Whether it’s an email or a manuscript, content swathed in grammatical errors sends the wrong message. Luckily, there are several online tools that can help you clean up your writing.
Some, like Hemingway and Grammarly, offer free versions, while others, like Autocrit, have a subscription model. The software costs $30 a month and offers a week-long free trial.
Grammar Checker
Grammarly is one of the most advanced grammar checkers on the market. It offers a full suite of writing tools that help you produce quality content that aligns with your brand. The tool is compatible with a wide range of platforms including Microsoft Word, WordPress and Google Docs.
Its grammar checker detects grammatical errors, run-on sentences, punctuation mistakes and spelling errors. It also flags passive voice and identifies overused words. It highlights these issues and recommends ways to rectify them. It is available as a desktop software, iOS and Android app, Chrome extension and browser plugin.
Another notable feature of Grammarly is its readability analysis. It analyzes sentence structure, formatting, clarity, tone and formality level. The program also helps you avoid common lulls in your text by recommending changes to sentence length and complexity. It also checks for overused words and filler phrases. The software is free to use and has a subscription plan. You can download it for Windows, Mac or Linux.
Readability Analysis
Unlike some other grammar checking software programs that only check for grammatical errors, AutoCrit also analyses your text for readability. Essentially, it compares your manuscript with books in your genre to ensure that you write within the typical pacing and style of your particular category. This is especially important for novelists and scriptwriters as it prevents you from writing outside your genre’s expectations, which can potentially confuse your readers and hurt your sales.
While most of the other programs on this list can give you a Flesch reading ease score and a Kincaid reading grade level, none of them go as far as Autocrit in analyzing the overall readability of your work. It utilizes a variety of metrics including the Gunning Fog Index, Fry Reading Graph and Dale-Chall readability scores.
Overall, Autocrit is the best grammar checker for fiction writers. General content writers and non-fiction authors won’t get much value from its extra features. That being said, it is still a great tool to use for proofreading and improving your writing.
Synonyms and Antonyms
Choosing the right word to convey your meaning is one of the most important parts of writing. Synonyms allow you to express a similar meaning with subtle distinctions that can make a big difference to your readers.
The English language is full of synonyms, and a thesaurus helps you find them. A thesaurus is a dictionary that lists words with the same or similar meanings. For example, the word good has several synonyms: excellent, fine, satisfactory, and wonderful.
The opposite of a synonym is an antonym, which means the word has exactly the opposite meaning. Knowing antonyms is useful to avoid using the same word over and over again, which can be boring for your reader. It is also a good way to expand your vocabulary.
Language Learning
While Grammarly focuses on catching objective errors, Autocrit takes it a step further by analyzing your content at a deeper level. The software helps writers understand why their writing may not be effective or readable, and it provides suggestions on how to correct them.
For example, it detects pacing issues such as slow-paced sections and paragraphs. It also assesses dialogue and word choice. Its ability to compare your manuscript to other novels of the same genre is another unique feature that sets it apart from its competitors.
However, it is important to note that Autocrit is geared more towards fiction authors and does not offer the same degree of support for nonfiction authors as Grammarly or ProWritingAid. Also, the tool does not have any browser plugins or desktop apps whereas both Grammarly and ProWritingAid do. These factors make it unlikely that Autocrit will supplant either of its competitors. Nevertheless, it is an interesting option to consider if you are looking for a grammar checker with more comprehensive analysis capabilities.