: Re: "Thought" Verbs: A sign of weak writing or a stylistic choice? According to Chuck Palahniuk you should avoid "Thought" verbs as much as you can. These include: knew, thought, realized, believed,

@Si5022468

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I can see where he comes from saying that those words should be avoided, but I would not avoid them at all cost.

If you were writing a "classic" detective story, where the rugged detective is telling the story you should be allower the use of:

As I came back to my office, the door closing with a soft click behind me, I though about the days events. Some thing seemed off, but I could not put my finger on it. I'd been through it many times before of course, knowing all to well how this night would end. I would probably have my regular date with good old Jack and conteplate all the things I have heard. But as I reached my desk I realized what I had missed. Stopping dead in my tracks I knew what I had to do.

For me this feels like a stylistic choice, and a way to personalize the character.
Although if you are do describe from a third-person perspective, or do some form of "out of character" description I would try to avoid them like he suggests.

Of course, I'm no writer by education and I'm in no position to tell someone what is best or the most "correct" way of writing. Only what I am most comfortable both reading and writing.

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