Man Vs Machine

When typing, who’s in control? You or your computer.

Four in One

So just before I submit my chapter 14 to Karen and Sheryl from Librotas www.librotas.co.uk as well as my Mum and girlfriend Jo I always go through and do a quick edit. This was a particularly long chapter and could be described as four chapters in one! Anyway, the editing took a solid eight hours and now reads a lot better although still room for improvement.

Who’s Right?

What I realised is that as I’m using Word on the PC it comes up with grammar suggestions in the style of a green line. I love looking at a piece of text with no errors, no red lines and no green lines or blue lines. The problem is that I don’t think the computer is always right!

Me…Perfect?

As this is my autobiography I want it to be written by me, in my style and my mannerisms and how I sound etc. But sometimes that comes up with a green squiggle line and so I change it. I read it back and it sounds ok but it’s not me anymore. It’s all precise and perfect and I know that I’m certainly not perfect.

Initial text (My way)

I pushed it as hard as I could with high elbow, reaching long and pulling strong. Out of the swim and through the long transition with Michele leading our category by a full three minutes.

Improved text (The Microsoft way)

I pushed it as hard as I could with high elbow, reaching long and pulling strong. I got out of the swim and through the long transition with Michele leading our category by a full three minutes.

I’m Free

So the question is how much do I bow down to the mighty and intellectual Microsoft? How much should I rebel and stick two fingers up shouting ‘You won’t change me! I am not a number, I am a free man!’

This is of course where Karen and Sheryl will come into their element but I would like to know myself. What does everybody else think? How much do you trust the grammar suggestions on your computer, especially when you’re trying to be authentic?