Win the Internal Argument

Any statement can be argued. If you response to that was , "oh yeah?", then you just proved my point and you're also kind of an ass.

The important point to this is that any time you make a statement, you should be prepared to argue it. Statements are generally broken up into two categories: facts and opinions. Essentially, they are the same thing. The only difference is how well they can be argued.

A fact is a statement with so much evidence to support it that it is not argued (except by outrageous zealots). An opinion is a statement that doesn't have enough evidence to call it a fact.

In academic writings, we find many a footnote in text. These are counterarguments. Every time a person makes a factual statement, they include where the fact can be verified to counter a potential argument. Going further back to high school, the standard 5-paragraph essay contains a statement, an argument, and a counter to that argument.

The point of arguing is to find the truth. In fact, any time you start an argument, you can use the question, "is that true?" If you argue with people enough, or if enough people argue with you, you will start asking that question every time you make a statement. This is a good thing.

When you start arguing with yourself, that is a super-powered BS filter. If you can win the internal argument for every statement you make, you will be sure to have the strongest work possible.

Although this advice is best-used by essayists, it holds true for any form of writing. If you are writing a novel and you write, He knew the night would be dangerous, you can still ask, "is that true?" It can go along nicely with the what-if game to generate ideas, but it can also make sure that your characters are acting like they should and that the world around them is proper.

One final note of advice: don't show your internal argument. If you make a claim, which is argued, defended, argued again, defended again, and so on several times, you should just get rid of your original argument. Nothing that will spawn that much controversy is polished enough to be shared. Once you reach a conclusion with yourself about what is true, just write that. Nobody needs to know what went on behind the scenes to come to that truth.