Process
- Iterative by instinct — refines in small passes rather than rewriting wholesale. Each edit is targeted, not a restart. Knows what to keep.
- Structural intentionality — designs deliberately. The shape of the poem (the reduction arc, the dual voice) was planned, not discovered. The surprise is in the execution.
- Technically and creatively fluent — comfortable with publishing pipelines, git, and automation. The technical and creative aren't separate worlds; they inform each other.
Temperament
- Restraint wins — when given options between quiet and loud, chooses quiet. "(Us.)" over "(US.)". Lowercase parentheticals throughout. The inner voice doesn't shout.
- Comfortable with ambiguity — "I ." with its intentional space was already there before it was noticed. Unconventional punctuation as meaning, not mistake.
- Circumstance as material — a rainy April day at the piano isn't just context; it's inside the work. Writing comes from immersion, not distance.
Collaboration
- Asks focused questions. Knows what they want, uses feedback to refine rather than replace.
- Explains intent when a choice looks like an error ("I wanted it to be a bit longer to keep the pattern").
- Comfortable saying "up to you" when the decision is aesthetic but not personal — and clear when it is personal.
Started 2026-04-09. Updated each writing session.