How writing software can boost your writing (and it’s not how you think)

So, you’ve written your story, maybe edited it a few times, and now the search for a program to help polish your work fills your web browser.

There are plenty out there to chose from, and all can help one way or another. 

Grammerly, for instance, helps with exactly what it says and explains each problem it picks up.  

Scrivner is a brilliant alternative to word (and I love that I can colour coordinate by character, day, scene type, and scene status), but doesn’t highlight anything more than spelling mistakes.

Then, last night, I ran my manuscript through ProWriterAid. 

Now, this is where it gets interesting. Because, as well as picking up all my overused words, my adverbs, and cliches, it gives spelling alternatives for unique words.

Cue my giggling and weird looks from family members when the following was suggested.

Geocache: Cowcatcher/cockshy/Kekchi/kickshaw

I couldn’t help sharing this with a friend of mine, which set off more giggling in our respective homes half a world apart, with suggestions of what sort of story a cockshy cowboy would make.

 The conversation went on to talk about breaking glass downstairs (she was having windows replaced) but no ensuing of swearing. My suggestion?

“Maybe they’re bleeding out on the floor?”

(They weren’t, of course) 

(And we are both writers, so our conversations often dive off on tangents like this)

It just goes to show that when we say we get ideas from anywhere and everywhere, we mean it. Be it the news, a conversation between strangers, getting a tea bag in the mail (I never did bring myself to use it, I mean, what if it was a bid to infect the population?). 

And now we can add writing software to the list.

I guess my point is, never pass up an opportunity to gather those ideas, no matter how small or frivolous. You just never know you’ll get a chance to use them