What does Ernest Hemingway have to do with Online Editing?
American novelist, Ernest Hemingway Editor became best known for his straightforward prose and use of understatement. And this simplicity in writing style is probably why the Hemingway Editor App was named after him.
Hemingway Editor is an online editing tool that helps you write brilliant copy for the web and beyond. The free tool is web-based, meaning you can simply access the tool via any browser.
But why is simple content important for writing for the web?
Because readers on the web prefer scanning and if the content isn’t easy-to-read, they will quit. Hemingway App helps you make your piece easy to read and digest.
To use the tool, you simply write your proposed copy in the tool’s white space, (or copy and paste your content into it) and it will critique the content based on the following six areas:
Readability - how likely is the reader able to interpret and understand the content
Adverbs - the ideal copy will have fewer than a couple of adverbs
Use of passive voice - great copy avoids this tense as much as possible
A more simple phrase - will identify sentences that could be written more simply
What’s hard to read - will highlight sentences that are difficult to read
What’s really hard to read - will highlight super complex sentences
The app also gives you all the hard metrics of your article too, such as:
Reading time
Letters
Characters
Words
Sentences
Paragraphs
Here are some examples of Hemingway Editor in action
If your copy highlights a sentence in yellow the tool is telling you to simplify the sentence or indeed shorten it. It’s too lengthy and quite challenging to read. The tool will advise you to make it shorter or divide it into two parts.
If you write a sentence or two that shows up in red, it’s vital that you review and change the copy. Hemingway Editor believes the content of the sentence is too complex for the typical reader to understand. This can happen when you have put too many facts into a sentence or you have used complex language. To stop your sentences showing in red, consider ways to divide the content into two sentences or more.
If Hemingway Editor highlights a word in purple, it’s stating that the word you have used is quite complex and a more simple word could be used in its place. If you hover over the purple word, Hemingway Editor gives you a couple of alternatives that will make the sentence easier to understand and read.
If you see any words in blue, Hemingway Editor has highlighted them as being adverbs. Great copy should avoid using too many adverbs. If you hover over the blue word, Hemingway Editor will ask you to remove the word, but also give you some tips on the kind of verb you could use that will deliver the desired effect.
So what’s up with adverbs?
Generally, adverbs are regarded as unhealthy additions to writing because they weaken the structure of the statement. Usually, they can be swapped for a firm, dominant, and more effective word that means the same, but has a stronger voice.
Writer Stephen King, once said, “The path to hell is paved with Adverbs.”
If you see a verb has been highlighted in green, it means you are using the passive tense or voice. Using the passive voice is a big no-no for effective copywriting.
What Is the Passive Voice?
In English, most sentences follow the subject + verb + object formula.
Here’s what a typical sentence might look like using the above formula:
Delilah (S) ate (V) the sandwich (O).
The dog (S) chases (V) the cat (O).
Sentences that follow the SVO structure are written in the “active voice.” It makes a sentence snappier, clearer, and easier to read.
Now, let’s look at the same sentences written in the “passive voice.”
This is when the person or thing being acted on actually comes before the verb. It becomes the subject, the focus of the sentence. If you write in the passive voice, sentences become vaguer, and often, longer.
The sandwich was eaten by Delilah.
The cat was chased by the dog.
Why Copywriters Avoid The Passive Voice
For the most part, the passive voice makes your writing vaguer. It removes the punch and power of your words, which makes your writing less convincing.
One of the reasons copywriters tend to write in the passive voice is because it’s easier!
Allow Hemingway Editor to help identify those instances where you have used the passive voice and flip your sentence into a more active one.
As with all of the above, if you make the necessary changes to the copy, the highlighted words or sentences will disappear to leave you with an awesome piece of copy!
The Advantages of using the Hemingway Editor App
It’s simple and easy to use
It helps your writing sound better
It works for all types of writer
It’s free
Your writing style will improve
There is no limit in word count - simply write in the app or copy and paste as much content as you like to get critiqued
Like what you’ve read?
Jo Buchanan, the author of this blog, is the Founder and Director of TwitTwooYou Limited, a business growth strategic consultancy centred on getting brands noticed. TwitTwooYou offers a range of smart services to help businesses grow and achieve their aspirations and goals. Want to get your brand noticed? Get in touch for a free, no-obligation chat.
