I recently had a client tell me that they use Grammarly on their manuscripts after I send them a completed copyedit. This inspired me to say something about trusting your editors.
Grammarly is a great tool, but if a writer is so keen on using it, it really should be *before* a manuscript is sent to their copyeditor. I work hard on my copyedits to make sure grammar, punctuation, and style rules are properly followed. It’s deflating to hear that editing software is used after I’ve put in all that work. No software is perfect, and having a good editor means tools like Grammarly are mostly unnecessary.
If a writer insists on using editing software to check their editor’s work, I think that’s fair. But discrepancies between software and an actual human editor should be dealt with thoughtfully. Some things like comma placement can be subjective. And while programs like Grammarly are supposedly designed to make your writing clear and concise, an author’s personal style and voice are always more important (especially in fiction) than *following every rule* exactly. That’s part of what makes writing special.
The bottom line is to use writing tools thoughtfully in order to achieve the best possible outcome for your words. If something stands out in a Grammarly check that goes against what your editor has done, query your editor. Most editors (me included) are happy to discuss the minutiae that comes up in writing. It’s important to trust your editors. If they’re worth their salt, they’ll trump editing software any day.