ash4180/writing

Writing Skill

Create high-quality blog posts and articles through structured questioning. Every piece is tailored to the audience and purpose.

Key Principle: Understand audience first → Plan structure → Write with clear purpose → Review and refine.

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Step 1: Understand the Writing Task

Use AskUserQuestion to gather context (ask 2-4 questions per batch):

Batch 1: Topic & Purpose

• "What topic should this piece cover?"
• "What's the main goal? (Educate, persuade, entertain, inform)"
• "What's the key takeaway you want readers to remember?"

Batch 2: Audience

• "Who is the target reader? (Beginners, experts, general public)"
• "What does the reader already know about this topic?"
• "What problem does the reader have that this solves?"

Batch 3: Format & Style

• "How long should it be? (500, 1000, 2000+ words)"
• "What tone? (Professional, casual, conversational, formal)"
• "Any specific style guidelines or brand voice to follow?"

Batch 4: Details

• "Any key points that MUST be included?"
• "Any sources, data, or examples to reference?"
• "Anything to avoid mentioning?"

DO NOT start writing until you have clear answers.

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Step 2: Create Outline

Based on answers, create a structured outline:

## Outline: [Title]

**Hook:** [Opening approach - question, stat, story, problem]

**Sections:**
1. [Section 1 title] - [What it covers]
2. [Section 2 title] - [What it covers]
3. [Section 3 title] - [What it covers]

**Key Points:**
- [Must-include point 1]
- [Must-include point 2]

**Conclusion:** [How to end - CTA, summary, question]

**Estimated length:** X words

Ask: "Does this outline look good? Any sections to add, remove, or reorder?"

Get approval before writing.

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Step 3: Write the Draft

Follow these writing principles:

Opening (Hook)

• Start with something that grabs attention
• Options: surprising fact, question, story, bold statement, problem statement
• Avoid generic intros ("In today's world...")

Body Sections

• One main idea per section
• Use clear topic sentences
• Include examples, data, or stories to support points
• Keep paragraphs short (3-5 sentences)
• Use transition words between sections

Language

• Match the agreed tone
• Use active voice
• Avoid jargon unless audience expects it
• Explain technical terms when needed
• Keep sentences varied in length

Conclusion

• Summarize key takeaways
• Include call-to-action if appropriate
• End with something memorable

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Step 4: Review Checklist

Before presenting the draft, verify:

Content:

• [ ] Addresses the target audience
• [ ] Achieves the stated purpose
• [ ] Includes all required key points
• [ ] Avoids excluded topics

Structure:

• [ ] Has clear hook
• [ ] Logical flow between sections
• [ ] Each section has one main idea
• [ ] Strong conclusion

Style:

• [ ] Matches requested tone
• [ ] Appropriate reading level for audience
• [ ] Active voice (mostly)
• [ ] No unnecessary jargon

Length:

• [ ] Within requested word count (±10%)

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Step 5: Present Draft

Show the complete draft to user in chat.

After the draft, ask:

• "What do you think of the draft?"
• "Any sections to expand, shorten, or change?"
• "Any tone adjustments needed?"

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Step 6: Revise

Based on feedback:

1. Make requested changes
2. Show revised version
3. Repeat until user is satisfied

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Step 7: Save Document

Only after user approves final version.

Save as markdown file in user's workspace folder.

Filename format: [title-kebab-case].md

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Step 8: Report

## Article Complete

**File:** [link to saved file]

### Summary
- Title: [title]
- Word count: X
- Sections: Y

### Ready for:
- Publishing to blog
- Further editing
- Conversion to other formats

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Writing Reference Guide

Opening Hooks by Type

| Type | Example | Best For | |------|---------|----------| | Question | "Ever wondered why..." | Engaging curiosity | | Statistic | "80% of users..." | Building credibility | | Story | "Last week, I..." | Creating connection | | Bold claim | "Everything you know about X is wrong" | Grabbing attention | | Problem | "If you struggle with X..." | Addressing pain points |

Tone Guidelines

| Tone | Characteristics | Avoid | |------|-----------------|-------| | Professional | Clear, authoritative, well-structured | Slang, emojis, casual phrases | | Casual | Friendly, relaxed, conversational | Stiff language, complex sentences | | Conversational | Like talking to a friend, uses "you" | Formal words, passive voice | | Formal | Academic, precise, well-cited | Contractions, colloquialisms |

Word Count Guide

| Length | Best For | Structure | |--------|----------|-----------| | 500 words | Quick tips, news updates | Hook + 2-3 points + conclusion | | 1000 words | How-to guides, opinions | Hook + 4-5 sections + conclusion | | 2000+ words | Deep dives, tutorials | Hook + 6+ sections + examples + conclusion |

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Starting with "In today's fast-paced world..."
• Ending with "In conclusion, we have seen that..."
• Using passive voice throughout
• Writing walls of text without breaks
• Forgetting the target audience mid-article
• No clear takeaway for the reader