medium-article-drafter

# Medium Article Drafter Take a selected topic and turn it into a strong, publication-ready Medium draft for a technical audience. ## When to Use This Skill Use this skill when: - the user selected a shortlist item by number or topic name - the pipeline has a resolved topic and needs the full draft - the user asks for a Medium-ready article rather than just research notes Do not use this skill to discover topics or publish to Medium. Its job is research plus draft generation. ## Mission Produce a full article draft that feels like it could be published with minimal edits by a serious tech writer. The article should be engaging, evidence-driven, conversational, SEO-friendly, and technically credible. Your output must always be: - complete - clean Markdown - readable in Medium with minimal cleanup - grounded in current, verifiable research ## Accepted Inputs You may receive: - a topic name - a topic number that maps to the latest shortlist - a full shortlist entry from `tech-news-researcher` - a user request that references "the second one", "draft #4", or similar phrasing If the request is ambiguous, resolve it from shared memory. If ambiguity remains, ask a short clarification question instead of guessing. ## Shared Memory Contract Read from the shared namespace: - namespace: `tech-medium-pipeline` - key: `latest_shortlist` If a shortlist exists, map numeric references to the corresponding topic. Write results back to: - namespace: `tech-medium-pipeline` - key: `selected_topic` - namespace: `tech-medium-pipeline` - key: `latest_draft` - namespace: `tech-medium-pipeline` - key: `conversation_state` Use a structure equivalent to: ```json { "topic": { "headline": "Selected topic", "angle": "Chosen article angle", "sources": [{"label": "Source", "url": "https://..."}] }, "draft": { "title": "Final title", "subtitle": "Final subtitle", "tags": ["tag1", "tag2"], "read_time_minutes": 8, "markdown_path": "/Users/.../drafts/2026-04-04-topic.md", "featured_image_path": "/Users/.../drafts/images/2026-04-04-topic.png", "featured_image_prompt": "The exact prompt used to generate the image" } } ``` Set `featured_image_path` to `null` if image generation was skipped or failed. Never store a path that does not point to an existing file. ``` Update conversation state to: ```json { "phase": "awaiting_publish_confirmation", "last_action": "draft_sent", "last_updated_at": "ISO-8601 timestamp" } ``` ## Defaults and Gotchas - Default to the shortlist's stored angle unless the user explicitly requests a different angle. - Default to a single coherent argument, not a grab-bag roundup. - If current reporting is thin or conflicting, narrow the claim rather than padding the draft with generic commentary. - If the selected topic is too weak for a high-quality article, stop and recommend choosing another topic instead of forcing a draft. ## Research Standard Do real research before writing. Use `web_search`, `web_fetch`, and browser tools when needed. Minimum expectations: - validate the core story from multiple current sources - collect concrete facts, dates, product details, or technical signals - identify the deeper implication for builders, founders, engineers, or AI practitioners - avoid single-source narratives whenever possible When the topic is fast-moving: - distinguish confirmed facts from interpretation - note uncertainty internally and avoid overstating claims - prefer language like "suggests", "signals", or "appears to indicate" when evidence is incomplete ## Writing Standard Write like a top Medium tech writer: - sharp opening hook - clear point of view - specific examples - useful technical framing - short to medium paragraphs - scannable headings - no robotic filler - no generic hype language The draft should feel opinionated but evidence-based. ## Required Output Structure Every draft must contain all of the following in this order: 1. `# Title` 2. `## Subtitle` 3. `Featured image prompt:` followed by a high-quality image prompt 4. `Estimated read time:` in minutes 5. article introduction 6. 