Elevate Your Prose with Proofreaders

Five Editors and Tips on Using Them

I hunt for ways to improve my writing constantly. Using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) proofreader is necessary. You may hear them called AI editors. Most have browser integration which will respond and make suggestions as you write on the internet. I use this feature more often than expected because it catches issues I haven’t considered.

You want your audience to read to the end of your post when publishing to Facebook or anywhere. The grammar rules are there for precisely that reason. They allow your reader’s mind to digest more easily what you stated. An awkward sentence creates an obstacle in the brain to figure out content and intent. Below are five online proofreaders to explore. Try them to decide which suits your needs.

To use a proofreader is not cheating but a staple for better communication.

Hemingway App

Hemingway App–A longtime favorite for writers. You can find my recent review of it here. Overall, the editor steers the writer towards more concise sentences. Its landing page greets you with bright colors displayed with instructions.

• Blue - Reduce the number of adverbs.

• Green - Passive voice found.

• Purple - Choose a less complex word.

• Yellow - Sentence that can be difficult to read.

• Red - Sentence that is exceedingly difficult to read.

Tip: See the ‘Write’ and ‘Edit’ boxes in the top right of the screen. The page defaults to ‘Edit’ mode to highlight suggestions. Temporarily turn them off to remove distractions by clicking on ‘Write’.

Grammarly

Grammarly–This editor is a fan favorite. It’s easy to use, and its free version is robust. Their browser extension is available for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. It reviews and suggests as you write. I have ProWritingAid premium, another AI editor, including their browser extension. Ironically, because Grammarly is less intense, it runs faster in the browser while still fulfilling my needs. (ProWritingAid browser extensions are only available with a premium membership.) Your free account works in their online editor and their downloadable software, too. They don’t offer premium with a one-time cost, but subscription plans only. The lack of paying only once is still my block to upgrading permanently. The free version, though, supplies my needs enough to continue using its browser extension.

Note: The Grammarly sample text used wasn’t my first choice. The editor didn’t supply any suggestions for it despite ProWritingAid and others finding at least a few. (See the ProWritingAid example for that text.) Example of how editors differ in the feedback they offer. I use two or more AI editors when needing to produce a higher quality of writing (beyond daily use in social media posts and similar).

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid–The ultimate AI editor. The software is unparalleled. The free version includes twenty-two powerful writing reports. I fell in love with it when I became serious about writing. I have since invested in a lifetime premium membership.

It allows you to paste up to five hundred words into their online editor. You can continue copying and pasting five hundred words repeatedly to edit each new batch of your writing. Consider whether this word limit works for you. However, this is the only online AI editor I’ve found that does not collect information about your writing. Nor does it sell your details to any third parties.

Go here for feature details of the free version.

Link to their online editor (after you’ve signed up for a free account).

Tip: Their premium offers tools for creative writing, including style, dialogue, pacing, and sensory.

Note: I used a free account for the displayed example.

Writer

Writer–This editor is quick and easy with no sign-up required for free use. It provides free integration with Chrome, Google Docs, Word, Outlook, and Figma. Unlike ProWritingAid, these integrations don’t cost which is a big plus for this editor. It isn’t as robust as Grammarly or ProWritingAid. But it works well for daily use and offers multiple integrations. I appreciate the lack of advertising on their page compared to other free grammar checks on the internet (not listed in this article).

LanguageTool

LanguageTool–This online editor is unique because it offers free online proofreading services for twenty-two languages. Non-English writers have fewer editors available, and this tool helps fill that gap. It has many integrations with various browser add-ons, office plugins, apps, and email add-ons. As with ProWritingAid, it limits text for editing (free version). For LanguageTool, the limit is 10,000 characters at a time. It’s a free and open-source grammar, style, and spell checker. Every feature is available for download. A premium version is available for more intense checking.

More information: (1) Their wiki page. (2) List of languages available and level of support for each one. (3) Their developer page for the technical side of this open-source website.

Proofreader Tips

Subtle Signs of a Mistake - I occasionally find two AI editors giving conflicting advice and not agreeing. For example, I thought ‘second hand’ meant for something to become instinctual. It doesn’t. Each AI editor kept trying to change it. It would try to hyphen the word if it weren’t. And vice versa. Or it would suggest putting a space between ‘second’ and ‘hand’. These are subtle warnings of incorrect word usage. The two editors remained conflicted regardless of the changes I applied. I discovered I’ve misunderstood the meaning of that word and need to replace it. This is one example of editors improving your writing skill. It becomes a learning experience.

Realtime Feedback - ‘Live’ suggestions can be annoying. Try ignoring them or temporarily turning them off until you complete writing your passage. Then turn them back on or pay attention to their recommendations to review and edit.

Decisions on Feedback - AI editors/proofreaders are computer programs. Not every suggestion will be correct for your writing every time. The writer, you, must make the final decision on each of their recommendations. This rule is valid even when using a human editor. With that said, using one will become instinctual. You will, in time, know which to accept and those needing more review.

Conclusion

You might revisit this list to discover a different editor works better than the first one you chose. Most writers eventually encounter this. Your needs might also have changed. Flexibility and reexamining your tools occasionally can be helpful. Especially true as more writing resources become available each year.

Were any of the suggestions useful? Consider liking the article or dropping a comment below. Feedback is how I learn about your needs to offer you more relevant content.

~ Write on, fellow scribbler, and express yourself! ~

The products I recommend are never promotional. The content and opinions are sincere.