content-production

name	content-production
version	1.0.0
description	Full content production pipeline — takes a topic from blank page to published-ready piece. Use when you need to execute content: write a blog post, article, or guide end-to-end. Triggers: 'write a post about', 'draft an article', 'create content for', 'help me write', 'I need a blog post'. NOT for content strategy or calendar planning (use content-strategy). NOT for repurposing existing content (use content-repurposing). NOT for social captions only.
triggers	["content production","content pipeline","content workflow"]

When to Use

Use when executing a piece of content end-to-end: a blog post, article, or guide from blank page to publish-ready draft. If the question is what to publish or when, use content-strategy. If the task is de-AI-ifying existing copy, use content-humanizer. If the request is social captions only, use social-content.

Workflow

1. Brief — 6 questions before writing anything. If none exists, ask or infer and state assumptions: the reader and their single job; the one thing they should believe or do after reading; format (how-to, listicle, opinion, comparison, case study); where it lives (blog, newsletter, guest post); proof available (data, quotes, examples); target keyword or search intent, if SEO-relevant.

2. Research. Gather 3–5 credible sources. Pull specifics: numbers, named examples, tool names, named experts. Unverifiable? Flag it — never invent stats, quotes, or case results.

3. Outline. Write an H2-level outline with a working title, a one-sentence thesis, and the key claim under each section. Each H2 answers a question the reader actually asked. For pieces over ~1,500 words or high-stakes work, get approval before drafting.

4. Draft. Follow the outline; write the opening last if helpful. Paragraphs under 4 lines, one idea each, answer up front (inverted pyramid).

5. Edit passes — three separate passes, in order:

   • Structure: does every section serve the thesis? Cut what doesn't. One H1, logical H2s, H3s only under H2s. Move the strongest point earlier.
   • Clarity: every sentence clear on first read? Kill jargon, passive voice, hedges ("somewhat", "arguably"). Replace abstractions with concrete examples.
   • Voice: read it aloud — does it sound like a person? Vary sentence length, use contractions, add first-person judgment, strip AI tells (see content-humanizer).

6. SEO pass (only if targeting search). From the finished draft:

   • Title tag: primary keyword near the front, under 60 chars, a reason to click.
   • H1: matches reader intent, not necessarily the title tag.
   • Meta description: under 155 chars, keyword + payoff.
   • Keywords: one primary, 2–3 secondary, placed naturally — no stuffing.

7. Publish-ready checklist. All must pass before declaring done:

   • One clear thesis stated early
   • Every claim supported or flagged unverified
   • Specifics in every section (numbers, names, examples)
   • Title, H1, meta, keywords set
   • Internal link to one relevant existing piece
   • One specific CTA tied to the reader's next step
   • No AI tells or clichés; varied sentence rhythm
   • Spelling/grammar clean; no placeholder text

Draft-Review Rubric

Score 1–5 (5 = ready to publish). Fix anything below 4 before shipping.

Criterion	What 5 looks like
Thesis	Reader can state it after a skim
Structure	Every section advances the thesis
Clarity	Every sentence clear on first read
Specificity	Concrete numbers/names/examples throughout
Voice	A knowledgeable person, not a committee
Accuracy	Claims verified; unknowns flagged
SEO (if applicable)	Title/H1/meta/keywords set and natural
CTA	One clear next step tied to reader intent

Pitfalls

• Writing before the brief: a wrong-target piece costs more than the brief ever does.
• Outlines that mirror topic taxonomy instead of reader questions — restructure around search intent.
• Faking proof: invented stats, quotes, or case studies kill credibility; mark unverifiable claims.
• Editing for voice before structure — polishing prose you'll cut wastes the pass.
• Writing meta/title first, then forcing the draft to fit; SEO belongs at the end.

Verification

• Confirm the step 7 checklist is fully ticked.
• Re-read cold: can a stranger state thesis, audience, and CTA after one skim?
• If a brief existed, diff the piece against it — every brief question answered?
• Run the draft-review rubric and report scores alongside the piece.