Saturday, June 25, 2016

A Ramean String

Whenever one makes a choice, it doesn't end there. Each choice opens up more choices. The Ramean string is the particular path one chooses to navigate these endlessly branching choices.  Describing this navigation can be good writing---if told with thought and style.

For example, directions, if correctly given, are a perfect Ramean string. They get a person from point A to point B through many twists and turns. The starting point, journey and destination are all concrete.

A cake mix has the same quality. One could be capricious with the directions, but if you want to end up with a delicious cake---one follows them carefully.

When writing, one hopes to create a similar string of events or steps that lead the reader to a delicious conclusion.

The most famous Ramean string ever created in literature is Hamlet's "to be or not to be" speech. It starts with a question on how to be courageous. It journeys through all the twists and turns of life's pummeling. It ends with the conscience that makes cowards of us all.

Since in writing one most often deals with the marketplace of ideas, the hedges (many, most, often, etc.) should be considered. However, do not let that keep one's writing from incisive precision. Writing is about making a series of thoughtful choices that lead to the perfect conclusion.

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