The finest carver cuts little

I’m still working on Medium articles, and I keep dropping back into “the explainer” voice. This is the guy who researches a topic and then tries to explain what he learned. It’s the boringest approach to writing a thing, and it’s my default voice.

To fix this I’m bringing back my “9-square” template. Claude just coded a new app for me. It’s meant to focus my attention on solving a real problem and organizing it in a way that it actually makes the topic interesting.

• Framing Arc (Question + Empathy + Action): How does the article frame the problem? Open with a question, often spurred by the moment of empathy, and end with a clear call to action.
• Perspective Arc (Lead + Rival + Ally): Contrast perspectives in different contexts. The Lead leans on a Rival perspective mismatched to their situation and needs a fresh, often counterintuitive Ally.
• Trajectory Arc (Goal + Flaw + Insight): This is the plot. The goal is pursued, the flaw holds it back, and the insight changes everything and allows the Goal to be achieved.

It should, in theory, prevent me from falling into the trap of explaining.

Trying this with an article I’m writing, I started with the three questions I wanted to answer:

• What is the “Uncarved Block” in Taoist philosophy?
• What does the Tao Te Ching mean by “the ten thousand things”?
• What does “the finest carver cuts little” mean?

After working with the template, I have a clearer picture of the article. The craftsperson listens to podcasts in order to master their domain. But those podcasters are creating content to keep you listening by breaking the art down into “ten thousand things”. True mastery is restraint. Do nothing unnecessary.

And although the template seems unnecessary, the template is an act of restraint. It’s extra work up front, but it prevents me from writing an article nobody wants to read.