ve grown so used to the typos, that I don’t even see them anymore.
My sister has dyslexia, and fortunately for her a teacher recognized it and got her help.
Thanks Holly, glad you’re here…
Jon, I read your work daily for inspiration. You never fail to do just that. Your definition of dyslexia is right on. Spelling is a visual skill. Natural spellers roll their eyes up and visualize the word. I told my students that their great ideas would one day make them the boss with a secretary to fix any spelling details. Now spellcheck can mangle our efforts. Challenged students are smart. They must be to survive the educational system. We are a family of teachers: my three kids, a daughter in law and three grandkids. They keep me up to date on current learning happenings. I hope that someday our government will realize children are our greatest national resource and fund education properly. My suggestion to your critic is that she prints out your writing and use a red pen to correct any errors. That may satisfy her. Her work will be worth the paper it is written on, nothing more.
They are lucky to have you, Mary Jo..My critic has moved on…good for both us..
Jon,
How is it possible that you don’t acknowledge how successful your life has been?
Dyslexia was the path that drove you to All your material accomplishments.
Unbelievable, for many without dyslexia have not accomplished such.
Now for spiritual journey…..you are a Warrior!
P.S There is nothing more insufferable than Perfectionists watching other’s perfections.
Seeing what one needs to see with the eyes of love
Understanding what one needs to understand with the heart of love
Letting go what one needs to let go of to be free of EGO !
Shalom…have fun with your mistakes !
!
Interesting Gil, thank you
The 8th annual Dyslexia Awareness Day in Albany tomorrow, I will be there supporting and advocating for those with Dyslexia. We have fifty years of reading research- we can do better with recognizing this learning difference earlier on – as opposed to the wait to fail approach.
Thank you for writing about this important learning difference.
Jon. I love your blog. Your honesty. Variety. And willingness to take a stand. Take care of yourself . Sooo proud of your handling and explaining your health issues. Growing older isn’t for sissies. You help all of us. With your openess. Hugs
Thanks Nancy, you are helping me also, and thanks..
So – is Lewis Carroll’s “The Jabberwocky” just a complete nightmare for unimaginative perfectionists?
(I wonder what happened when the creators of spell-check tried running THAT through….)
As opposed to just enjoying its complete and utter fantastical rhyming and linguistic fun, repetitively bandied between siblings for the enjoyment of the creative vocabulary.
Typos shmypos – it’s about context.
Nice message, Amy, got me smiling…
I am your age. In my early 20s I was a teacher. One of my high school students met and married a guy who had been in the first clinical trial at MIT teaching dyslexics to learn to read fluidly, so that would have been the early 70s. He was in the first group of people who were dyslexic and got through law school, and has been practicing law ever since.
I have dealt with Dyslexia and Learning Disabilities all of my life. I am living with it as well as a senior which has been harding to deal with as I age, sadly.
I totally empathize with you about the Dyslexia. From my viewpoint many creative folks have some sort of “handicap” but it is all part of our creative makeup. What really got me today is your sense of humor. Laying down in front of a truck made me laugh out loud , not something I find myself doing first thing in the morning. I will be smiling all day. Onward! D
As usual Jon your responses are real and much nicer than most people would have been. I personally know some brilliant people who have dyslexia and they are successful because they know they have to try harder than most. If you think about the way we communicate these days EVERYTHANG has typos! 😉😆
Jon,
Thanks for this message.
We must all remember that we are humans and are not perfect. Perfect is an absolute. We all make mistakes at times. Typos are often done by us all. Even your expensive proofreading service, since they are humans, make mistakes.
I say, “So what.” Continue to write your great blog so that we may get your messages from a human being who proves he’s not perfect.
Jon,
You are a blessing 🙏🙏
Hey Jon,
I feel called to respond. It never ceases to amaze me that people actually have or take or make the time to write to you about spelling and have it be negative, punishing or starkly disapproving. The arrogance in that action is baffling. Of course all of us who love your blog notice the typos and sometimes they are dramatically funny. But we all know where they come from. It’s the message, the story, that counts. Not the wrapping.
I used to be a reporter, like you. And I was without fail stunned when I noticed what the correctors found in my copy. I am ambitious so it became a sport to me to try and beat the correctors and have nil mistakes. Sometimes I won that race. More often not. Especially when a piece was written with emotion or in haste.
With current day devices, spelling has become even harder, because it goes much further than just suggesting alternatives and finding classic spelling errors. The corrector part of in particular mobile device apps makes a lot of assumptions to know what I wish to write. That irritates me sometimes. It’s like talking to someone who does not know how to let you finish your own thoughts before cutting in with what they think you wish to say. Have you ever met someone like that? They are starting to talk before you can finish a single sentence… But it is what it is.
When I write for my own blog I do sometimes create the article in Word. Just out of laziness so that I don’t have to hunt for errors myself. One tends to be blind to one’s own writing. I find Word the best app for spotting errors. But even then there are mistakes. Because I am human. And no one piece of software can always know 100% what I want to write or mean to express. Perfection is boring. Humanity is fascinating.
The only logical step for someone who disapproves of your content seems to me to be not reading it anymore. And that is what she apparently did. Good for her!
You, Jon, in the meantime, keep producing blog content any which way you want. I learn so much from the things you bring up. And it often makes me think hard about certain topics. I admire how vulnerable you are willing to be. In correct spelling or not. We get you anyway!