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Q&A Is it better to leave out the "filters/filler" in situations like this one?

I'd say yes. It may vary depending on your style and situation - but in the given example it's quite clear, imho, that what you called filter should be omitted. A good rule could probably be: unl...

posted 7y ago by Liquid‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-13T11:56:46Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/29021
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T06:42:39Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/29021
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T06:42:39Z (almost 5 years ago)
I'd say yes. It may vary depending on your style and situation - but in the given example it's quite clear, imho, that what you called filter should be omitted.

A good rule could probably be: unless you want to point out some particular detail about the action ("I looked at it with a shocked expression/as if it were from another world/etc ...) the "filter" can be omitted. It breaks the flow without adding relevant information: in the example you proceed describing the letter and your narrator takes the POV of your protagonist, so it's clear that he is looking.

Apart from this, the rule should be taken with a pinch of salt. As I mentioned it may vary on the situation. Personally I think that sentences as "_What a day_, he though" are allright, as long as they don't interrupt the stream of text too much, but that's pretty subjective.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2017-06-30T13:22:23Z (over 7 years ago)
Original score: 3