We decided to add a lightweight readability editor to help writers identify wordiness and complexity in their texts. Based on Robert Gunning's perennial book, The Technique of Clear Writing, the editor helps writers:
- Replace complex words with simpler ones (a synonym finder)
- Highlight wordy phrases and suggest editing advice
- Identify passive words and sentences so writers can change them to active voice
- Highlight nominalizations, fuzzy words, and weak verbs
- Remove unnecessary adverbs and adjectives
- Highlight long sentences and non-sentences that often add complexity
- View parts-of-speech and syllable count per word.
The editor also has a Cognitive Reading Load tool that measures the mental effort and skill needed to read your words, sentences, and entire text.
The Robert Gunning Editor is a work-in-progress. We need beta-testers to use the editor on their texts and share their feedback in this forum.