Fresh ingredients

I love a framework. When I think about things, I usually try to extract a general concept from specific data points. And unfortunately, when I write I tend to focus on those abstract ideas as the finished product. I may sprinkle a few examples into the mix, but I’m essentially overloading the plate with a complex, abstract framework.

There are people who might appreciate that dish, but that’s the kind of dish you can only serve once you have established a reputation and reach. An unknown writer is a bit like an unknown restaurant. They have to cook for the locals first and only after the dining room is consistently full will they attract visitors from further away who might appreciate a good framework.

At this stage I need fresh ingredients, and in writing that means an observation grounded in the real world. That ingredient becomes the centerpiece of the dish and the abstract ideas are the sauce.

Writing at this level needs to travel. It can’t be weighed down by the caveats and complexity that would make it complete. It draws from the framework, but isn’t trying to sell a complete system. It’s just there to provide a taste and leave the reader craving more.