5 to 7 clearly titled sections 7. conclusion 8. `Tags:` with 6 to 8 Medium-friendly tags ### Title The title should be catchy but precise. Aim for curiosity plus clarity, not clickbait. ### Subtitle The subtitle should explain the promise of the article in one sentence. ### Featured Image Prompt Create a polished prompt suitable for generating a hero image later. It should be visually specific and aligned with the article angle. One or two sentences is enough. ### Introduction Open with why the story matters now. The first 2 to 4 paragraphs should create momentum and orient the reader quickly. ### Main Sections Write 5 to 7 sections. Each section should advance the argument, not repeat the same point. Strong section types include: - what happened - why this matters - technical implications - product or market implications - lessons for builders - risks and counterarguments - what to watch next ### Conclusion End with a clear takeaway. The conclusion should make the article feel complete, not abruptly stopped. ### Tags Provide 6 to 8 tags that are realistic for Medium discoverability. Use tags a reader or editor would actually search for. ## Markdown Format Rules - Use clean Markdown only. - Use `#`, `##`, and `###` headings appropriately. - Do not emit HTML unless absolutely required. - Do not include raw research notes in the final article. - Do not include inline citations unless the topic truly demands them. - Do not add placeholder text such as "insert screenshot here". ## Read Time Estimation Estimate read time using approximately 200 words per minute. Round to the nearest whole minute, but do not show the word-count math. ## File Saving Rules Save the finished draft to `~/drafts/` using a timestamped, slugified filename. Preferred filename shape: ```text ~/drafts/YYYY-MM-DD-topic-slug.md ``` If the `~/drafts/` directory does not exist, create it. ## Featured Image Generation After saving the Markdown draft, attempt to generate a hero image from the featured image prompt you wrote in the article. ### Generation process 1. Extract the `Featured image prompt:` line from the draft. 2. Use the runtime's image generation tool to produce a high-quality image from that prompt. Preferred settings when configurable: landscape aspect ratio (16:9), photorealistic or clean digital-illustration style, no text overlays. 3. Save the result to `~/drafts/images/` using the same slug and date as the Markdown file: ```text ~/drafts/images/YYYY-MM-DD-topic-slug.png ``` If `~/drafts/images/` does not exist, create it. 4. Store the absolute image path in the `featured_image_path` field in shared memory (see Shared Memory Contract). ### Fallback If image generation is unavailable or fails: - Do not block draft delivery. - Store `null` as `featured_image_path` in memory. - Note at the end of the WhatsApp message that no featured image was generated and the user can upload one manually before publishing. Never store a fake or placeholder path. If the image was not saved to disk, the path must be `null`. ## WhatsApp Delivery Rules Send the full Markdown draft to the user over WhatsApp after saving it. The WhatsApp message should: - include the full article body - remain clean and readable - end with a direct approval prompt End with a short call to action such as: ```text Reply "publish" to post this on Medium, or send edits if you want changes first. ``` If no featured image was generated, append: ```text Note: no featured image was generated. Upload one manually in the Medium editor before publishing if you want one. ``` ## Quality Filters Before sending the draft, confirm that: - the argument is coherent from start to finish - the article is not just a news recap - at least one non-obvious insight is present - the title and subtitle match the actual content - the article contains 5 to 7 sections, not fewer and not more - the tone is human, not templated ## Guardrails - Do not hallucinate usage numbers, revenue, users, benchmarks, or quotes. - Do not present speculation as fact. - Do not plagiarize source wording. - Do not turn the article into a bullet-list memo unless the topic truly demands that structure. - Do not write a shallow "Top 5 things to know" article unless explicitly requested. - If the topic is too weak to support a high-quality article, say so and suggest choosing another shortlist item. ## Completion Checklist Before ending: 1. Resolve the correct topic from direct input or shared memory. 2. Research the topic with multiple current sources. 3. Write the full Medium-ready Markdown draft. 4. Save the draft to `~/drafts/`. 5. Attempt to generate and save the featured image to `~/drafts/images/`. 6. Store draft metadata — including `featured_image_path` (or `null`) — in shared memory. 7. Send the full draft over WhatsApp. 8. Leave the pipeline in `awaiting_publish_confirmation` state.