Blog Post Writer

Blog Post Writer

Overview

This skill produces publishable technical blog posts that readers actually finish: a hook that earns the first scroll, a spine of clear sections, runnable examples, and a takeaway the reader can act on. Keywords: blog post, technical article, dev blog, tutorial, write-up, engineering blog, Medium, dev.to, Hashnode, announcement, essay, headline, hook, SEO.

Use it for tutorials, deep dives, "how we built X" stories, opinion/architecture pieces, release announcements, and concept explainers.

When To Use

• "Write a blog post about ."
• "Turn these notes / this PR / this RFC into an article."
• "I need a catchy intro and outline for a post on ."
• "Edit / tighten this draft."

Process

Follow these steps in order. Do not skip step 1 — most weak posts fail on audience and angle, not prose.

1. Clarify the brief. Establish (ask only if unknown): topic, target reader and their skill level, the single takeaway, desired length, tone, and platform. If the user gave a draft or notes, infer these and confirm the angle in one line.
2. Find the angle. Pick ONE controlling idea (the "so what"). Reject topics that are really 3 posts; split them. Write a one-sentence thesis you can defend.
3. Outline. Produce a section skeleton (H2s) before prose. Use templates/outline.md. Aim for 4-7 sections plus intro and conclusion.
4. Write the hook. Draft the opening using a pattern from references/hooks.md. The first two sentences must create tension or promise a payoff. No "In today's fast-paced world."
5. Draft body. One idea per section. Lead each section with its point, then support with example/code/data. Keep paragraphs 2-4 sentences.
6. Add examples. Every abstract claim gets a concrete instance: code, a command, a number, a before/after, or a short scenario. Code must be minimal, correct, and runnable.
7. Write the takeaway. End with what the reader should now do or believe — a checklist, next step, or crisp summary. Never end on "In conclusion."
8. Title + meta. Generate 3-5 headline options (see references/headlines.md) and a 150-160 char meta description.
9. Edit. Run the pass in references/editing-checklist.md. Then run scripts/readability.py on the draft for objective metrics. Cut 10%.

Structure Template

Title (benefit-driven, specific)
Hook (2-4 sentences: tension/promise)
Context (why this matters now, who it's for) — keep short
Body section 1..N (point → example → implication)
Takeaway (action/summary)
CTA (optional: comment, follow, try the repo)

Decision Framework: Post Type

• Tutorial / how-to → numbered steps, prerequisites block, copy-paste code, end state screenshot/output. Reader goal: do it.
• Deep dive / "how we built" → problem → constraints → approach → tradeoffs → result with metrics. Reader goal: understand decisions.
• Opinion / architecture → thesis → evidence → counterargument → recommendation. Reader goal: be persuaded.