craft-content

name	craft-content
description	Create optimized viral content variants from a core idea. Takes a message and produces 2-5 shareable content pieces using proven memetic tactics: villain narratives, emotional activation, lightweight format, niche targeting. Output is ready-to-post content with transmissibility assessment.

Craft Viral Content

You are creating optimized viral content from a core idea.

What This Skill Does

Takes a core message or idea and produces multiple content variants optimized for spread using memetic principles:

• Villain narratives (anger spreads faster)
• Emotional activation (joy, outrage, curiosity)
• Lightweight format (short, quotable, memorable)
• Niche targeting (smart people in your domain)
• Multiple angles (test what resonates)

Outputs ready-to-post content with transmissibility assessment and risk evaluation.

Input/Output Contract

Accepts:

• Core message (text, 10-200 words)
• Target audience/niche (optional but recommended)
• Platform preference (Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, blog, etc.)
• Tone/style preference (humorous, serious, provocative, etc.)
• Risk tolerance (does it need secondary account?)

Produces:

• 3-5 content variants (ready to post)
• Transmissibility assessment for each variant
• Audience fit analysis (which variant for which audience?)
• Risk assessment (primary vs. secondary account recommendation)
• Posting strategy (when to post, frequency, sequencing)

Passes to:

• execute-calendar (schedules the approved content)
• identify-champions (champions can amplify approved content)

Content Mechanics: Why People Share

Before crafting individual pieces, understand the deeper mechanics of memetic transmission.

The Mimetic Desire Principle

People replicate memes because they are imitating a memeplex—a political philosophy, a trendy subculture, a desirable way of life. Content that succeeds doesn't just transmit information; it transmits a MODEL of how to be.

Your content should tap into the MODEL the audience wants to imitate, not just the information they want to absorb. When you show someone an example of the lifestyle, identity, or worldview they aspire to, they become compelled to share it.

Example: A content piece about "how remote workers stay productive" only works if it also models a desirable lifestyle that people want to imitate. The productivity tips are secondary to the message: "This is how interesting, autonomous, self-directed people live."

The Scale of Models Through Platforms

Social platforms didn't just expose us to more information—they exposed us to more MODELS of desire at unprecedented scale. They also incentivized competition over these models by doling out cheap rewards: likes, shares, followers.

This created an arms race in model-making. The platforms reward creators who make themselves attractive to imitate, which accelerates the spread of memes tied to desirable identities.

Vibes vs. Memes: The Experience Layer

There's a critical distinction between spreading information (memes) and creating experiences (vibes):

Vibes are about experiencing, not replicating. The best content creates an experience or vibe that can't be precisely replicated—it can only be participated in. While regular memes are easily copied and passed along, vibes require presence and participation.

This means the highest-transmission content often works at both levels: it contains a memetic core (shareable concept) wrapped in a vibes layer (unreplicable experience).

Authenticity as Transmissibility

"Creative self-expression is the only way we will continue to make our mark as humans in times of uncertainty, and it doesn't come from doing what you think will sell to other people. It comes from wanting to express something deep in your soul."

The most transmissible content is authentically motivated, not engineered. When a creator truly believes in what they're sharing—when it comes from genuine conviction rather than calculated strategy—it broadcasts a signal that audiences can detect. This authenticity itself becomes the model people want to imitate.

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Process

Step 1: Identify or Create Villain Narrative

Anger spreads faster than other emotions. You need a narrative target.

What makes a good villain:

• Faceless (system, company, idea - not a person)
• Risk-free (attacking it has no personal blowback)
• Relevant (audience cares about it)
• Clear (not ambiguous)
• Powerful (defeats makes a difference)

Examples of good villains:

• "Tech monopolies" (not "Mark Zuckerberg")
• "Bureaucratic red tape" (not "government workers")
• "Conventional wisdom that's wrong" (not "people who believed it")
• "Outdated business practices" (not "old companies")

Examples of bad villains:

• Individuals (personal attacks backfire)
• Vague abstractions ("injustice", "suffering")
• Self-evident strawmen (doesn't feel like real opposition)
• Allies (divisive, alienates people)

Your villain angle: Ask: "What is my core idea fighting against?"

• Example: "Remote work is viable" fights against "office culture assumption"
• Example: "Effective altruism" fights against "naive charity"

Step 2: Choose Emotional Hook

What emotion drives sharing?

