Automatic Text Analysis
ProWritingAid will automatically analyze your text using various statistics and proprietary algorithms. The analyses are based on the established rules for good writing that actually can be measured, e.g. Adverbs should be used in a limited amount, be extra cautious when transitions are used and use fewer pronouns, glue words, etc. These rules will be more or less apparent when you are writing well. ProWritingAid helps you to make it easily visible.
Realtime lets you quickly go through documents.
Once you’ve fixed the errors Once you’ve fixed the errors, you can begin editing each report. They let you examine your sentences, words that are repeated and more. You can also run the Summary Report to determine the areas you should focus on to make the most improvement in the most time:
How to Utilize it
ProWritingAid offers a variety of formats. You can utilize the Web Editor to edit documents within your browser, their browser extensions let you fix grammar issues quickly on websites like Twitter, WordPress, Gmail and Facebook, and their Word extensions for Windows and Mac allow you to edit your Word documents directly.
Today, we’ll focus on their Desktop App. This app is perfect for working with Ulysses documents.
ProWritingAid.com registration is required for access to the software. There are a variety of ways to use Ulysses documents and ProWritingAid. Ulysses writers have two choices: the web-based Web Editor is free, or you can download the desktop app. Premium licenses are needed to edit over 500 words simultaneously or to utilize the desktop software.
The desktop app can read and writing eight file types, including Markdown. Markdown File can be used to export Ulysses text. ProWritingAid will then edit the text, and you can import it back to Ulysses for further processing. It’s fast and easy however you can’t save images or sheet attachments such as writing goals. After some experimentation using the app, I discovered that the following workflow is effective for me:
Start ProWritingAid. Create a Markdown file.
Open your Ulysses sheet and select a text section. Then, select the Edit menu’s “Copy as Markdown” command.
Paste into ProWritingAid.
Now go one by one through the reports, and edit within ProWritingAid.
After you’re done editing, copy and paste the text.
Copy the text from the original passage to the Ulysses sheet.
The Reports
In every ProWritingAid report, the problems found in your text appear underlined. When moving your cursor over a text that is underlined, you’ll get an explanation and/or recommendation. Click on a suggestion if it is relevant, e.g. Click on the suggestion to see a simpler word or an equivalent.
The reports include an explanation of the subject as well as a link to detailed information on the topic. You will find some examples to give you an idea of the depth and breadth of my explanation.
Writing Style Review This report was designed to improve your writing style. This report will help you identify the use of passive voice within your text. The sentences that are active voice are more interesting and easy to comprehend. Writing Style Check also points out repetitions in sentence beginnings and Adverbs. The report offers suggestions for improving the readability of your text.
Overused Words Check This report highlights words so commonly used in everyday life that they have been deemed boring and meaningless, e.g there and have . ProWritingAid will help you find the words that are extensively used.
Sentence Length Verify
Texts that contain sentences of varying lengths are more enjoyable to read. The report will display the length of your sentences in bar graphs so that you can see quickly if you need to work on improving. What’s more it will highlight particularly long sentences, as they tend to render a text difficult to comprehend.
Pricing
ProWritingAid Online Tool is Free. Although it is less user-friendly and doesn’t offer access to all reports, it could be helpful in creating a first impression. Premium memberships can be purchased for as low as $79 for a calendar year, and $399 for a lifetime license. ProWritingAid provides a 14-day money back assurance that you will be satisfied with your decision.
Final Thoughts
ProWritingAid cannot (and isn’t meant to) substitute for a human editor. The tool can highlight certain specific aspects of the text and performs an impressive job. You will still have edit your text by on your own, however ProWritingAid can improve this process and speed it up.