Readability Score Checker
Analyze your writing with 5 industry-standard readability formulas. Get your Flesch Reading Ease, grade level, and actionable suggestions to improve clarity.
Readability Score Checker
Analyze your text with Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog, Coleman-Liau, and SMOG indices.
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Why Readability Matters for Authors
Readability isn't about writing at a "low level" — it's about writing clearly. The most successful commercial authors in the world write at a 6th-8th grade reading level. Why? Because clear, accessible prose keeps readers engaged, reduces cognitive fatigue, and sells more books.
Ernest Hemingway wrote at a 4th grade level. J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter averages 6th grade. Even Stephen Hawking aimed for maximum clarity in "A Brief History of Time." The best communicators in every field know that simpler writing is harder to produce — and more effective.
📊 The 5 Readability Formulas Explained
- Flesch Reading Ease (0-100): Higher = easier. 60-70 is ideal for most books. 90+ is very easy (children's books), 30 and below is very difficult (academic papers).
- Flesch-Kincaid Grade: Maps to US school grade level. If your score is 8, an 8th grader can understand it. Most bestselling fiction scores 4-8.
- Gunning Fog Index: Emphasizes complex words (3+ syllables). Ideal range: 7-8 for fiction, 10-12 for non-fiction. Above 12 means your writing is too dense for most readers.
- Coleman-Liau Index: Character-based formula. Reliable for diverse text types and less affected by sentence structure quirks.
- SMOG Index: Most accurate for healthcare and medical texts. Counts polysyllabic words per sentence.
Target Readability Scores by Genre
Fiction
- • Thriller/Mystery: Grade 4-6 (fast, punchy)
- • Romance: Grade 5-7 (accessible, emotional)
- • Literary Fiction: Grade 8-12 (more complex prose)
- • YA: Grade 5-7 (match your audience)
- • Children's: Grade 2-4 (age-appropriate)
Non-Fiction
- • Self-Help: Grade 6-8 (clear, actionable)
- • Business: Grade 8-10 (professional but readable)
- • Academic: Grade 12-16 (specialized audience)
- • Health/Wellness: Grade 6-8 (accessible to patients)
- • Technology: Grade 8-10 (balance clarity with precision)
7 Ways to Improve Your Readability Score
Shorten your sentences
Aim for an average of 15-20 words per sentence. Mix short punchy sentences with longer ones for rhythm.
Use simple words
"Use" not "utilize." "Help" not "facilitate." "Start" not "commence." Simpler synonyms almost always communicate better.
Cut unnecessary adverbs
Instead of "ran quickly," try "sprinted." Strong verbs beat verb + adverb almost every time.
Break up long paragraphs
On screens especially, 2-3 sentence paragraphs are easier to read than walls of text. White space is your friend.
Use active voice
"The dog bit the man" is clearer than "The man was bitten by the dog." Active voice reduces word count and increases clarity.
Read it aloud
If you stumble while reading your own text aloud, your readers will too. Reading aloud catches awkward phrasing that eyes skip over.
Use the "one idea per sentence" rule
Each sentence should communicate one idea. If you need a comma and "and" to connect two thoughts, consider splitting into two sentences.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good Flesch Reading Ease score?
For most commercial fiction and non-fiction, aim for 60-70 (Standard/8th-9th grade). Blog posts and web content should target 60-80. Academic writing typically scores 30-50. The average bestselling novel scores around 65-75, which means it's accessible to most adult readers.
What readability level should I target for my book?
It depends on your audience. Commercial fiction: 6th-8th grade (Flesch 60-80). YA fiction: 6th-7th grade. Literary fiction: 8th-12th grade. Business books: 8th-10th grade. Self-help: 6th-8th grade. Remember, lower grade level doesn't mean "dumbed down" — it means clear, efficient communication.
How do I improve my readability score?
Use shorter sentences, choose simpler words when possible, break up long paragraphs, use active voice instead of passive voice, and reduce unnecessary adverbs and adjectives. Tools like this checker help you identify specific areas for improvement.
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