And this is how I am cheating.
There has to be scores, perhaps hundreds, of on-line grammar and spelling checkers, free, free trial, paid, and perhaps other arrangements.
I 'landed' on (thank you Google and your rankings):
They have >a lot< of paid services, so it took me a lot of poking around to get to their page (https://www.scribbr.com/grammar-checker/) that said "type (or paste) your your text here."
{smile} It takes a strong person to do this.
First time, I got something like 300-plus "flags" - and this was after using my word processor's spell-checker. That's about one problem per 13 words.
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This not a 'recommendation' for (or against) Scribbr in particular (since I didn't try any other checkers).
I'm recommending finding and >using< a spelling/grammar checker that you like.
Oh, and there are 'style guides'. In the USA, ALA and MLA come to mind. Then, Universities and 'Dictionary' sites.
Places where Winning by Cheating is a "Good Thing" are rare. But when us writers are Winning by Cheating, our readers are also Winners.
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Wait! Please put down your torches, rotten fruit, pitchforks, and rocks.
I'm not saying any writers here should have used a checker ...
* running away to a secure location while I still can *
* Beep. 404 / Alan not found *
Comments
Grammar and Spelling
Good grammar and proper spelling are table stakes. Under my system of scoring the most any entrant has lost for grammar and spelling is two points out of one hundred.
I use Grammarly. I've used it for many years. It's much better now than even six months ago. I pay for the upgrade. I wish it worked with a Kindle which I'm using to write this.
But. . ..
Grammarly is nothing compared to a human beta reader. Gabi is my best reader/editor.
You are your best editor. Set your work aside for awhile. Some suggest two weeks. This will provide you the perspective of a reader.
What really scores points from me in this contest is how involved I get in the story. If I hate to see "The End" you're on the right track. Are the characters memorable? Is the plot tight? Was I entertained?
My guess is you could take a page from a best seller and Grammarly would have flags. It's not a panacea.
This is a writing contest. It's not a spelling bee.
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Grammar test
I agree. It’s not cheating to give your story a grammar and spelling test before posting it. Sometimes it even helps to use a thesaurus. I like to give my writing a day or two to rest and then read through it carefully. I often spot a few things to clean up that way. I know I made 2 or 3 tiny edits when I posted my story.
Thanks for running this contest. There have been some great stories.
Gillian Cairns
I could say a word or two about cheating in the contest :)
But I fear the inevitable retaliation from those who will not accept "nyah, nyah" as an answer.
Bru. . .
. . .most of your stories only hold my interest for about five hundred words. Unless you're using a pseudonym and writing something longer.
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Ok, Alan
Your attempts to cut through the grammar and spelling jungle are commendable. And that comment would be " don't waste your money" or as my spelling assistant said " don't waste your monkey" "Garbage in, Garbage out" at any price is too much. Learn to read and then learn to write. Rinse and repeat as if you are attempting to get to Carnegie Hall.
Most writers proof their own work first. And then use a proofreader. Any attempt at publishing yields yet another gaze at the works. A proofreader is a 'have' and 'have not' focus. They have a Dictionary and don't have an agenda. I read a lot on my Kindle and for the last half year I have noticed a quite common problem. Apparently there is a segment of society they want to slow down or stop by putting on the breaks. I know they would get better results by stepping on the brakes. And this is the case in over two dozen occurrences. Time to climb off the soapbox.
Ron
Same People
They're the same ones who think anxious and eager are interchangeable. They have no idea when to capitalize "mom" so they do it half the time.
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)