Writing Tip: Avoiding the I-I-I

Writers are often encouraged to "speak from the I," sharing their experiences with readers and imparting valuable advice in the process. The trick, of course, is to keep that first-person point of view while focusing more on the readers rather than yourself.

One way to achieve this balance is to limit the use of I in your text. Copy that starts with I and heavily uses it throughout can be a turnoff for readers. They want your knowledge and experience, but they want you to be concerned mostly with them. (Rather like advertising, isn't it?)

Try this: in your draft, highlight every use of the word I in red. Is your copy bleeding? You might be using I too much. Try recasting some of those sentences, eliminating the I:

Orig.: "In part two, I'll cover the Google-Yahoo deal in more detail."
Recast: "Part two will cover the Google-Yahoo deal in more detail."
Recast: In part two, we'll look at the Google-Yahoo deal in more detail."

Orig.: "When I meet anyone for the first time, I suggest using Google to learn more about me and to see what other people have said about me."
Recast: "When you meet anyone for the first time, suggest using Google to learn more about you and to see what other people have said about you."

Check out these articles for more ideas on recasting your sentences:

• "Me, Myself and I: Writing First Person Point of View"
  
• "When "First Person" Is the Last Person You Need"