# Writing Skill > This document is a living reference. It captures how Amit actually writes — derived from real samples that performed well — and what that means for writing blogs, LinkedIn posts, and newsletters that sound like him. - Skill: `aibot88/writing-skill` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add aibot88/writing-skill` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/aibot88/writing-skill/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: AI & ML - Author: aibot88 (https://skillmd.com/u/aibot88) - Updated: 2026-09-09 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/aibot88/writing-skill --- # Blog Writing Skill — Amit Srivatsa Can be invoked by asking the agent to "write like amit / write like me / in my voice " etc. --- ## The core standard Every piece of writing must pass this test: > "Does this sound like something Amit said out loud to a friend who's smart but not in his industry?" If it reads like an article, it's not ready. If it sounds like a consultant, start over. If there's no real moment or tension in it, it's missing something essential. --- ## What Amit's voice actually sounds like These patterns are extracted from LinkedIn posts that genuinely performed well — posts Amit wrote from scratch. ### 1. Opens with a real moment, not a thesis Amit never starts with the point. He starts with something that happened. Good: > "Last month I signed a client without speaking their language." > "I was talking to a friend yesterday." > "Last week, I got a job. And I stopped writing." Bad (avoid): > "Fast learners use three key strategies." > "In today's competitive landscape..." > "Most people believe X. Here's the truth." The opening should feel like someone leaning across a table. --- ### 2. Short sentences. Sometimes very short. Amit's rhythm is staccato when it matters most. > "They slash. They kill darlings. They cut what's no longer serving the story." > "But a well-written email? That's progress… with a 'send' button." > "I broke my chain. I'm starting again today." Rule: If a sentence is longer than 20 words, ask if it can be two sentences. --- ### 3. "I" is not optional — specificity is the point Amit names the café (Banhmi & Caphe). He names the people (Nhu and Son). He names the subscription (Chess.com premium). He says "Me?" before answering his own question. Vague universals kill trust. Specific details build it. Bad: "A friend of mine told me she felt burned out." Good: "I was talking to a friend yesterday. They told me they felt bored, restless, and a bit 'off' at work." When writing blogs, always anchor the central idea in a real, specific experience. --- ### 4. Bridges personal → universal without being preachy Amit moves from "this happened to me" to "here's what it means for you" without a lecture. The transition is quiet and natural. He doesn't say: "This taught me an important lesson about resilience." He says: "For a lot of people who want to quit their job, their job isn't really the problem." The reader arrives at the universal insight themselves. Amit just points the way. --- ### 5. Analogies are earthy, not academic Amit's analogies come from everyday life, not business textbooks. - "one tool to do the work of an entire toolbox" - "Emails are like burritos. They only work if everything's wrapped neatly." - "Consistency is like brushing teeth. Miss one day, it's fine. Miss a week, and it stinks." - "aged like milk" If the analogy sounds like it belongs in a HBR piece, find a simpler one. --- ### 6. Contrarian hooks that are honest, not clickbait Amit uses tension and contradiction — but it's always earned, not manufactured. > "I have nearly 10 years of experience in marketing, and here's why you shouldn't hire me!" > "Consistency doesn't break with failure. It breaks with comfort." > "Most meetings are just group procrastination in disguise." The hook should create a "wait, what?" moment — then immediately deliver on it. Never bait-and-switch. --- ### 7. Ends with a real question, not a CTA in disguise Amit's closing questions feel like genuine curiosity, not a growth hack. Good: > "What's your trick to staying consistent when things are going well?" > "Which of your goals are you ready to rewrite?" > "What's the most effective email you've ever written?" Bad (avoid): > "Drop me a DM if you want to learn more." > "Follow for more insights like this." > "What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!" --- ### 8. Self-aware, light humor Amit's funny without trying to be funny. It's usually a throwaway line or a small moment of self-awareness. > "this is a metaphor, I will get to it later 😄" > "Be the burrito artist. Not the soup slinger." > "11 goals. That's not a roadmap: that's a wish list." Don't force it. It lands when it's incidental. --- ### 9. Vulnerability is a feature, not a weakness Amit admits when he failed, stopped, got comfortable, made mistakes. > "Last week, I got a job. And I stopped writing. I didn't plan to." > "I had 11 goals. I am picking only 3 of them." This is what makes the writing trustworthy. It's not performance — it reads as actual reflection. --- ## Rules for blog writing (derived from samples) 1. **Open with a real moment.** Something that happened. A conversation. A decision. A failure. 2. **State the tension early.** What did you believe before? What did you discover? What's the friction? 3. **Use one anchor analogy.** Earn it. Don't force multiple. 4. **Write at the level of a smart friend, not a consultant.** 5. **Every section must earn its place.** If it adds length without insight, cut it. 6. **No decorative emojis.** Emojis are okay in LinkedIn posts where they aid scannability. Not in long-form essays. 7. **End with a question that you're actually curious about.** 8. **Read it out loud before publishing.** If it sounds stiff, rewrite. 9. **The 60-second test applies to your own drafts:** if you can't summarize the single insight in 60 seconds without notes, the piece isn't clear yet. --- ## Rules for LinkedIn posts (derived from samples) 1. Hook in the first line — not a thesis, a moment or a provocation. 2. Short paragraphs. One idea per paragraph. 3. Use line breaks aggressively for rhythm. 4. Numbered lists are fine — but each point needs a human sentence, not a label. 5. End with a real question. No "follow for more." 6. Emojis: 1-2 per post max, only where they add visual clarity or a light tone shift. 7. Write the post, then delete the first line. Often the second line is the real hook. --- ## Rules for newsletter emails (derived from Public Thinking System) 1. Plain or near-plain text. No heavy formatting. 2. One central idea. One primary link. 3. Send only when there is genuine signal. Silence is acceptable. 4. The newsletter is a memory mechanism — write it like a letter to someone who knows you. 5. No promotional tone. No "in this edition." 6. Maximum frequency: once per week. No pressure to fill that slot. --- ## The gap to close in the current blog The fast learners blog needs a rewrite pass to: - Add a personal opening moment (a specific experience where Amit noticed the difference between how he learned and how others did) - Remove or replace the institutional critique section with something earned - Strip all decorative emojis - Rewrite the closing question to feel genuine - Bring the 60-second test section earlier — it's the heart of the piece This is not a teardown. The ideas are good. The voice just needs to be restored. --- *Last updated: February 2026. Grow this document as new samples are analyzed and new learnings emerge.*