Bow Tie Kreative Writing System
Run the engine

Rules / structure

STR-017 Context default layer: document

End with the intended next state

IF the document expects a decision or action, THEN end with the next action, owner, timing, and success condition ELSE close by reinforcing the controlling meaning.

Why the rule exists

A document should route the reader into the intended outcome.

Condition

The rule fires when this evaluates true. Paths marked below must be present in the fact base; the engine reports the rest rather than guessing them.

  • document.expected_outcome in [decision, action]

Facts this rule reads

PathSource
document.expected_outcome You supply it

Then

  1. insert — target document.close

Else

  1. align — target document.close

LAKA

Smallest sufficient intervention
Yes
Primary axes

Sources

  • Handbook of Technical Writing — Gerald J. Alred; Charles T. Brusaw; Walter E. Oliu
    Grammar, mechanics, formats, and workplace documents.
  • Technical Communication — Mike Markel; Stuart A. Selber
    Audience, design, ethics, research, and technical genres.
  • The Ultimate Sales Letter — Dan S. Kennedy
    Direct-response structure, offer presentation, and action.
The raw rule record

Verbatim from 10-paragraph-document-rules.json. Also available at /v1/rules/STR-017.

{
  "id": "STR-017",
  "name": "End with the intended next state",
  "domain": "structure",
  "layer": "document",
  "strength": "context_default",
  "human_logic": "IF the document expects a decision or action, THEN end with the next action, owner, timing, and success condition ELSE close by reinforcing the controlling meaning.",
  "when": {
    "path": "document.expected_outcome",
    "operator": "in",
    "value": [
      "decision",
      "action"
    ]
  },
  "then": [
    {
      "action": "insert",
      "target": "document.close",
      "include": [
        "next_action",
        "owner",
        "timing",
        "success_condition"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "else": [
    {
      "action": "align",
      "target": "document.close",
      "with": "controlling_meaning"
    }
  ],
  "unless": [],
  "because": "A document should route the reader into the intended outcome.",
  "diagnostics": [],
  "examples": {},
  "source_ids": [
    "BK-025",
    "BK-026",
    "BK-034"
  ],
  "laka": {
    "smallest_sufficient_intervention": true,
    "primary_axes": [
      "scope",
      "depth",
      "magnitude",
      "reversibility"
    ]
  }
}

Other structure rules

  1. STR-001 One controlling move per paragraph IF a paragraph performs more than one unrelated rhetorical move, THEN split it at the move boundary ELSE retain. Context default
  2. STR-002 Expose the paragraph point IF the paragraph’s controlling point is absent or recoverable only after rereading, THEN state or move it to a strategic position ELSE retain an intentional delayed reveal. Heuristic
  3. STR-003 Support consequential claims IF a paragraph makes a consequential factual claim, THEN provide evidence, cite it, qualify it, or remove the claim ELSE retain. Hard constraint
  4. STR-004 Keep evidence beside the claim IF evidence is separated from the claim it supports by unrelated material, THEN move it closer or label the relation ELSE retain. Context default
  5. STR-005 Use transitions that name the relation IF adjacent paragraphs have a meaningful but unstated relation, THEN add a transition that expresses that relation ELSE retain. Context default
  6. STR-006 Delete orphan paragraphs IF a paragraph neither advances the purpose nor supports another necessary move, THEN delete or relocate it ELSE retain. Heuristic
  7. STR-007 Section answers one reader question IF a section answers multiple unrelated reader questions, THEN split and label them ELSE retain. Context default
  8. STR-008 Heading predicts content IF a heading does not accurately predict its section, THEN rename the heading or repair the section ELSE retain. Hard constraint