# Long Form Hot Take

> Contrarian opinion piece (~800-1500 words). Stakes a position against conventional wisdom in your niche. Use when you have a real fight to pick — a widely-held belief in your space that you genuinely disagree with and can defend with evidence.

- Skill: `r-bart/long-form-hot-take` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add r-bart/long-form-hot-take`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/r-bart/long-form-hot-take/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: r-bart (https://skillmd.com/u/r-bart)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/r-bart/long-form-hot-take

---


## Metadata

- **inherits**: `../writing-style/SKILL.md`
- **length target**: 800-1500 words
- **cadence**: ad-hoc — when you have something to disagree with

# long-form-hot-take

A short essay that picks a fight with conventional wisdom in your niche. Goal: make the reader either nod or push back — never shrug.

The voice and tone come from `writing-style/SKILL.md`. This skill only owns the format. If your style guide names contrarian-format references (specific authors, specific posts you admire), put them there — not here.

## Structure

```
[Title: states the contrarian position directly. NO "Why X is dead" clickbait. Use a thesis.]
[Subtitle: 1 sentence — the reframe in plain terms.]

[Opener (2-4 sentences): name the conventional wisdom EVERYONE in your niche repeats. Quote it if possible. Don't strawman.]

[The pivot — 1 short paragraph or even one sentence: "I think this is wrong." or equivalent. Plant the flag.]

## Why the conventional wisdom fails

[2-4 paragraphs. Concrete examples of where the conventional advice breaks down. NAME the failure modes. Cite real cases if you have them.]

## What to do instead

[Your alternative. Stated as a rule, then shown via example. Be willing to say "this might be wrong but here's my bet".]

## Three things to try

[3-5 tangible actions the reader can take this week. Hot-takes without instructions are just complaining.]

[Closer (1-2 sentences): hard punch. Restate the position with no hedging. If you wouldn't bet money on it, don't write it.]
```

## Rules specific to this format

- **Pick a real fight.** A hot-take that everyone secretly already agrees with isn't a hot-take. If your friends nod when you say it, dig deeper.
- **Steelman the opposing view.** Quote the best version of the conventional wisdom, not a strawman. You earn the right to disagree by representing it fairly.
- **Stakes and consequences.** Show what the conventional advice costs people who follow it. Concrete examples.
- **Land with action.** Without the "Three things to try" section, you're a pundit. With it, you're a builder.
- **Own the uncertainty.** "I might be wrong" is allowed ONCE in the piece. Use it to be more confident elsewhere, not as a hedge throughout.

## Anti-patterns specific to this format

- Manufactured controversy ("Productivity is a SCAM!" when it isn't). Reader will smell it.
- Contrarian for its own sake. There must be a real cost to the conventional view.
- Quoting yourself or only fringe sources for the opposing view. Quote the loudest, most credible proponent.
- "Hot-take" written as a thread of rhetorical questions. That's a Twitter post, not an essay.
- Closer that backs down. _"But of course, do what works for you!"_ — kills the whole piece.

## Workflow

1. Write the thesis sentence first. Show it to one person. If they say "yeah obvious", change the thesis or scrap it.
2. Find the strongest 2-3 proponents of the conventional view. Quote them.
3. List the failure modes. Each must be either a personal experience, a documented case, or a logical argument — not a feeling.
4. Draft the alternative as a rule.
5. Add the action steps.
6. Cut every hedge except one.
7. Run `editing-pass` and `ai-slop-check`.