jonathan.beckett@gmail.com

Refactoring

The two week long internet island building escapade has come to an end. While looking at the collection of supposedly more thoughtful words I had migrated from the year-long descent into partner-programme madness at Medium, I realised something awful.

A great many of the posts I had published at Medium – while following instruction and guidance from the community at large – had become what I can only describe as instructional. While exploring thoughts, I often abstracted myself – writing about the thoughts you might have about something, rather than my own.

I had unwittingly become a mansplainer.

So. This morning I took an axe to my curated literary tree, and began chopping. I then set fire to a great deal of it.

Writing on the internet has taught me a lot – not only about writing, but also about myself. I have become increasingly aware not only of the words I write, but also how I present them.

It's a journey, I suppose.