8 Ways to Save a Life.
Every time we write as marketers or sales people, we all stand to lose thousands, maybe millions in sales.
Or perhaps our grandmother.
Truthfully, we are all just one typo or one wrong usage away from being exposed. Perhaps it’s using the incorrect tense in your sales pitch. Or spelling your subject’s name wrong. Maybe it’s an obvious misspelling like “Hello Freind” in a salutation.
The mistake can be big or small. It matters not. There’s no going back.
This is when your literary pants are down in full public view. And your reader is forced to look ashamedly away. Possibly forever.
Fortunately for you, others have traveled this path before you. And as a result, they have developed online tools to help you avoid these same blunders. So to save you the effort of an online search, I’ve compiled a short list of my top 8 online writing tools.
1. Google.com So obvious, yet so underused for spell check. Just Google your word, and usually you’ll find multiple references. Just make sure you look for the most credible website sources.
2. Oxford English Dictionary So easy to use. Type in your word. Get a definition, origin, example sentences, synonyms and correct pronunciation.
3. Thesaurus.com Find many alternative options for your word instantly. Choose the complexity and length of the word too. This site saves plagiarism in a heartbeat.
4. RhymeZone My favourite for developing cute slogans or even for writing rap. Actually, it does a whole lot more than rhymes. Specify synonyms, antonyms, related words, sentences, homophones and everything else you could want from your word.
5. CP Style or AP Style These classic style books, and now online tools, were created primarily as bibles for the press. But they are a solid gold reference for academic or business writers and marketers. Never refer to anything incorrectly again.
6. Copyblogger This online blog provides practical applicable advice and tips for anyone writing copy, professional or not.
7. Writer’s Digest Resources, writing tips, writing conference info, a shop and much more make this longstanding authority a must in every writer’s toolbox.
8. Grammar Girl This online tool includes tips, a newsletter you can subscribe to, archives of tips on specific subjects and more. The creator is an award-winning grammar guru. She also maintains a podcast called “Quick and Dirty Tips.”
With these handy grammar and writing helpers by your side, your writing reputation and business can remain intact. And grandma lives to see another day.
