The Only Way I Can Almost Beat Mark Twain
Nov. 2nd, 2011 09:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madwriterDespite the fact that this was an Exercise Day, I did still manage to get some writing done. A little while ago, just out of curiosity, I ran today's writing through the academic writing judge called Grammarly to see what "grade" it would give me. The total was 35 issues (which it only specified generally; I suppose I have to sign up for more details) and a grade of 63/100.
Then I ran part of a chapter of Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court through it. It caught the "plagiarism" and thus flat-out flunked me with a 0...but went on to give Mr. Clemens' masterwork a report adding 30 more issues--mostly the same ones it detected with mine. Grammarly thinks that Mark Twain and I both have pedantic writing styles and limited vocabulary, along with various other smaller issues. At least I'm in good company.
For something a bit more modern, I punched in the current page of some of the pleasure reading I'm doing at the moment, Terry Brooks' latest Shannara novel, The Measure of the Magic. Grammarly only liked his stuff marginally better, giving it a 68/100. It liked his vocabulary, but gave an X to every grammar issue it could, and it didn't care much for his writing style, either. Not surprisingly, since the book is new, it didn't catch the "plagiarism".
63/100 PROGRESS REPORT
New Words: 600 on Chapter 1 ("Those Who Came First", which I'll probably change to "Those Who Came Before" to reflect modern Native American names for the Hohokam and other ancient tribes) Section 2 ("The Dancing Spirits") of Arizona. Ooljee does not have the reunion with her husband that she imagined.
Total Words: 24950.
Reason For Stopping: Getting ready for work.
Book Year: 940 B.C.
Mammalian Assistance: Vegas accepted my invitation again. I let him have the arrowhead again today, but when he pushed it into an opening at the top of his box and he couldn't get it out, he gave me the most stricken look I've ever seen on his face. He subsequently bounced with rejoicing when I got it out.
Exercise: I took Tucker on a walk around the neighborhood, then around three-quarters of campus, for a total of about two miles and maybe a bit more. Later I walked to work.
Stimulants: Sprite.
Today's Opening Passage: Ooljee had spent many nights envisioning her reunion with Yiska. Sometimes she did so against her will, fearful that he was dead and she was only worsening her later grief; other night she gave herself over completely to the dreams. But the one thing she had not envisioned during those freezing nights was the angry fire in his eyes now.
Darling Du Jour: Just a personal one...
Some of the men regarded their wives and daughters with the same suspicion Yiska held—though Ooljee noticed no such clouds over the eyes of any mothers.
Non-Research / Review Books In Progress: Michener; Brooks.
Then I ran part of a chapter of Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court through it. It caught the "plagiarism" and thus flat-out flunked me with a 0...but went on to give Mr. Clemens' masterwork a report adding 30 more issues--mostly the same ones it detected with mine. Grammarly thinks that Mark Twain and I both have pedantic writing styles and limited vocabulary, along with various other smaller issues. At least I'm in good company.
For something a bit more modern, I punched in the current page of some of the pleasure reading I'm doing at the moment, Terry Brooks' latest Shannara novel, The Measure of the Magic. Grammarly only liked his stuff marginally better, giving it a 68/100. It liked his vocabulary, but gave an X to every grammar issue it could, and it didn't care much for his writing style, either. Not surprisingly, since the book is new, it didn't catch the "plagiarism".
New Words: 600 on Chapter 1 ("Those Who Came First", which I'll probably change to "Those Who Came Before" to reflect modern Native American names for the Hohokam and other ancient tribes) Section 2 ("The Dancing Spirits") of Arizona. Ooljee does not have the reunion with her husband that she imagined.
Total Words: 24950.
Reason For Stopping: Getting ready for work.
Book Year: 940 B.C.
Mammalian Assistance: Vegas accepted my invitation again. I let him have the arrowhead again today, but when he pushed it into an opening at the top of his box and he couldn't get it out, he gave me the most stricken look I've ever seen on his face. He subsequently bounced with rejoicing when I got it out.
Exercise: I took Tucker on a walk around the neighborhood, then around three-quarters of campus, for a total of about two miles and maybe a bit more. Later I walked to work.
Stimulants: Sprite.
Today's Opening Passage: Ooljee had spent many nights envisioning her reunion with Yiska. Sometimes she did so against her will, fearful that he was dead and she was only worsening her later grief; other night she gave herself over completely to the dreams. But the one thing she had not envisioned during those freezing nights was the angry fire in his eyes now.
Darling Du Jour: Just a personal one...
Some of the men regarded their wives and daughters with the same suspicion Yiska held—though Ooljee noticed no such clouds over the eyes of any mothers.
Non-Research / Review Books In Progress: Michener; Brooks.
