Grammarly vs. Professional Editing

Hey, y’all! Well, this topic was bound to come up. There's absolutely nothing wrong with using Grammarly or any other editing program to assist you with editing your work. Still, it should be used as a companion to your professional editor. I'm going to be quite honest. I use Grammarly to assist with my editing. During my last round of edits, I’ll let Grammarly scan the document to ensure I didn't miss anything. Why? Because I'm human. Even the most trained eye can't catch EVERYTHING, especially when working with timeframes and constraints.

So, let's delve deeper. Here’s what Grammarly can do:

• Helps with grammar and spelling.

• Helps with sentence structure.

• Gives word choices.

• Fights against plagiarism.

• Offers AI tools for assistance with writing.

A professional editor can do all those things but offer AI tools to assist with your writing. But here’s where an experienced editor is better than using Grammarly alone:

• A professional editor is familiar with the style and genre of writing you are attempting. Whether using slang or quoting scripture or lyrics, an experienced editor can keep the author's tone and voice.

• A professional editor will spot inconsistencies. If you stated a character was 23 in chapter one, but in chapter five, say the character is 27, your professional editor will remember and correct it. Same with names and anything else that was previously stated. 

• A professional editor can complete fact-checking, checking street and business names, etc.

So, as you can see, there are advantages to using both editing styles. Neither should solely be used alone. Both should be used as tools for an impeccable editing experience. With Grammarly and a professional editor's partnership, one's work will shine and be ready for publication.

Happy writing, folks!