Why I Turned Off Grammarly, and Why You Should Too

Proofreading software could be curbing your creativity.

If you’re anything like me, you want your writing to be perfect.

Maybe you spit words onto the page, free-forming your way to a first draft — but it is always followed by a rigorous proofreading process.

Always.

And sometimes editing tools like Grammarly seem to be the Godsend that you needed. Scanning every paragraph, sentence, word, letter, for anything that the Almighty Keepers of the English Language say could be better, different, tweaked, reworded, clarified, or removed altogether.

But it’s killing your creativity, and here’s why.

Rules Are Made To Be Broken. Or at Least Bent. A Little.

I’m a writer both by passion and profession. I’ve written and edited writing for newspapers, corporate marketing teams, blogs…you name it. It’s true that they all have their own in-house style guides and grammar rules, but do you know what they’re all looking for?

Something new. Unseen. Fresh. Eye-catching.

And most of the time, that means molding the English language to your will.

English is one of the most malleable of languages. You can dishonor the Almighty Keepers by making an adjective a verb (Cue gasp! Clutch pearls to chest!), and still be understood — maybe even more so than if you had used the word “correctly.” You may end up implanting more meaning into fewer words by simply juggling the rules around.

Have you ever heard of disruptive marketing? This article from Insightly has a great definition:

Disruptive marketing involves using experimental tactics that challenge the status quo. Rather than following conventional marketing wisdom, disruptive marketers test daring, new tactics that haven’t been tried before.

What catches your eye more than using language in a way you’ve never seen before?

This concept goes beyond traditional marketing, yet on Medium, we’re all marketing ourselves and our writing in a way. What will keep your readers reading? What do you offer than other writers don’t?

Words Are Your Clay

Hey, I could make a lot of jokes on this one, given we’re all here on a site called ‘Medium.’ But I’ll spare you.

Above all, writing is a craft. An art, and art is a form of communicating in a new way. Words are as much a viable medium as paint, ink, or clay. And in those abstract realms of art, what would the world look like if everyone followed the rules?

If you see me around the site, you’ll see me using language like this. Because in the end, words are just tools.

Did anyone ever tell William Faulkner that his sentences were too long? Sure. But what would his writing look like if he had access to Grammarly? We never would have had the long, lyrical cadence of his writing that he is so well known for. And, of course, that artistic choice is intentional.

First Thought, Best Thought

This is a controversial topic, but one that I am fully prepared to defend.

American Beat Writer Jack Kerouac wrote his beloved classic, On the Road, on rolls of typewriter paper, with no line breaks, no spacing, no editing. Just one long train of thought.

He argued that this was to preserve the “purity of speech.” We don’t speak perfect English. Far from it. Our colloquial way of interacting would surely make the Almighty Keepers lose all hope in the preservation of the English language.

But this is exactly why Kerouac’s writing is so moving and digestible — it’s as if we are listening to him tell us his adventures with Dean Moriarty around a fireplace and a glass of bourbon. And we don’t lose a beat when his sentences break every grammar rule imaginable.

How to Effectively Use Grammarly

So, I digress.

Don’t get me wrong, I still use Grammarly. It’s a great way to quickly scan a piece of writing, especially when you’re on a tight deadline. But I use it more as a suggestion.

Could this sentence be more concise? Probably, but the point is to write a sentence that drags on and on to give the reader a sense of monotony or hurry or something.

Could I have used a word that was more clear? Certainly, but the way this word plays on the lyrical harmony, the rhythm of the sentence, is unmatched.

Did you mean to write meat instead of meet? Oops, you got me there. Thanks Grammarly.

Trust yourself as a writer. Grammarly is your banal first-round editor that always hounds you about your writing style, yet still comes with some good suggestions from time to time.

Take the creative liberty, turn Grammarly off while you write, and only ask for its opinion at the very end.

Thanks for making it this far! I’m new to Medium and would love to connect. Feel free to reach out, share writing, connect, grow together, or just say hello.

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