Text formatting can refer to anything which makes it easier for your reader to understand what you are trying to convey, attract attention, and organize information. There are many different things that could be called text formatting, like italics, bolding, coloring, headings, etc. Text formatting can also be used as an artistic technique by adding flourish and flair to your text. Not following certain don’t rules and best practices when writing might leave your article flat, or even cause misunderstandings. Luckily, there are 6 game-changers for text formatting that you should know about.
1. Clipboard Management Software
Clipboard management software is essential if you are regularly writing large files. There are many benefits to this kind of software, including multiple clipboard banks, an unlimited history, hotkeys for easy access, and cloud syncing. Clipboard management allows you to save any text that you want for later use. Depending on your OS, you might want to look at Windows clipboard managers if you are using a PC. The best ones will allow you to copy multiple things instead of just one item at a time and allow you to go through everything on your clipboard. By enabling you to do this, you don’t have to break focus from what you’re writing, saving you a lot of time in the process. If you are looking for an OSX or even a Linux clipboard manager, there are many to choose from as well.
2. Thesaurus & Dictionary Browser Extensions
Sometimes when writing an article, you need to use a word that you might not be familiar with. At other times, you find that you’re repeating a word too much, and just can’t think of a synonym. This can lead to possible misunderstandings, miscommunication, and a subpar reading experience. Luckily, by using thesaurus browser plugins, you can get definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and more for any given word that you search for. You can also use it to translate words, check the spelling of certain words, and find out how a word is being used in other contexts. These plugins usually have free versions as well as paid ones, so there’s no reason not to have one! By enabling you to easily find the right words for what you are trying to say, these extensions can help improve your text formatting immensely.
3. Grammar Checking Software
Grammar checking software is similar to using a thesaurus but for grammar mistakes, which can cause misunderstandings if not properly dealt with. There are many pieces of software that will allow you to check your writing for errors like spelling, punctuation, and grammar. When writing, you should have this software enabled so that it can flag any mistakes you make and show them to you in real-time. Some of these programs even allow for style changes. If your sentence is too wordy, it will let you know and recommend a change. If you have words that are too similar, even though they might not cause an issue on their own, the grammar checking software will tell you to change one of them so there is less confusion. Having these checks enabled can mean your article flows way better and gives people a better reading experience overall.
4. Text Converter
Most people are used to writing in Word or other similar apps that are great on their own but can have issues when trying to copy-paste them into a CMS or HTML file, in order to publish them online. That’s why using a converter is super important. This service can take any file and convert it to a readable format. If your file has images, tables, charts, or anything else that might be affected by the conversion, you’re good as this service will handle everything for you! Not every program will have this option, so it’s important that you look into this before writing if you’re planning on publishing your work online. To find the right converter, all you need to do is search for an HTML converter or something similar, and voila! You’ll be presented with a list of different options that will allow your articles to look professional and awesome when posted online.
5. Library Management Software
Library management software is a must for writers, teachers, and students alike, as it makes researching easier than ever before. This program can help you keep track of all the information you have gathered from various sources, which you can include in your articles. You can also use it to provide bibliographies at the end of your article. It can be a lifesaver for people who have a lot of projects going on at the same time, and it will make writing articles easier going forward since you’ll have this software to help you organize your research notes! Of course, writers and editors can find a lot of use for this software in organizing articles and giving all the necessary information out to their readers. It can keep track of any changes made in later versions and even remember what was said earlier so it’s not so hard to follow along when you’re re-reading your work. If you run a blog or other website, this program will help you manage it way better than you could before.
6. OCR Software
Optical Character Recognition software is a big help to do a lot of things, mostly because you can scan in any text and have it recognized by the computer. This means if you need to get a quote from somewhere or screenshot an article that’s hard to copy-paste into your writing program, this can save you a ton of time and effort. Additionally, if you’re an editor, and a writer has sent you a file that doesn’t allow for editing by mistake, you can use OCR to turn the text into something you can work with. This will come in handy if you need to make any changes to it, and it’s also very helpful for proofreaders who are trying to find spelling or grammar mistakes in the late stages of publishing. Lastly, OCR can be used on websites, to make them easier to read. If you notice any typos, words out of place or anything else that doesn’t look quite right on the screen, then chances are good that OCR can be used to fix it!
This is just a short list of what types of software you can use today in order to help with your writing and publishing needs. Of course, there are plenty of other programs that can help as well, but these were handpicked as the top 6 you need to know about right now. So what are you waiting for? Start looking into them today and make your articles much better!
About the Author
Ashtrielle Faye is a lady of a keyboard and one hell of a geek. She has been working for and collaborating with, individual clients and companies of all sizes for more than a decade. Ash specializes in writing about design, branding, digital marketing, and business growth. She is also addicted to art in all its forms and grilled cheese sandwiches.
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