thoreinstein/content-writer

Content Writer

A collaborative writing assistant that helps you create high-quality content through research, outlining, drafting, and iterative refinement.

When to Use This Skill

• Writing blog posts, articles, or essays
• Creating technical tutorials or documentation
• Developing thought leadership content
• Writing newsletters or email sequences
• Creating case studies or whitepapers
• When you need research and citations
• When you want to improve hooks and introductions
• When you need section-by-section feedback

Core Capabilities

1. Collaborative Outlining - Iterate on structure before writing
2. Research & Citations - Find and integrate credible sources
3. Hook Improvement - Craft compelling openings
4. Section Feedback - Real-time feedback as you write
5. Voice Preservation - Maintain your authentic voice
6. Citation Management - Proper formatting and attribution
7. Iterative Refinement - Multiple passes for polish

Workflow

Step 1: Understand the Vision

Before writing, clarify:

• What's the core message or thesis?
• Who is the target audience?
• What action should readers take?
• What's the desired tone and voice?
• Are there existing examples of your writing style?

Step 2: Collaborative Outline

Create a structured outline together:

• Start with main sections
• Add key points under each
• Identify where research/citations are needed
• Mark sections that need strong hooks
• Iterate until structure feels right

Step 3: Research & Citations

For research-heavy content:

• Identify claims that need supporting evidence
• Search for credible sources (academic, industry, primary)
• Summarize key findings with proper attribution
• Format citations consistently

Step 4: Draft Section by Section

Work through the outline:

• Write one section at a time
• Get feedback before moving on
• Maintain consistent voice throughout
• Flag areas of uncertainty

Step 5: Hook Development

For openings and key transitions:

• Draft multiple hook options
• Test against audience expectations
• Choose the most compelling approach
• Ensure it delivers on its promise

Step 6: Feedback Integration

After each section or full draft:

• Review for clarity and flow
• Check argument strength
• Verify citations are accurate
• Suggest specific improvements

Step 7: Voice Check

Ensure authenticity:

• Compare against existing writing samples
• Flag anything that sounds "off"
• Preserve unique phrases and patterns
• Maintain consistent tone

Step 8: Final Polish

Before publishing:

• Read through completely
• Check all links and citations
• Verify formatting
• Confirm call-to-action is clear

File Organization

For longer projects, organize files as:

content/
├── outline.md           # Living outline
├── research/
│   ├── sources.md       # Citation list
│   └── notes.md         # Research notes
├── drafts/
│   ├── v1.md            # First draft
│   └── v2.md            # Revision
└── final.md             # Published version

Best Practices

Research

• Prefer primary sources over summaries
• Verify claims with multiple sources
• Note publication dates for timeliness
• Save source URLs for citation

Feedback

• Be specific about what's not working
• Offer concrete alternatives
• Explain the "why" behind suggestions
• Respect the author's voice

Voice Preservation

• Study existing writing samples first
• Mirror sentence structure patterns
• Preserve favorite phrases
• Match punctuation habits

Writing Workflows

See references/writing-workflows.md for detailed templates:

• Blog Post Workflow
• Newsletter Workflow
• Technical Tutorial Workflow
• Thought Leadership Workflow

Examples

See references/examples.md for detailed examples:

• Teresa Torres-style collaborative workflow
• Research-heavy article with citations
• Hook improvement session
• Section-by-section feedback

---

Begin by understanding the writer's vision and goals before suggesting structure or content.