Editing & Grammar Software Recommendations

[Dorian W. Gray]

Hello all,

I hope all is well with you.

Has anyone used Writer’s Workbench or Editor Software that ‘supposedly’ plays a role of an Editor, at least in terms of catching typos and typical grammatical errors?

After writing hundred thousand plus words, I’ve learned that it is almost impossible for me to catch my own errors (grammatical and typos) that I would normally catch, let alone the ones that I don’t even know about.

So if you have worked with either one of the Software, mentioned above, or if you have worked/used other editing Software, I would love to hear about your personal experience using that software.

I found the most comprehensive information at the following site, which seems to be a legitimate one.

http://check-writing-software-review.toptenreviews.com/ (http://check-writing-software-review.toptenreviews.com/)

Thank you for your response.

Regards,

Dorian Gray

[RJK]

Your link isn't right.
I looked at both software packages. They look interesting. Editor originates in the UK and may use British grammar and spelling rules, I'm not sure. Neither programs are inexpensive, but they may be worthwhile for those who paid no attention in high school grammar.
They do provide good reminders of your errors and prompt you to fix them. I particularly like the diction review. That, however may stroke itself out trying to analyze fictional dialog, and that's where I see the problem. The software is designed for business communication, not fiction writers.

[GeorgieB]

My wife and I both use Editor and have for several years.

It works well, even though it prefers English (UK) spelling. But, that's correctable.

But, even after using the software, the best way to recheck is to read it, aloud preferably, or have your computer read it back to you as you read along using a printed copy.

The best software is still between your ears.

[Jamesaritchie]

If you trust either program, you'll be disappointed. Both make a LOT of mistakes, and the only way to find the mistakes is to go through your writing sentence by sentence. Use them or not, you still need to be able to find and recognize grammar and editing mistakes on your own.

[Chris P]

I conduct freelance editing (so I'm biased), and there is no substitute for a human reader with a good style guide handy.

[NeuroFizz]

If you intend to take your writing beyond the hobby stage, you will have to develop self-editing skills of your own. Only you know the reason for specific sentence constructions and their relation to the flow and rhythm of your prose. Rules of grammar and sentence construction are sometimes tossed to the wind for the sake of that flow and rhythm. If you want to sterilize your writing, run it through some restrictive program that has no memory for context and no ability to gauge flow. As for typos, read the sentences backwards if you have to, but this is a basic aspect of editing that should come easy to writers, particularly with spell checkers on word processing programs (which also make frequent errors, but at least point out potential problems for author decisions).

[blacbird]

If you trust either program, you'll be disappointed. Both make a LOT of mistakes, and the only way to find the mistakes is to go through your writing sentence by sentence. Use them or not, you still need to be able to find and recognize grammar and editing mistakes on your own.

Echoed for truth and emphasis. Too many people are too ready to grab for a piece of software to avoid the simple necessary work of the eyes and brain.

caw