Sunday Writing Tip: Fix Incorrect I versus Me Issues

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

Each week, I’ll offer a tip you can take and apply to your WIP to help improve it. They’ll be easy to do and shouldn’t take long, so they’ll be tips you can do without taking up your Sunday. Though I do reserve the right to offer a good tip now and then that will take longer—but only because it would apply to the entire manuscript.

This week, search for I and me and fix any incorrect usages

There’s a bit of a misconception that it should always be “Bob and I…” when choosing between I and me, but that’s not true. There are plenty of instances when me is correct.

An easy test to determine if you need I or me: Reduce the sentence to just the I part. For example:

Bob and I went to the store = I went to the store. I is the correct usage, as Me went to the store is clearly wrong.

Meet Bob and I at the store = Meet I at the store. Me would be the correct usage here, with meet me at the store.