Reader, help, and a stopping rule.

01 · Name the reader

I need to know who I am trying to help.

My first reader may be a collaborator. It may be a student. It may be my supervisor or mentor.

It does not need to be the final audience.

I only need a real person in mind. A real reader makes my choices less abstract.

02 · Choose the focus

Different readers look for different things.

A collaborator may need the method and the open questions.

A student may need more context.

A busy reviewer may need the main point much earlier.

The reader helps me decide where the detail belongs. The reader also helps me decide what can stay short.

03 · Make help possible

I mark the places where I need another mind.

I may leave a comment. I may write a question. I may add a clear TODO.

I do not need to solve every problem before sharing.

If I want someone to edit the text, I decide how. We may use GitHub. We may use Overleaf. We may choose another tool.

The tool matters less than making the request visible.

04 · Choose an ending

A writing workflow also needs a stopping rule.

I can continue editing for a very long time.

Sometimes I stop after three careful editing rounds.

Sometimes I stop when I feel sick of looking at the document.

The exact rule can change. I only need a rule that protects me from endless perfectionism.

Finished work can move. Perfect work can remain stuck forever.