Personal Blogging – The I-thing

One of the lessons about writing that’s stuck with me throughout my entire writing career (even though calling my writing endeavors a career is very ambitious) is a very simple one.

You should not start a sentence with I.

Not only does it apparently feel like an eyesore – it also quickly turns repetitive, is viewed as narcissistic and is just generally ‘observed’ as an unpleasant way of writing. I’m not joking. These were all things that I was told AND they’re on the internet so they must be true.

And honest to god, I’ve bent myself in pretzels over the years, trying to avoid starting my blogs with the word I. I’m a good little writer like that. Well-behaved, following the rules, standing in line. Yaknow. Blending in. Gotta do it right, or not at all, innit?

Well. Let me tell you one thing I’ve also learned:
This madness is completely and utterly stupid. For me. In my blogging.

Truthfully, I get how a book written in first person narrative MIGHT get a bit annoying to read if it’s 200 pages of ‘I this‘ and ‘I that‘ followed by some ‘and then I this and then I that‘s. My eyes would not be happy when submitted to so much I-ness either. It’s a sensical rule. It makes sense. There’s some good thinking behind it. It helps. It’s smart. I can’t fault the rule in that regard.

But. And it’s a STRONG but here. When it comes to PERSONAL blogging. You know, the type of blogging where you write solely about your personal life, and personal things happening to your very own person (and the unfortunate buggers involved in your personal inner circle). When it comes to personal blogging – I think it should be all about the I. I write about I, so you might expect some I’s along in the process.

Which, I guess, IS kind of narcissistic when you look at it. But honestly – the entire concept of me thinking my very-normally-normal life is interesting enough to bother the rest of the interwebs with is already the epitome of self-importance, ain’t it. So can’t really fault myself there.

So if I can’t really fault the rule for existing, nor myself for feeling it doesn’t suit me regardless…I think I might be stuck in an impasse. To I or not to I, that’s the question. And I think I’m just going to stay on the pretzel-path of attempted non-I-writing. But I refuse to completely avoid the I-thing from now on. I got rights too, yaknow. I can do what I want.

I will I.
And so should you!

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<sub>PS. Wanna read more about the ins and outs and hows and whys of personal blogging round here? Click on, brave warrior, click on!
<sup>* Personal blogging – Risky Business
* Personal blogging – Dirty little secret
* Personal blogging – To be recognisable or to be unique?
* Personal blogging – Out for the count
* Personal blogging – Listless
* Personal blogging – The science of stars
* Personal blogging – The personal touch
* Personal blogging – The Voice
* Personal blogging – Patterns
* Personal blogging – Art of repetition
* Personal blogging – Choices
* Personal blogging – Looks matter
* Personal blogging – Clickitty PSA</sup></sub>