Be cautious when using "we"#
For a long time, when I was writing blog posts, I liked to use "we" to represent myself and the readers as being on the same side. This created a sense of intimacy and the illusion of being on the same wavelength.
However, over time, I began to realize that excessive use of "we" could lead to a series of problems.
It could blur my own viewpoint. Sometimes, while writing, I unconsciously started looking at issues from the perspective of a certain public group, as if using this word represented strength in numbers. Even if the viewpoint was not entirely correct, with the support of "we," the argument seemed invincible.
On the other hand, it could make readers uncertain about who exactly I was referring to with "we." It seemed as if my thoughts and ideas represented a unit, an organization, or a group.
I don't want to speak on behalf of any group of people, nor do I want to be represented by any group of people.
I am expressing my own viewpoint, which does not represent others, nor am I represented by others.
When I realized this issue, I started to be cautious when using the word "we."
I hope to express my viewpoint more clearly, even if it is wrong, without using "we" to increase the credibility threshold of the article.
I cannot represent anyone; I only represent myself.
Be cautious when using bullet lists#
I like using bullet lists to record text, including writing diaries and taking notes. The note-taking tools I like, such as Logseq and Tana, default to a bullet list structure.
A small bullet represents a node, a block, and this piece of text is independent, with no connection to the context.
They are a condensation of certain viewpoints, simple, neat, and orderly. Using bullet lists can maintain the cleanliness of the text and a clear hierarchical structure. The text after the bullet often represents a concise paragraph.
I have been writing and taking notes in this way for many years. Recently, I suddenly realized that this structured writing style caused me to lose sensitivity to paragraphs composed of long sentences.
Expanding outline text is like practicing sentence expansion and rewriting exercises in elementary school, expanding a series of notes into paragraphs. But between these texts, the sense of viewpoint and expression is lost, lacking aesthetic appeal and rhythm.
Paragraphs should have a beginning, development, transition, and conclusion. The combination of long and short sentences, the application of punctuation marks—these elements together form the author's writing style.
When I use bullet lists to write for a long time, I often lose control of these stylistic writings.
How should I put it? Although the expression of viewpoints is clear and the logic is organized, it reads like an article written by AI, with a strong taste of machine translation.
I completely fail to perceive the author's personal writing style and literary charm.
When I realized that long-term use of bullet lists for note-taking would affect my writing style, I promptly corrected this habit.
Be cautious when using images#
Articles should primarily use text for expression. Although images can enhance the visual appeal of an article, when there are too many images, it can distract from the text content and make the reading experience less smooth. Due to the presence of images, the context cannot be read in one breath.
Excessive use of images can divert readers' attention and disrupt the coherence of reading. When an article is filled with a large number of images, the text content is marginalized, and readers often skip the text and focus only on the images, thereby ignoring the expression of the article's ideas.
When readers are reading an article, the presence of images forces them to interrupt their reading to observe and understand the content of the images. This frequent switching interrupts the flow of readers' thoughts and affects the fluency and readability of the article.
Text expression is the soul of an article. It carries the author's thoughts and viewpoints, while images are just icing on the cake, providing visual assistance and supplementation to the article.
Therefore, when writing, I will be cautious when using images.
Be cautious when using AI assistance#
In the digital age, artificial intelligence has become a new member of the writing toolbox. AI writing assistants can provide grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, text generation, and other functions, greatly improving writing efficiency.
I have introduced "One-Click Activation of the Thinking Engine: Pile's 'Nitrogen Acceleration' Writing Method," which can quickly overcome procrastination caused by stuttering with AI-assisted techniques while writing articles.
However, excessive AI involvement can also become a crutch, leading to unconscious over-reliance on it.
I often get used to the perfect sentence structures and smooth paragraphs provided by AI, gradually losing my unique way of expression and depth of thinking.
This results in a lack of personality and innovation in my writing. This lack of personality may seem flawless on the surface but fails to touch people's hearts.
Therefore, when using AI assistance in writing, it is necessary to remain vigilant and avoid excessive reliance. I must constantly remind myself to maintain sensitivity and creativity in my writing.