Automatic Text Analysis
ProWritingAid automatically analyzes your text based on various statistics and its proprietary algorithms. These analyses are based a set of rules for writing that can be assessed. These rules are measurable for example, the usage of adverbs in a moderate manner. If you care for good writing, you’ll probably try to stick to these rules in some way, or at least in your head. ProWritingAid makes the rules visible.
Realtime lets you quickly work through documents.
Once you’ve fixed these errors After you have fixed these errors, you can proceed to individual reports and edit more in detail. They let you examine your word choices, sentence structures, repeated words and more. You can run a Summary Report in order to identify the areas that need improvement the fastest.
How to Use It
ProWritingAid can be downloaded in a variety of formats. It is possible to use their Web Editor for editing documents within your browser. Also, the browser extensions allow quick grammar corrections for sites like Twitter as well as Facebook. Word addins for Windows, Mac and Windows allow you to modify Word documents right from the start.
Today, though we’ll be focusing on their Desktop App , which is great to work on the Ulysses documents.
You’ll have to sign up on ProWritingAid.com to be able to use the tool. There are many ways you can work with Ulysses files and ProWritingAid. Ulysses writers can either utilize the free online Web Editor, or download the desktop software. It is necessary to purchase a premium license in order to edit more words than 500 words in a session or use the desktop application.
The desktop application can read and writing eight file types which includes Markdown. Markdown File can be used to export Ulysses text. ProWritingAid will then edit the text, and you can then import it to Ulysses for further processing. This is fast and easy. But, you aren’t able to save images and other sheet attachments like writing goals. After some experimentation with the app, I discovered the following workflow works well for me:
Start ProWritingAid. Create a Markdown file.
Go to Ulysses, select a text paragraph, and use the Copy as Markdown command in the Edit menu.
Paste into ProWritingAid.
Review each report, one at a and then edit in ProWritingAid.
Once you are done, you can select the edited text and copy it.
Paste the text back onto your Ulysses sheet, replacing the previous version of the passage, and then select the “Paste from Markdown” option from the Edit menu.
The Reports
ProWritingAid reports display your text underlined. The explanations and/or suggestions will appear when you drag your cursor over the underlined portion of your text. Simply click on the suggestion, e.g. Click on an idea, e.g.
The reports include a short explanation along with the ProWritingAid’s extensive information. Let me provide an example that will help understand what I am talking about.
Writing Style Check This report is meant to help improve your writing style, based on various rules for excellent writing. The report, for instance will identify the passive voice that is present in your writing. Active voice sentences are easier to read. Writing Style Check will also identify repeated sentences starts and suggests ways to improve the readability of your text.
Overused Words Check This report will identify words so frequently used that they have lost significance and are no longer relevant in everyday life. It is impossible to always avoid them, but ProWritingAid will tell you the instances where you’ve used them to excess.
Check the length of your sentences.
Texts with sentences with different lengths make text more interesting to read. This report displays the length of your sentences in bar graphs so that you can determine quickly whether you require to work on improving. In addition, it highlights lengthy sentences that can make a text more difficult to comprehend.
Pricing
ProWritingAid offers an online tool that’s free. It’s not as intuitive and it won’t allow you to view all reports. However, it could make a good first impression. Premium memberships are available at a price of $79 for a calendar year, and $399 for a lifetime license. It is possible to explore the options to figure out if ProWritingAid is for you, because it comes with 14 days of money-back guarantee.
Final Thoughts
ProWritingAid cannot (and isn’t meant to) substitute for an editor who is human. The tool highlights the most important aspects of your document and performs an extensive job. ProWritingAid cannot replace the manual editing process of your text. However, it can make the process easier and more efficient.