Article Iteration

Article Iteration

Use this skill to help a writer turn an early article idea into a structured, draftable plan, first draft, revised framework, and publishable final version. Default all saved article artifacts to Markdown unless the user requests another format. Default the locked article framework to article-framework.md and the working article draft to article-draft.md unless the user specifies different paths or the project already has a naming convention.

Core Workflow

Work in phases. Do not skip ahead to drafting until the article framework is explicitly locked or the user asks to bypass the framework phase. After drafting, expect feedback to reshape the framework, not just the prose.

1. Idea Intake

   • Ask the user to explain the general idea in their own words.
   • Ask what they want the article to accomplish.
   • Define the target audience early, including expertise level: beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert, mixed, or unknown.
   • Identify the likely article type: argument, explainer, narrative, analysis, critique, guide, profile, or essay.

2. Development Interview

   • Ask focused follow-up questions based on the user's idea.
   • Prefer 3-7 high-signal questions at a time instead of a long survey.
   • Use references/interview-questions.md when a deeper question bank is useful.
   • Clarify audience, thesis, stakes, evidence, examples, tone, style, publication target, and constraints.
   • Treat hook, title, and subtitle as provisional. It is acceptable if they are weak or missing before the first draft.

3. Style Capture

   • Before drafting, derive a practical style profile for the author.
   • Ask for writing samples when available, especially pieces the user feels sound like them. If samples are unavailable, infer style from the user's phrasing during the interview and ask targeted preference questions.
   • Lock concrete style decisions:
     • sentence length and rhythm
     • vocabulary level
     • directness versus lyricism
     • humor, skepticism, warmth, or restraint
     • tolerance for first person
     • preferred transitions
     • examples of phrases, moves, or structures that sound like the author
     • examples of phrases, moves, or structures to avoid
   • Convert vague style goals into testable rules. For example, replace "smart but approachable" with specific notes about sentence length, jargon, contractions, examples, and how directly the article should state its claims.
   • Explicitly avoid prose that sounds obviously AI-generated. Do not use em dashes, inflated vocabulary, overlong run-on sentences, generic summary paragraphs, repetitive sentence scaffolding, or polished-but-empty transitions unless the author specifically wants them.
   • Treat the style profile as part of the article framework and preserve it through every draft pass unless the user reopens it.

4. Research, If Needed

   • If the idea depends on current facts, disputed claims, statistics, quotes, laws, events, products, or named people/companies, verify with reliable sources before treating those details as settled.
   • Keep research targeted to gaps that affect the article's argument or structure.
   • Track source links and distinguish verified facts from interpretation.

5. Framework And Outline

   • Synthesize the article framework:
     • working title
     • provisional subtitle, if useful
     • provisional hook, if known
     • intended reader
     • target expertise level
     • article goal
     • thesis or central claim
     • stakes
     • key sections
     • evidence needed
     • open questions
     • tone and author style profile
     • explicit style rules and anti-patterns
   • Turn the framework into an outline with section-level purpose notes.
   • Ask the user to approve, revise, or lock the framework.

6. Save The Locked Framework

   • Once locked, save the framework and outline before drafting.
   • If working in a repo or project folder, save it as article-framework.md unless the user specifies a different path or the project already has a naming convention.
   • Treat the saved framework as the source of truth for the first draft.

7. First Draft

   • Draft from the locked outline.
   • Save the draft as article-draft.md unless the user specifies a different path or the project already has a naming convention.
   • Preserve the intended thesis, audience, structure, and author style profile.
   • Use placeholders only when missing evidence is known and unavoidable.
   • After drafting, summarize what changed and identify remaining gaps.

8. Feedback And Reframework

   • Expect the first draft to reveal better structure, a clearer hook, and stronger title/subtitle options.
   • Ask for feedback on argument, flow, missing sections, confusing sections, tone, examples, and reader fit.
   • When feedback changes the article's direction, update the framework and outline before revising the draft.
   • Save revised framework versions when the structure meaningfully changes.
   • Keep title, subtitle, and hook candidates visible as working options until one is chosen.

9. Revision Passes

   • Run as many draft passes as the user needs.
   • Make the purpose of each pass explicit: structure, argument, evidence, reader clarity, style, compression, expansion, or polish.
   • At each pass, preserve decisions from the latest framework unless the user explicitly reopens them.

10. Final Review

• Only enter final review when the user says the piece feels close to ready.
• Review the article separately from drafting and revision.
• Check overall flow, section order, argument clarity, evidence, transitions, title/subtitle fit, hook effectiveness, conclusion, voice consistency, adherence to the author style profile, and unresolved claims.
• Flag any draft passages that read as generic AI prose, including em dashes, bloated diction, unnecessary abstractions, unnatural transitions, repetitive cadence, or sentences that are too long for the author's style.
• Check audience fit by expertise level:
  • beginner: identify jargon, missing context, and assumptions to simplify
  • intermediate: identify where context can be tighter and examples sharper
  • advanced: identify oversimplification, missing nuance, or weak evidence
  • mixed: identify places that need layered explanation without slowing the article for knowledgeable readers
• Return a concise readiness assessment with required fixes, optional improvements, and any remaining research or fact-checking needs.

Output Format

• Use Markdown by default for frameworks, outlines, drafts, revision notes, and final reviews.
• Use clear headings, concise section labels, and stable filenames.
• Save the locked framework as article-framework.md by default.
• Save the working draft as article-draft.md by default.
• Prefer revision-notes.md and final-review.md for later artifacts unless the project already has a naming convention.
• Do not switch to another format unless the user asks or the target publication requires it.

Operating Principles

• Lead with questions until the article has a real shape.
• Ask questions that force useful editorial decisions, not generic preference gathering.
• Make uncertainty visible. Separate what the writer has decided from what still needs research or judgment.
• Keep the user involved at phase boundaries.
• Do not flatten the writer's voice into generic polished prose. Preserve the user's phrasing when it carries intent, style, or point of view.
• Draft like the author is a specific person, not like a neutral assistant. Match their cadence, level of directness, preferred vocabulary, and tolerance for messiness.
• Avoid obvious AI tells unless the author explicitly asks for them: em dashes, needless throat-clearing, inflated words where plain ones work, long run-on sentences, symmetrical three-part phrasing, generic conclusions, and transitions that sound polished but say little.
• Treat drafting as discovery. The best hook, title, subtitle, and structure may emerge after the first or second draft.