How to Write Great Content that's Slick and Error-Free
In the world of webinars and online streaming, the worth of written text still holds strong. Many people especially look for written content even when a video alternative is present. What that says is that it is still important to devote time and energy to write content that is captivative and error-free. Read this article to know how to write such content.
Genius writers are not gods. Just like the rest of us, they too struggle with grammar, syntax, and all the other tiny, niggling issues that have plagued writers for centuries.
When a misplaced apostrophe or an incorrect verb form makes it through the editing process, even the most brilliant blog post will suffer an immediate downgrade.Rich, Famous Authors Have Professional Editors
The Stephen Kings and James Pattersons among us have editors, as do big-time journalists who write for big-time publications like the New York Times or Vanity Fair.
But the rest of us? Well, until Grammarly came along, we had only our weary, over-worked brains to rely upon for proofreading. And anyone in the business knows, when you're tired the first thing to go is your radar for mistakes. The second thing to go is your willingness to re-read your post. "Good enough!"The Rest of Us Have Grammarly
If you haven't heard of Grammarly and you consider yourself a writer, here's your chance to get up to speed in your profession.
You see, even good writers can stand to be better writers. What happens is that when you're in school, grammar is just another subject to try and stay on top of; when you're out of school, it can be even harder to brush up on what might have been forgotten since graduation.
But good writing makes a good impression everywhere, from personal essays to business letters to social media. Using a tool like Grammarly is an easy path to better writing with minimal effort.
How Does Grammarly Work?
Grammarly is available as an add-on to Chrome, Safari, and Firefox browsers. It's also available as an online interface, where users can copy and paste the text into it for review. Most writers prefer the browser version since it works in real-time as they type.
Here's what it looks like in WordPress- the Grammarly icons can be found at the bottom of your writing window:
There's a free version that checks for 150 errors, as well as a premium version that corrects for an additional 100 errors, plus a plagiarism check, Grammarly for MS Office option, and citation suggestions.
In the screenshots above and below, you can see two different circular icons. The green icon displays how many errors you get to check for free. The yellow icon displays how many "advanced issues" you can access if you pay for the premium version.
Clicking the right-most icon (below, it's red) launches a Grammarly window. From there, you can easily make the suggested edits.
Here's what the Grammarly window looks like when you're making your edits. Suggestions are in green.
In addition to the tool, Grammarly offers an online community, blog, and Facebook and Twitter presence.
If you discover that you're a grammar hound and can't get enough of it, there's even a free online English grammar handbook that covers grammar, punctuation, writing mechanics, writing techniques, and writing style.
Now let's dig into how Grammarly can change your life.4 Ways Grammarly Helps Writers
1. It's Far More Than Just Spell Check
Most word-processing programs include a spell-check function. But many writing errors aren't limited to spelling errors alone.
Grammarly goes beyond spelling to check for errors related to verb tense, subject/verb agreement, placement of modifiers, and words used out of context. The thesaurus function improves vocabulary by including several word options sorted by degrees of meaning so you can choose the best one for context and usage.
With continued usage, writers may find an increase in their technical writing skills, as well as their vocabulary strength and diversity.2. It Actually Improves Your Knowledge Over Time
Not only does Grammarly point out errors in spelling and writing mechanics that need attention, the application also offers users an explanation - not only what's wrong but why it's wrong.
The feedback suggested by Grammarly suggests where an error has occurred, as well as the reason why a particular word or passage is wrong, plus examples of correct and incorrect usage.
Writers get more than a fix. They get a brief education that helps improve their writing and make it better next time.3. It Adds Incredible Efficiency to Your Writing
Having Grammarly installed as a browser add-on or a premium desktop application makes spelling and grammar checks nearly automatic and seamless. Rather than writing a piece, and then proofreading it and checking it for grammar, Grammarly allows you to edit as you go.
Taking care of changes as they come up can improve the speed and efficiency of your writing and editing. Corrections can "stick" in your mind, so that any mistakes you make early in a piece may not be made again because you learned the right way to spell, manage verb tenses, or use modifiers.4. It Does all this While Remaining Incredibly Easy to Use
Grammarly is an easy tool to use. Using it through a browser makes usage nearly automatic, whenever and wherever you're writing on a computer; the only thing easier is premium desktop application usage.
Even the installation is easy. Whether as an app or browser add-on, it requires no extra technical know-how.
Grammarly runs unobtrusively so that you can concentrate on your writing. Spell check and grammar functions are of no use if they're not actually used.
Grammarly makes it simple so there's no excuse for ignoring the types of writing problems that can make our writing look amateurish, no matter how well you can turn a phrase.