High-transmissibility emotions:

• Anger/Outrage: Fastest spread, longest engagement

  • Formula: "X is broken and here's the proof"
  • Risk: Can alienate audiences, seems bitter
  • Use when: Villain is clear and justified

• Joy/Humor: Highly shareable, feels good

  • Formula: "Laugh at this niche insight"
  • Risk: Can trivialize serious topics
  • Use when: Audience appreciates humor in your domain

• Curiosity/Mystery: High click-through

  • Formula: "You won't believe X"
  • Risk: Can feel clickbait-y, false promises
  • Use when: You have real insight that pays off

• Validation/Recognition: Strong for niche

  • Formula: "Smart people understand X"
  • Risk: Excludes people outside niche
  • Use when: Your audience wants to feel smart

• Hope/Inspiration: Good for movement content

  • Formula: "Here's how we're solving X"
  • Risk: Can feel naive or pollyannaish
  • Use when: Your audience is action-oriented

Step 3: Choose Format and Length

Different formats have different spread characteristics.

Tweet (280 characters):

• Punch line, no explanation
• Has to be quotable and complete
• Format: Statement + example, or question, or joke
• Transmissibility: High (low friction to share)

Thread (5-10 tweets):

• Build argument across tweets
• Each tweet stands alone, but together tell story
• Format: Hook → step 1 → step 2 → conclusion → call-to-action
• Transmissibility: Medium (requires more attention)

Short-form video (15-60 seconds):

• Visual + audio
• Hook in first 2 seconds
• Transmissibility: Very high (algorithm favors video)

Image + caption (Instagram, Twitter image posts):

• Visual carries weight
• Caption is supporting, not main
• Format: Striking image + short, sharp text
• Transmissibility: High (visual breaks up feeds)

Longer essay (400-1000 words):

• Develop argument fully
• Use examples, reasoning
• Transmissibility: Lower for memes (but better for antimemes if in Phase 2)
• Use when: Complex idea needs explanation

Step 4: Create Multiple Variants

Create 3-5 versions of same core message.

Variant 1: The Outrage/Villain Angle

• Lead with villain narrative
• Anger-focused
• Might need secondary account (if risky)
• Formula: "How [villain] is wrong about [topic]"
• Example: "Tech companies claim remote work is impossible. Here's why they're lying."

Variant 2: The Validation Angle

• Lead with smart-people appeal
• In-group feeling
• Formula: "If you understand [concept], you get why [insight]"
• Example: "Engineers know that remote work scales better. The data proves it."

Variant 3: The Hope/Progress Angle

• Lead with positive change
• Inspiration-focused
• Formula: "Here's how we're solving [problem]"
• Example: "Companies are proving remote-first is the future. Here are the numbers."

Variant 4: The Humor Angle

• Lead with joke or unexpected observation
• Niche-targeted comedy
• Formula: "Only [niche] understands why [funny observation]"
• Example: "Office managers were confident remote work would fail. Tell me you haven't updated your beliefs since 2019 without saying it."

Variant 5: The Curiosity Angle

• Lead with question or mystery
• Hook for engagement
• Formula: "What if [assumption] was backwards?"
• Example: "What if everything we know about productivity is wrong? New research suggests..."

Step 5: Assess Transmissibility

For each variant, rate transmission likelihood:

High transmission signals:

• ✓ Quote-able (people can remember and repeat it)
• ✓ Emotionally activating (makes people feel something)
• ✓ Contrarian but defensible (challenges assumptions)
• ✓ Lightweight (easy to understand quickly)
• ✓ Specific examples (not abstract)
• ✓ Niche-relevant (hits your specific audience well)

Low transmission signals:

• ✗ Unclear reference (requires explanation)
• ✗ Emotionally neutral (doesn't trigger sharing)
• ✗ Obviously correct (no novelty)
• ✗ Complex (requires deep reading)
• ✗ Generic examples (applies to everyone, so special to no one)
• ✗ Broad appeal (trying to speak to everyone)

Score each variant:

• 3-4 high signals: High transmissibility
• 1-2 high signals: Medium transmissibility
• 0 high signals: Low transmissibility

Step 6: Assess Risk Level

Which variants need secondary account?

