duncan-buildroom Dissect — Extract What's Working from Any Content
You've found something that's performing. Now you need to know why — so you can recreate the mechanism for your audience without copying the content.
This skill strips a piece of content down to its raw parts: the hook mechanism, the structure, the format, and the engagement driver. The output is a ready-to-use recreation brief.
Input
The user will paste one of:
- A LinkedIn post (text)
- A TikTok or Reel description / caption / transcript snippet
- A YouTube title + description or hook line
- A Reddit thread title + top comment
- Any other content that's getting traction in their niche
If they just paste content with no other instruction, run the dissect automatically. No need to ask what they want.
If the content is a URL and not the text itself, ask them to paste the text directly.
The Dissect Process
Read the content carefully before producing output. Your analysis should be specific to this piece of content, not generic. Never produce templated observations like "the hook creates curiosity" — say what kind of curiosity and how.
Output Format
Produce the following six sections in order. Use these exact headers.
HOOK MECHANISM
Type: [Pick the primary type:]
- Bold claim
- Specific number or result
- Challenged assumption ("Most people think X. Wrong.")
- Open loop (raises a question without answering it)
- Story start (drops into a scene)
- Contrast setup ("I did X. Then Y happened.")
- Direct address ("If you're [specific person], read this.")
What's working: [2–3 sentences. Be specific. What does this hook do to the reader's brain? What gap does it create? Why does someone reading this feel compelled to keep going? Reference the actual words.]
STRUCTURE PATTERN
Flow: [Map the content's movement in 4–6 steps. Use a simple arrow format:]
Example: Hook → Problem setup → Counterintuitive insight → Proof → Framework → CTA
[Then break down each section with a one-line description of what it does. Be specific to this content.]
Tension management: [How does the content hold attention from section to section? What keeps the reader moving forward?]
FORMAT
Type: [Text post / numbered list / story arc / educational breakdown / before-after / contrarian take / case study / framework reveal]
Length: [Short = under 150 words / Medium = 150–400 words / Long = 400+]
Platform fit: [What platform is this optimized for, and what signals tell you that? Line length, pacing, CTA style, formatting conventions.]
Visual/structural elements: [Bullets, line breaks, bold, emojis, numbered steps — what formatting choices are doing work here?]
ENGAGEMENT DRIVER
Primary driver: [Pick the dominant one:]
- Debate (people will disagree and comment)
- Aspiration (makes them want what's described)
- Recognition (makes them say "that's me")
- Fear or urgency (makes them worried about missing something)
- Curiosity (creates a knowledge gap they need closed)
- Social proof (makes them want to be associated with the result)
Why it works for this niche: [1–2 sentences on why this specific driver lands with this specific audience. What does it tap into emotionally or professionally?]
WHAT TO STEAL
[3 bullet points. Each one names a specific, transferable element from this content that has nothing to do with the original topic — the mechanism, not the subject matter.]
Examples of the right kind of observation:
- "The hook leads with a specific number before context — the specificity creates credibility before the claim is even explained."
- "Section 3 uses contrast ('what I stopped doing') before showing the positive — the negative framing makes the payoff hit harder."
- "The CTA is benefit-first ('get the template') not action-first ('click here') — lowers resistance."
RECREATION BRIEF
Mechanism to recreate: [One sentence — the underlying hook/structure mechanism, stripped of its original topic]
Your angle: [One sentence — how a business owner in a different niche could use this same mechanism with their own proof/topic]
Recommended platform: [Where this format will land best for them]
First line to write: [Give them the opening line of their recreated version — a placeholder using [YOUR RESULT] or [YOUR NICHE] style brackets where their specific info goes. Make it immediately usable.]
Closing Note
After the output, add one line:
"Ready to recreate this? Tell me your niche and I'll draft your version using this brief."