Patty Mayeux Blog

ELAN Principle 9 is “Watch Your Language,” a deep well of subtopics which I’ll revisit in future blogs. Today is all about First Person. Literary works are expressed through the viewpoint of one or more characters. A story in first person is told through one character in their voice. It is “I lost my job and apartment in the same day” versus “Joe Blow lost his job and apartment in the same day.” It’s a subtle change, but writers agonize over Point of View because it changes the reading experience.

            We naturally live our lives in First Person as the stars of our very own drama. I express my thoughts and experiences using I, me, mine. It’s natural, and frankly, necessary. But peppering in too many first-person pronouns can come off sounding ego-centric, unimaginative or even prideful. How often have you missed someone’s story because your I, me, or mine was waiting in the wings to share your own drama? Just for today Watch Your Language. Flag all the I(s), me(s), and mine(s). Could you go an entire day without them? How would that change your listening experience with those who are sharing their amazing stories?