What It Does
The Readability Score uses AI to analyze your prose complexity, sentence structure, vocabulary level, and overall accessibility to determine what reading level your writing targets.
It provides multiple readability metrics (Flesch-Kincaid, Gunning Fog, SMOG index), identifies complex sentences, suggests simplifications where appropriate, and helps ensure your writing is accessible to your intended audience—whether that's middle-grade readers, young adults, or literary fiction enthusiasts.
How to Use It
Select Your Project
Choose the manuscript or chapter you want to evaluate for readability.
Select AI Model
Choose AI tier for analysis depth.
- • Tier 1: Basic readability metrics and grade level
- • Tier 2: Detailed analysis with improvement suggestions
- • Tier 3: Comprehensive evaluation including audience fit analysis
Run Analysis
Click "Analyze Readability" and the AI evaluates your prose. Processing: 30-90 seconds.
Review Readability Report
Examine comprehensive readability metrics:
- Grade Level Score: Equivalent education level needed to comprehend
- Reading Ease: How easy/difficult the text is to read (0-100 scale)
- Complex Sentences: Flagged sentences that may confuse readers
- Vocabulary Analysis: Common vs. advanced word usage
- Sentence Length Patterns: Average and variation analysis
- Simplification Suggestions: Optional ways to increase accessibility
Adjust for Audience
Use insights to adjust complexity based on target readers—simplify for accessibility or maintain complexity for literary audiences.
Estimated Credit Usage
Credit usage based on text length:
Short Story
~5,000 words
Novella
~20,000 words
Novel
~80,000 words
Pro Tip
Run on sample chapters first to understand your baseline, then decide if full manuscript analysis is needed.
Best Practices
Know Your Target Audience
Middle-grade: 4th-6th grade. YA: 7th-9th grade. Adult commercial: 8th-10th grade. Literary: varies widely.
Don't Oversimplify
Simpler isn't always better. Literary fiction often requires complex prose. Match readability to genre expectations.
Check Consistency Across Chapters
Wildly varying readability scores between chapters can feel jarring. Aim for relative consistency in complexity.
Use as One Data Point
Readability scores are guidelines, not rules. Beta readers and editor feedback matter more than hitting an exact number.