Dyslexia & Tech: How I Use Tools Like ChatGPT To Write Without Shame

 

Writing used to feel like trying to run a marathon in flip-flops — uphill — during a thunderstorm — with people watching.

If you have dyslexia, you probably know that feeling. You’ve got thoughts, ideas, emotions, jokes — entire worlds spinning in your head — but when you try to get them out in writing? It’s like your fingers and brain are trying to speak two completely different languages.

I’ve struggled with spelling, grammar, sentence flow… basically, anything that involves written communication. I used to avoid writing anything too long. Even emails felt like minefields. I’d reread them ten times, and still someone would point out a typo or say, “You used the wrong their again.”

Cheers, mate. I know.

But here’s the twist: I actually love writing. I’ve got stories to tell — about parenting, autism, ADHD, moving around Asia, archaeology, databases, life — you name it. I just never had the confidence. And I always carried that tiny voice in my head saying, “You’re not good enough at this.”

Then I found tools like ChatGPT, and it felt like someone had finally handed me a pen that didn’t fight back.

Now, instead of hiding my voice, I use tech to help me express it. I write how I speak. I pour my thoughts out — messy, real, sometimes in all caps with no punctuation — and then I let ChatGPT help me shape them. It’s like having a patient editor who doesn’t judge, sigh, or red-pen everything into oblivion.

I also use mind maps to organise my ideas before I write (my brain LOVES chaos, but it needs a bit of scaffolding), and the Pomodoro technique to stay focused without getting burnt out. Small chunks, short breaks. I’m basically tricking my brain into behaving.

Do I feel bad using tools to help me write? Not one bit.

You wouldn’t ask someone with poor eyesight to read a book without glasses, would you? So why should I feel ashamed of using tools to bridge the gap between my thoughts and the page?

The truth is, these tools have given me freedom. I can now write blogs like this — raw, funny, sad, or weird — and focus on what I’m trying to say, instead of worrying about where the apostrophes go. (I still don’t fully know, by the way. Apostrophes are jerks.)

And if you're reading this thinking, “I want to write, but I’m scared,” let me tell you: your voice matters. There are people out there who need to hear your story, your humour, your pain, your perspective. Don’t let spelling stop you.

We live in a world where technology can help us speak louder — even if the words come out scrambled at first. That’s not cheating. That’s adapting. That’s being smart.

So here I am, writing without shame — because with ChatGPT by my side and a brain wired a little differently, I’ve finally found my voice.

And I’m not letting it go quiet again.