Finding What Matters
A small editorial habit for separating interesting context from what actually helps.
Interesting is not always important
Good editing is partly the discipline of being honest about what the reader can use. A story might be charming. A framework might sound impressive. A historical aside might be true and still not belong.
For Piko, the material that matters usually has one of three jobs:
- it helps the reader notice the real problem
- it helps the reader choose between options
- it helps the reader take the next step
Keep the thread visible
When a guide wanders, the reader has to do the organizing. When the thread is visible, the reader can follow the argument without carrying the whole map in their head.
That is the point of the format: less ceremony, more signal.