What would you do?

topic posted Mon, August 13, 2007 - 10:56 AM by  Stacie
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If you went blind? How would you write? I have been having some eye problems lately, and I have been forced to think about this question, although my eye problems are not that serious (yet?).

But if you were forced to work with a visual impairment, how would you go about it? Would using methods that didn't use your eyes, such as dictation or using a transcriber, change the way your stories turn out.

Personally, I get a different result from just using a computer vs. typewriter or writing by hand. I can only imagine how dictating a story would change it.

What do you guys think?
posted by:
Stacie
Nevada
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  • Re: What would you do?

    Mon, August 13, 2007 - 7:53 PM
    First, {{{Strong Hugs}}}

    I found this --
    www.lit.org/view/12763

    written by a writer with a degenerative eye disease. Roxanne Smolen uses a computer program with a robotic voice that echoes back to her what is on the screen, and she finds that it's more accurate than speech recognition programs.

    I also didn't realize until now that Jorge Luis Borges had been blind. He continued writing after becoming blind in 1955 and six years later won the Formentor Prize.

    I'd say that's one heckuva role model. :)

    Before I Googled "writer" and "blind" the first thing I thought of was using not one but two recording devices -- one on which to draft and one on which to dictate notes while drafting -- but that reflects my way of writing in general. I also write much differently depending on whether I compose on the computer or longhand -- and I always had trouble using a typewriter for drafts.

    I also immediately thought of support groups. I can't imagine what you're going through right now. I found Nan Hawthorne's article on resources for writers with visual impairments at:

    www.esight.org/View.cfm

    I'd say to network however you can. See what resources are out there. And experiment with whatever methods you're curious about.
    And keep the faith. My quick Googling tells me you're not alone by a long shot.

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