Automatic Text Analysis
ProWritingAid conducts an automatic analysis of your written text using various statistical indicators and its proprietary algorithms. The analyses are based on established guidelines for writing, which can be evaluated. Make use of adverbs sparingly, fewer transitions, less pronouns, glue words etc. If you care for quality writing, you’ll likely try to stick to these rules more or less subconsciously. ProWritingAid makes them easily visible.
If you want to work through your document in a hurry The Realtime feature can help you edit away any glaring spelling, grammar and style issues:
After these errors are corrected, you can proceed to separate reports for thorough editing. These let you examine your word choices, sentence structures, repeated words and more. You can run a Summary Report to determine the areas you should focus on to make the most improvements in the most time:
How to Use it
ProWritingAid can be downloaded in a variety of formats. Their Web Editor lets you edit documents using your browser. They also include browser extensions that let users to fix their grammar issues on websites such as Twitter, WordPress, Gmail, Facebook and Facebook. You can also modify your Word documents with their Word add-ins that are available for Windows as well as Mac.
Today, though we’ll be focusing on their Desktop App , which is great to work with your Ulysses documents.
You’ll need to register on ProWritingAid.com to be able to use the tool. There are a variety of methods to use Ulysses documents and ProWritingAid. Ulysses authors can utilize the online Web Editor for free or download the desktop application. If you want to edit over 500 words at once or use the desktop app you’ll require an upgrade license.
The desktop app can read 8 kinds of files (Markdown included). So you can export a Ulysses text as Markdown File, conduct the editing process using ProWritingAid and then import it back to your Ulysses library to further process. It’s fast and effective however it doesn’t permit you to keep the images or attachments that you use for writing goals. After playing with the app, I used the following as my preferred method of working:
Use ProWritingAid to create a Markdown file.
Visit your Ulysses file, select the text you want to copy and then select the “Copy a Markdown” command in the Edit menu.
Paste into ProWritingAid.
Go through each report, one at a and then edit it in ProWritingAid.
Once you are satisfied you are satisfied, copy the edited text.
Copy the text from the original passage to the Ulysses sheet.
The Reports
In every ProWritingAid report, problems that you have identified in your report are underlined. The explanations and/or recommendations will appear when you drag your cursor across the underlined portion of your text. Select a suggestion to see the possibilities for solutions. Click the suggestion to view the word in a simpler form, or a synonym.
The reports include brief explanations as well as a link to more detailed details about the report’s topic on the ProWritingAid website. To give an idea of what I’ll include examples and more information.
Writing Style Audit This report will help improve your writing style. For instance it will help you identify passive voice in your writing that could make your writing difficult to comprehend. Sentences that are active in voice are simpler to read. Writing Style Check examines sentence start points that are repeated and offers suggestions for improvements to readability.
Overused Words: This article explores the meaning behind words that are utilized so often in everyday life that they are almost meaningless. ProWritingAid can tell the words you’ve used too often.
Check your sentences
Texts that contain sentences of various lengths are easier to read. The report shows the length of your sentences in a bar graph, to let you know at a glance if there’s an opportunity to improve. Additionally, it will highlight long sentences which can make a text difficult to understand.
Pricing
ProWritingAid’s online tool is completely free. This tool is not as user-friendly and it doesn’t offer all available reports. But, it could suffice to create a first impression. You can use the desktop app as well as other add-ons when you have a premium membership. It costs $79 per year or $399 for a lifetime licence. You can take your time to determine whether ProWritingAid is right for you because it comes with 14 days of money-back guarantee.
Final Thoughts
ProWritingAid cannot (and is not meant to) substitute for a human editor. It focuses on specific measurable aspects of a text and does an excellent job. Although you’ll still have edit the text by yourself, ProWritingAid will make this easier and faster.