Why I’ve Stopped Using Grammar-Corrective Software In My Creative Writing
There is no such thing as perfect English.
The ultimate goal of creative writing is meaning making. But meaning differs from person to person. The way I write a blog post depends upon everything I’ve learned in my life, as well as all the demographics I encapsulate. But how can a blog post be different if it’s written the same way as everybody else?
Sure, the premise of an article is in its content, but I argue that the way we present the content is part of the premise. It adds personality to an otherwise standard discussion. It makes the reader feel like they’re listening to an actual human being.
But grammar-correcting software doesn’t account for this. Instead, it strives for uniformity. And this goes against the ultimate goal of every writer: to develop their own unique voice.
How can you have a unique voice if you’re writing like everyone else? In fact, I think much of our writing voice comes from the purposeful breaking of grammatical rules. This is provided the end goal of comprehension is achieved.
Long sentences can be powerful when delivered correctly, especially after a flow of short sentences — but it’s grammatically bad writing. A passive voice could add special meaning to the…
