Example: Writing

You want to write a report, article or letter. You want it to really engage people (involve actively). On top of that, it would be great if you actually enjoyed writing it.

You’ll want to explore (ProxAwareness) related elements in the proximity, including your subject, context and likely audience. You don’t have to know everything (never know all), just some things (value of some).

What keeps things interesting is how different people find different things important (rank depends). Keeping this in mind, and actually referring to it as well, makes for perspective, humor and creative insights. Some people may be nodding their heads yes, and others may be saying, “Hey, there are limits to any one technique!” And of course, they’re right. At the beginning of this paragraph, maybe it should say “something that can keep things interesting” rather than “what keeps things interesting.” To those nitpickers, we could say, “Hey, relate to some variety, and allow some uncertainty, would you?” But since we understand rank depends, we might say it or we might not. As we try to smoothly transition out of this sticky point, we can move on.

With your ProxAwareness, you can use the three following ProxPatterns to create interest and impact. You can relate a variety of relevant topics and elements. You can honor the integrity of your readers and your subject. You can allow uncertainty regarding new angles or approaches. You can explore how these three ProxPatterns play off each other and work together. For example, to honor the integrity of an interview subject or important topic, you may need to decrease the variety of issues covered, and take the uncertain chance that the subject or topic will raise a variety of new issues for readers that are related to the subject or topic you honored by focusing on it.

Also from your ProxAwareness, you may be able to introduce related elements in a way that really makes them relevant (more proximate) and memorable to your audience. For example, if there is something most of your audience will probably know, you might link something new to it (create links). Or you might ungroup your audience by saying, “Those of you who do things this way may see it right away. Those of you who do things another way may need to know the following …”

Perhaps we should leave it at that, and avoid forcing the Avoid Forcing ProxPattern to relate!