Three tools that help me write better
Most days, I need to write stuff. Obviously to-do lists, because I can’t function without those, but in this case I'm talking about compelling content that keeps you reading. (Thank you if you’re still reading) and content that provides some value.
I thought I’d share some of my go-to tools to make the writing life easier...
1. Grammarly
Grammarly, the chrome plugin. This is a no-brainer. Grammarly fixes things as you type, catching grammar mistakes, punctuation errors, and even suggesting better word choices to enhance your writing style.
2. The Guardian Style Guide
Used by journalists and writers at The Guardian and Observer newspapers, the style guide ensures consistency and clarity in writing. It covers grammar and punctuation, preferred spellings, hyphenation, and terminology. It also offers tips for clear and concise writing, avoiding clichés, and maintaining a consistent tone. It's publicly available and a great resource if you're unsure about certain elements in your writing. See The Guardian Style Guide here.
3. Gemini / ChatGPT AI - "Improve This..."
Large language models like Google Gemini are changing the game when it comes to writing content.
I generally start by writing some copy for a caption, article, interview or even an email - and then I run it through Gemini or ChatGPT (or both) and ask to improve the text. Often I will include the sentence: Improve the below piece of text, keeping the same tone… does Gemini listen to that last bit? Not always, but I stay optimistic.
Disclaimer - often times the text will not be any better, in fact, it’s often worse - but usually, there is a little nugget of gold in there I can pull in to make my writing more succinct or powerful.
Read the blog post on what Gemini prompts we've used in the office - this may give you a few ideas on how it can help you in work and life!
Bonus: Visualisation
I tend to think of an actual person I am writing this for. I visualise someone I know and consider how it might sound to them. This helps me tailor my writing to be more relatable and valuable.