Low risk (safe to post primary account):

• ✓ Factually defensible
• ✓ Not attacking individuals
• ✓ Not extreme in tone
• ✓ Aligns with brand
• ✓ Professional enough

Medium risk (might use secondary, depends on brand):

• ⚠ Provocative but valid
• ⚠ Attacks company/system (not person)
• ⚠ Stronger language
• ⚠ Contrarian take on controversial topic
• ⚠ Could alienate some audiences

High risk (definitely use secondary account if posting):

• ✗ Deliberately unhinged tone
• ✗ Personal attacks (even disguised)
• ✗ Extreme takes
• ✗ Could get account suspended
• ✗ Not defensible if asked directly

Secondary account strategy:

• "This is me experimenting" tone
• Can blame "intern" if backfires
• Plausible deniability for main brand
• More freedom for edgy angles

Output Template

## Content Variants

---

### Variant 1: [Angle Type]

**Content:**
> [The actual text/caption - ready to copy-paste]

**Transmissibility:** [High | Medium | Low]
**Risk Level:** [Low | Medium | High → Primary | Secondary account]
**Best For:** [Which audience segment]
**Why This Works:** [What makes it transmissible]

---

### Variant 2: [Angle Type]

[Same structure]

---

## Posting Strategy

**Volume:** [How many posts/day]
**Timing:** [When to post for maximum reach]
**Sequence:** [Which variants first, second, etc.]
**Frequency:** [How often to repeat themes]

---

## Secondary Account Recommendation

**Primary Account:** [Use variants 1, 3, 5 - these are professional]
**Secondary Account:** [Use variants 2, 4 - these are riskier]

---

## Amplification Strategy

**Champions Should:**
- Retweet variants 1, 3, 5 (safe)
- Share with their own audiences
- Add commentary (don't just repeat)

**Community Should:**
- Quote-tweet with reactions
- Create derivative content
- Answer questions in replies

---

## What To Track

Monitor these metrics:
- Engagement rate (retweets, likes, replies)
- Reach (impressions, new followers)
- Sentiment (positive vs. negative replies)
- Virality (which variants go big)

Content Examples from Source Material

High-Transmissibility Examples (Actual from memetics sources)

Outrage Angle: "Tech companies claim remote work is impossible. Here's why they're actually afraid of losing power."

Validation Angle: "If you understand information asymmetry, you understand why transparency beats secrets."

Hope Angle: "Companies are proving distributed teams produce better work. The future isn't back in the office."

Humor Angle: "I've never met someone who genuinely prefers open office layouts. Tell me you didn't upgrade your beliefs since 2015 without saying it."

Curiosity Angle: "What if everything we know about motivation is backwards? New research on autonomy suggests..."

Proven Domain Examples (from source)

Memelord Technologies (VC criticism):**

• Secondary account for unhinged takes
• Main account professional
• Viral combination: Villain (VC hype) + Humor (niche jokes) + Validation (engineers laugh)

Ukraine Meme Warfare:

• Official account (hero narrative, hope)
• Secondary account (villain narrative, outrage)
• Different audiences, different angles

1up Sales SaaS:

• Sales memes as content strategy
• Humor angle + niche targeting (sales people love memes about their pain)
• Drove 1/3 of revenue

Common Content Mistakes

Mistake 1: Trying to educate instead of entertain

• Your variant is a lecture, not a joke
• People don't share education; they share entertainment
• Fix: Lead with emotion, sneak in information

Mistake 2: Attacking individuals instead of systems

• Variant attacks "this CEO is bad"
• Backfires, looks like personal grudge
• Fix: Attack "this approach is flawed", not "this person is bad"

Mistake 3: Being too subtle

• Variant requires explanation to understand
• People won't share confusing content
• Fix: Make the point obvious in the first read

Mistake 4: Trying to appeal to everyone

• Variant is so generic it matches no niche
• Disappears in noise
• Fix: Target smart people in YOUR domain, not broad appeal

Mistake 5: Forgetting the villain

• Variant has message but no opposition
• Feels preachy, not compelling
• Fix: Make clear what this fights against

When to Use Other Skills

• After craft-content → execute-calendar: Schedule the approved variants
• Before craft-content → design-strategy: Know your overall strategy context
• Before craft-content → identify-champions: Champions amplify content effectively

References

See /references/source-summary.md:

• "Strategic Playbooks" → "Viral Content Tactics" for detailed tactics
• "Examples and Practical Applications" for real-world examples
• "Proven Meme Examples" for content patterns that work