carousel-copy

name	carousel-copy
description	Generate structured carousel slide content in your voice for Instagram carousels.

/carousel-copy

Generate structured carousel slide content for your brand's carousel template.

Setup Check

Read config from ~/.claude/skills/carousel/config.json. If it doesn't exist, tell the user:

You haven't set up your carousel template yet. Run /carousel first — it takes about 10 minutes and only happens once.

Then stop.

Input

A topic, hook idea, video transcript, or brief description of what the carousel should be about.

Output

A JSON array of slide objects ready for /carousel-design. Each object has:

{
  "name": "slide1-hook",
  "slideNum": "01 / 07",
  "stepLabel": "CATEGORY",
  "headline": "BIG TEXT<br>WITH <span class=\"accent\">ACCENT</span>",
  "subline": "SUPPORTING TEXT IN ALL CAPS.",
  "activateLabel": "To Activate:",
  "terminal": "<div class=\"t-line\">...</div>",
  "character": "pointing",
  "isPill": false,
  "isHook": false,
  "isCTA": false
}

The character field maps to a character name from config (e.g. "pointing", "crossed"). If no characters are configured, omit this field entirely.

Slide Structure Rules

Number of slides

• Minimum 5, maximum 10 slides
• Don't force a specific count — let the content dictate
• Always have: Hook (1st), CTA (last). Middle slides are the content.

Slide 1 — Hook (always)

• isHook: true, isPill: true
• Headline: provocative, attention-grabbing, creates curiosity
• One accent-colored word or phrase that hits hardest
• Subline: one sentence teasing what's coming
• Terminal: preview of the topic (command being run, key stat, etc.)
• stepLabel: category pill matching the user's niche (read from config)

Hook formulas that work for carousels:

• [TOOL] just killed [PROFESSION] — bold claim, visual-first
• Here are [NUMBER] secret codes for [TOOL] — perfect listicle format
• You need to understand the [NUMBER] levels of [TOOL] — framework/progression
• [NUMBER] things you need to do immediately when you start using [TOOL] — beginner listicle
• You probably haven't unlocked the full [CAPABILITY] of [TOOL] — viewer callout
• Don't say [COMMON PHRASE], say [BETTER PHRASE] — swaps format
• You can now replace your entire [TEAM] with [TOOL] — replacement claim

Skip these for carousels (video-only energy):

• POV/Meme formats
• Comment reply formats
• "Watch this" / speed tutorial rapid-fire
• Contrarian rants — needs tone of voice, not text
• Celebrity/news pegs — too time-sensitive

Slide 2 — Transition (optional)

• Bridges the hook to the content
• "HERE'S HOW..." or "HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED..." type headline
• stepLabel: "THE METHOD" or similar

Content Slides (middle)

• Each slide = one key point, step, or tool
• stepLabel: "STEP 01", "STEP 02", etc. OR descriptive labels
• Headline: 2-4 lines max, the KEY concept in accent color
• Subline: 1-2 sentences explaining WHY this matters
• activateLabel: "To Activate:", "To Install:", "To Set Up:", etc.
• Terminal: the actual command or code to run (must be REAL and CORRECT)
• Vary the character poses across slides — don't repeat the same one back-to-back

Last Slide — CTA (always)

• isCTA: true, slideNum: ""
• Headline: "WANT THE [THING]?" with accent
• Subline: "COMMENT BELOW AND I'LL SEND IT TO YOU." or similar
• ctaKeyword: the word viewers comment (e.g. "WEBSITE", "AUTOMATE", "SETUP")
• No terminal, no character — everything centered

Terminal Content Rules

• Use .t-line wrapper for each line
• <span class="prompt">$</span> for the prompt
• <span class="cmd">command here</span> for typed commands
• <span class="check">✓</span> for success messages
• <span class="arrow">→</span> for progress indicators
• Keep terminal content SHORT — 2-4 lines per slide
• Commands must be REAL and CORRECT — verify install commands exist

Character Assignment

Read available characters from config. Map them to slide context:

• Use varied poses across slides — never repeat the same one back-to-back
• If no characters configured, leave the field empty (template renders without character)

Headline Sizing

• 3 lines or fewer: use default size — no headlineSize needed
• 4 lines: set headlineSize: "148px"
• 5+ lines: set headlineSize: "120px"
• If headline has long words that might overflow, reduce size

Voice & Style

Read voice description from config. Apply it to all copy:

• ALL CAPS for headlines and sublines
• Short punchy sentences
• Terminal commands must be real — never make up fake CLI tools
• Tailor the niche/examples to the user's industry from config

After generating the JSON:

1. Print it formatted for review
2. Ask if anything needs adjusting
3. Once approved, offer to run /carousel-design with the data automatically

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Built by @tenfoldmarc. Follow for daily AI automation builds — real systems, not theory.