# Blog Writer

> Use when writing, drafting, or editing blog posts. Applies the user's preferred writing style — informal, personable, technically focused, and narrative-driven. Trigger when creating new blog content or revising existing prose.

- Skill: `prrao87/blog-writer` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add prrao87/blog-writer`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/prrao87/blog-writer/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: prrao87 (https://skillmd.com/u/prrao87)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/prrao87/blog-writer

---


# Blog Writing Skill

## Purpose

Write and edit blog posts in the user's preferred style: informal, educational, and technically focused while remaining approachable to a broader audience.

## Core Writing Guidelines

### 1. Use Contractions (Always)

Write informally. Use contractions throughout:
- "We'll" not "we will"
- "It's" not "it is"
- "Don't" not "do not"
- "We're" not "we are"
- "I've" not "I have"

Scan all prose for uncontracted forms and replace them.

### 2. Use "We" to Guide the Reader

Write as if taking the reader on a journey together:
- **Default to "we"**: "Let's look at...", "We'll explore...", "Here's what we need to consider..."
- **Use "I" for personal opinions**: When expressing a personal view or preference, "I" is appropriate. "I think this approach works best because..."

The goal is to make the reader feel like a collaborator, not a passive observer.

### 3. Tell a Cohesive Story

- Connect ideas smoothly from one section to the next
- Each paragraph should flow naturally into the next
- Avoid abrupt topic changes without transitions
- Keep it concise — don't be verbose, but don't sacrifice clarity for brevity

### 4. Minimize Em Dashes

Em dashes (—) can feel choppy when overused. Prefer:
- **Colons**: to introduce lists or explanations
- **Commas**: for natural pauses within sentences
- **Parentheses**: for asides and supplementary information

Reserve em dashes for occasional emphasis or dramatic effect.

### 5. Technical but Approachable

- Write primarily for a technical audience
- But keep explanations clear enough that someone adjacent to the field can follow
- Define jargon when first introduced, or provide enough context that meaning is clear
- Use concrete examples to ground abstract concepts

### 6. Make it sound like a human wrote it

LLM writing at times feels very formulaic, using very similar phrasing. The goal is to make what you write feel approachable and human, not like a dry manual that was written by a robot. Avoid repeating the same sentence structures, vary your word choice, and inject a bit of personality where appropriate. The content should be clear and accurate, but also engaging to read.

Avoid the following extremely common patterns or phrases:
- "It's not this, it's that."
- "Paying the ___ tax" (e.g., "paying the import tax", "paying the setup tax") − both "pay" and "tax" should be avoided
- "__ changes that."
- "That matters because"
- "sidecar"

## Tone Checklist

Before finalizing any blog prose, verify:

- [ ] All contractions are in place (no "do not", "we are", etc.)
- [ ] "We" is used by default; "I" only for personal opinions
- [ ] Em dashes are used sparingly
- [ ] Prose flows as a connected narrative
- [ ] Technical concepts are explained without being condescending

## Example Transformations

**Too formal:**
> "We will now examine the architecture. It is important to note that this approach does not work in all cases."

**Preferred:**
> "Let's look at the architecture. It's worth noting that this approach won't work in all cases."

---

**Overusing em dashes:**
> "The system — which handles authentication — uses JWTs — a common standard — for session management."

**Preferred:**
> "The system (which handles authentication) uses JWTs, a common standard for session management."

---

**Too impersonal:**
> "One might consider using a different approach here."

**Preferred:**
> "We might want to consider a different approach here."

---

**Personal opinion (use "I"):**
> "We think this is the best solution."

**Preferred:**
> "I think this is the best solution." (when it's genuinely a personal view)