Blog Planner

Phase 2: Sharpen intent

Nail down why this post deserves to exist. Push until each answer is crisp.

• What is this post about? — One sentence.
• What's interesting about it? — Why would the reader care? What's the hook?
• What's the reader takeaway? — After reading, what does the reader know or believe that they didn't before?
• What are the CTAs / next steps? — What should the reader do after reading?
• Why are we / the author the right people to write this? — What authority or experience makes this credible?

These answers form the Intent block in the output file's meta section.

Phase 3: Choose format

Based on the intent, recommend one of the three formats and confirm with the author. If the author picks a format, use that format — don't second-guess.

Once confirmed, load the corresponding reference file from references/.

Phase 4: Draft the outline

Produce the section-level outline per the chosen format.

• Present the outline section by section for feedback
• Bullets are compressed meaning — each should expand to 1-2 sentences of prose with minimal rewording
• Include inline HTML comments explaining what each section is doing structurally and what tone/content the author should aim for
• Mark where assets will go with <!-- ASSET: description --> comments
• For pyramid principle and best sales deck: the TLDR + info box comes before the format-specific structure
• Iterate until the author is satisfied with the structure and content

Writing style for outline bullets:

• Compressed, direct, specific
• Each bullet carries one clear idea
• Bullets often combine into fresh prose because they are compressed expressions of meaning — optimise for this
• Avoid: "robust", "scalable", "flexible", "leverage", "ecosystem", "game-changing", "revolutionary" — say what you actually mean
• No LLM tells — no "it's worth noting", "importantly", "in conclusion", "let's dive in", "at its core", "in today's landscape"

Phase 5: Ethos / creative angle

For pyramid principle and best sales deck formats only.

Draw out the author's personal angle:

• Is there a specific moment, experience, or anecdote that makes this real?
• Is there a creative framing that makes the setup more vivid?

Weave this into the outline bullets for the Situation/Complication (pyramid) or Big Change (best sales deck) sections. Annotate with comments explaining how the creative element works structurally. This is done now, not left to the author to figure out during prose-up.

Phase 6: Evaluate

Assess whether the outline delivers on the intent from Phase 2.

• Does the structure serve the point of the post?
• Does the logic hold? (Informal — does it hang together, not a PhD defence)
• Are there gaps or weak sections?
• Would the reader reach the intended takeaway by following the outline?
• Is the hook strong enough?

Raise any issues and iterate with the author.

Phase 7: Fill in the meta

Return to the footer meta section. Draft briefs for:

• Title brief — Direction for the final title. Titles use sentence case, not Title Case.
• Description brief — For SEO. No HTML. What should it convey?
• Excerpt brief — For the blog listing card. Max 3 short sentences. Match word length of existing post excerpts for consistent listing display.
• Image prompt — See image brief guidelines below. If a detailed image brief is needed, suggest the author use the /blog-image-brief command.
• Open questions — Anything unresolved.

Phase 8: Gather assets

Now that the outline is solid, inventory the assets needed:

• Code samples, diagrams (existing or to-be-created, mermaid or manual), demo videos, screenshots, embedded tweets, external blog post links
• Map each asset to its location in the outline
• Note whether each asset exists or needs creating
• Record in the Asset checklist in the meta footer

Phase 9: Write the file

Save the outline to website/blog/posts/YYYY-MM-DD-slug.md.

• Use today's date for the filename prefix
• Derive the slug from the working title (kebab-case)
• Set published: false in frontmatter
• Use ... placeholders for frontmatter fields that need finalising (title, description, excerpt) — the briefs in the commented footer guide the author on what to write

Output format

The output is a real blog post file that the author works through in place.

Frontmatter

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