WhiteSmoke integrates into Word (and other programs), analyzes your text and suggests what it considers to be "improvements". WhiteSmoke has many different versions, including one designed for Creative Writing.
In this review I'll cover:
- Getting the software: how easy was it to access and start using a trial version of the software. There were some surprises here!
- Understanding the results: how easy was it to "get" what the program was telling me.
- Usefulness of the results: did the suggestions improve my writing?
- Price & Guarantee
I don't bother repeating the marketing blurb from the product's websites. You can go read about that on the individual websites (links are given). I focus solely on how well the software worked for me as a fiction writer trying to edit my manuscript.
Free Trial
WhiteSmoke does have a free trial but it can be hard to find on their website. If you see a "Download Now" button, you are in the right place.
In order to use the trial, you must download the software and install it. The first time I started the program I was subjected to annoying ads and a survey. The second time I tried to use it, it refused to start because it thought I wasn't connected to the internet -- which I was! I ended up re-installing it and completing the stupid survey. Then it worked for me. Not a great start!
Understanding the Results
Once you get it started, the WhiteSmoke demo is easy to use. I pasted 750 words of my latest manuscript into the box and clicked "Check". The program found 2 spelling, 9 grammar, and 3 style errors. I then scrolled through my text to see each problem.
Spelling mistakes are highlighted in red, with alternate suggestions available. Grammar mistakes are highlighted in green. A brief explanation hangs over the word. Style mistakes are highlighted in blue, again with a suggestion available for you to approve with a click.
In sum, it is easy to see what WhiteSmoke it telling me to do. But...
Usefulness of the Results
Okay, so WhiteSmoke has given 2 spelling, 9 grammar, and 3 style errors, but guess what...most of the time it is wrong!
Spelling: WhiteSmoke identified 'neckless' and 'Madeiros' as spelling errors. To give it credit, it asked me whether I wanted to mark 'Madeiros' as a name. But 'neckless' is not a spelling mistake, it's in the dictionary. Granted, it must not be inWhiteSmoke's dictionary.
Grammar: here are three of the sentences that WhiteSmoke identified as having a grammar error, together with the WhiteSmoke comment in brackets. I've highlighted the relevant words.
- her daughter and her elderly neighbor William sat face-to-face at the tiny dining table, both focused (FORGOT A WORD?) on the chessboard in front of them.
- Although her daughter smiled (smiled at?) a welcome, her sweet brown eyes showed worry. "Oh, Mom. Not again." (Incomplete Sentence)
- Holly bit (bits?) her lip, then nodded and faced the board again.
As you can see, there is no problem with the original version of these sentences. The WhiteSmoke suggestions are just plain wrong! In fact, none of the 9 grammar "errors" needed fixing.
Style: Now let's look at the style suggestions. The first suggestion was to replace "face-to-face" with "in person" in the following sentence. That suggestion would lead to a nonsensical sentence.
- Her daughter and William sat face-to-face across the tiny dining room table.
The second style suggestion was to replace a "but" with a "however". Since my writing voice is informal, this suggestion, while not incorrect was not useful either.
Comparing to Other Software
If you looked at a checklist of features, WhiteSmoke, StyleWriter and AutoCrit would appear to have very similar features. For example, all claim to identify overused and repeated words. However, the results of the three are quite different.
WhiteSmoke will only identify repeated words if they are repeated immediately. (e.g. green green). AutoCrit will notify you if you repeat a word within a 100 character window. (e.g. I saw the green car just before it disappeared behind the green fence). As a fiction writer, this sort of alert is crucial.
WhiteSmoke also doesn't seem to tell you if you are overusing a word. For example, AutoCrit told me I was overusing "was/were", "that", and a few other words. I analyzed the same text with WhiteSmoke and it didn't mention any problems.
Price & Guarantee
WhiteSmoke costs $99 for the Creative Writing version. You can add other versions (like legal and technical) for a minimal price or get the "includes everything" deluxe version for $125.
Summary
WhiteSmoke tells you A LOT about your manuscript, not all of which is useful.
In sum, WhiteSmoke takes a micro-level approach to your writing. It doesn't step back and have a look at the "big picture" like AutoCrit does.
Still, it's always worth checking something out for yourself. Click here to go to theWhiteSmoke site to learn more or download a trial version.
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