Is there any software tool that finds common mistakes in writing beyond 
spelling errors? I mean things like repeated words, homonym substitutions such 
as their/there, lose/loose, which/that confusion, etc?


I also paste my text into Microsoft Word and use their grammar checker. It 
spots some of these problems but goes overboard with pointing out passive voice 
verbs.


There is a tool called Papyrus Autor which implements the rules of Andreas 
Eschbach but alas so far it is only for German. Here are some of the rules 
(this is from a post on writers stackexchange but I will not post a link 
because it might get this post rejected). These are very sophisticated but it 
would be great to have even simple stuff.


The 10 marking steps by Andreas Eschbach:


First print out your text (yes, you need it on paper). Pick a small text 
passage you can easily overview and go through all of the following 10 points 
with this passage. Then pick the next one. Use different colors for marking 
your text and for editing it.

  1.  Strike through the first paragraph of a scene from upper left to lower 
right.
Think: Do you really need it? Often the first paragraph is used to "warming up" 
while writing. Could you put the info into later sections?
  2.  Strike through all adjectives and adverbs
Think: Can you use a more precise noun/verb instead using the 
adjectives/adverbs?
  3.  Mark all dialog decorators (like he said, he replied, ...) with wavy 
lines.
Think: Can you delete them without puzzling the user? Can you replace them with 
actions (instead of: "Are you sure?" asked Peter => use: "Are you sure?" Peter 
scratched his head. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.)?
  4.  Mark filler words and imprecise words (some, quite, rather, several, few, 
...) by drawing a box around them.
Think: Normally you can just delete them or make them more precise (Only a few 
people ... => Only ten people ...)
  5.  Cross out concurrency indicators (during, while, ...)
Think: Often it could be better to write things that happen simultaneously in 
two different sentences: "She cried while he beat her." => "He beat her. She 
cried."
  6.  Mark passive sentences with a small "P" above them.
Think: Often the active form is better (more action): New Orleans was 
devastated by a hurricane. => The hurricane devastated New Orleans.
  7.  Mark long sentences with an "L" above the sentence.
Think: Make them shorter! No-one likes to read long sentences (except your 
English teacher in school maybe).
  8.  Mark long dialogs with an "LD".
Think: Can you shorten them or divide them into several parts?
  9.  Mark indirect perception with a jagged line, like "watched" and "asked" 
in these examples:
"He watched, how the woman crossed the street joining the spectators there. He 
asked himself, what was going on there."
Think: Do you really need it? Why? Does this sound better: "He watched the 
spectators on the other side. Another woman crossed the street to join them. 
What was going on there?"
  10. Search paragraphs where you wrote the same thing with different wording. 
Mark it with wavy lines at the sheet margin:
"She hit him a second time. Another time she stroke the club on his head."
Think: This looks like you were searching for the right expression while 
writing. Nothing wrong with that, but only keep one of them.




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