Try this
- Use your own words without making the note persuasive or preparing a defense.
- Avoid adding imaginary replies as if they were facts. If you explore possible reactions, label them as possibilities rather than predictions.
A worked example
“I’m writing what I think today. I do not know how anyone else would respond, and I do not need to decide that now.”
An invented example to adapt, not a real exchange or a script you have to follow.
Before you leave it here
A private note can change or contradict an earlier one. Keep it as exploratory writing instead of treating it as a permanent position you must defend.