Grammarly

Blog Post Number 31 Written: 06-22-2021 Uploaded: 09-04-2022

I have used the free version of Grammarly and have mixed feelings. They’re slowly getting better, or rather that my opinion of Grammarly is improving. I was told by my publisher since I am working with a professional editor to not bother with the expensive paid version of Grammarly, and the editor will take care of that. I have been using the free version a lot. Mostly because it helps to filter out and correct typing errors, saves my time in that regard. Plus it also enforces the oxford commas my publisher insists I use.

Grammarly does not agree with the spellchecker in Microsoft word 100%, but I use both, and it kinda all equals out. Because they also both catch things the other doesn’t, so I think there is a net gain. Grammarly doesn’t do anything huge or awesome that normal line editing can’t or doesn’t do. But, I leave it on while I am working and can make corrections to all my typing errors with a single click as I go along. IT saves time in the long run. I don’t like that it requires an account and has my email address attached to it and that kind of personal info, and no I don’t think it’s okay that everything these days does, regarding of whether or not I have “anything to hide.” It’s the principal. But I have semi-solved that problem with multiple email accounts and separate computers for separate private and business purposes but that’s a different tin foil hat-laden rant for a different time and platform without big brother.

Anyway… The first time I used it, it took forever, I literally spent an entire 6ish hour session at my computer with Grammarly to get through one 60,000 word book. But that was back in 2017, and I’ll admit, my writing wasn’t very good so there were lots of mistakes to fix, and that was back in 2017. There have been several updates to Grammarly itself since then. So now, that I’ve been using it for a couple of years, it’s part of my built-in routine. I don’t love it, but it is useful, and I have gotten used to it, it would be weird not to have it now, but not a show stopper, kinda like driving without music… Okay, that might actually be a show stopper gotta have the tunes. I don’t have a vehicle with an air conditioner either, so music up and windows down every day of the year. Anyway, Long story short. I still don’t really like Grammarly, but I use it and advocate that others do too, if only as a time-saving device. Now that I am thinking about it, are there alternatives to Grammarly? Other programs that do the same thing, that would be something that interests me.