| Of all the professions to choose, being | | | | recent work was the script for The Ice |
| a writer would seem to be one of the | | | | Harvest. |
| most trying for a person with a learning | | | | 2. Fannie Flagg |
| disability. Still, some people with | | | | Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, Flagg |
| scholastic problems-even those that | | | | struggled with severe dyslexia, which |
| interfere specifically with language, | | | | led her to believe that her dreams of |
| such as dyslexia,feel the urge to | | | | being a professional writer were out of |
| express themselves through writing. The | | | | reach. She initially began her career as |
| obstacles these individuals encounter | | | | a news anchor, then moved on to acting |
| are considerable, but if they can find a | | | | in such movies as Five Easy Pieces and |
| way to overcome them, they just might be | | | | Grease. While Flagg had found success as |
| able to create a true work of literary | | | | an actress, the pull to write was just |
| art. The following writers have all | | | | too strong to ignore. A writers' |
| struggled with learning disabilities and | | | | conference inspired her to craft her |
| have proven that the challenges that | | | | first short story, for which she won a |
| those with learning problems face | | | | prize. Encouraged by this warm |
| head-on can often reap the biggest | | | | reception, Flagg began writing in |
| rewards. Among these inspirational | | | | earnest. Her bestselling novel, Fried |
| examples are: | | | | Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, |
| 1. Robert BentonThis 74-year-old | | | | was turned into a much beloved movie, |
| screenwriter grew up during a time when | | | | for which she wrote the Academy Award |
| there wasn't much information available | | | | nominated screenplay. Flagg's warm, |
| about dyslexia. Finding reading and | | | | funny novels have continued to land on |
| writing difficult and branded as "slow," | | | | the bestseller lists. Her latest book is |
| Benton's imagination was captured by the | | | | Can't Wait to Get to Heaven. |
| movies. He became a film fanatic, | | | | 3. Wendy Wasserstein |
| watching his favorites over and over | | | | This late, great playwright also |
| again. This dedication led him to a deep | | | | struggled with dyslexia throughout her |
| understanding of what worked and what | | | | formative years. She went on to receive |
| didn't in the cinematic world. After a | | | | degrees from Mount Holyoke, City College |
| brief stint as an art director for | | | | of New York, and Yale. Wasserstein was |
| Esquire magazine, Benton decided to try | | | | known for extremely witty and incisive |
| his hand at screenwriting by partnering | | | | plays about intelligent, successful |
| with his friend, David Newman. The | | | | women dealing with their inner demons. |
| product of their partnership was the | | | | The Heidi Chronicles catapulted her into |
| critically-acclaimed screenplay for | | | | theatre world superstardom, earning her |
| Bonnie & Clyde which launched his | | | | a Tony Award and a Pulitzer Prize. Her |
| writing career. Benton went on to win | | | | final play, Third, opened on Broadway in |
| best screenplay Academy Awards for | | | | 2005. She is also the author of four |
| Places in the Heart and Kramer vs. | | | | books, including Elements of Style, and |
| Kramer. He continues writing | | | | wrote the screenplay for the film |
| professionally to this day; his most | | | | version of The Object of My Affection. |