while(self++) { #8 } // Purging Thinking From Writing
I use the phrases I think and I feel too much in my writing. It’s a tendency that weakens it. I could be better sounds so much stronger than I think I could be better. It gives the statement a free-standing purpose of its own. And yet, the reason for this instinct is all too clear to me: I’m afraid that my declarations are untrue and that they have caveats. Hence why I rarely ever use absolutes like always and never, too. Even if I note any caveats in the sentences immediately after a statement, I don’t want to leave that preceding statement on its own. I fear that people will perceive ideas without their necessary context. However, adding an I feel doesn’t clarify anything anyway, so it’s a moot point.
I’ve been getting better at this. Even in the course of writing this post, I’ve had to stop myself a few times from using I think. I’ve been taking the thinking out of my writing, so to speak. My writing feels more declarative and I like it. Even if I have to qualify my points later, I assume that readers will not jump to conclusions if there’s more to read. If they do, I can’t do anything about that.
