every-editorial-triage

name	every-editorial-triage
description	Fast first-pass editorial assessment for Every drafts. Use when an editor receives a draft article and needs to quickly determine if it has the essential building blocks (thesis, promise, hook, stakes) and aligns with Every's strategy and voice before proceeding to deeper editing. Returns a tight, skimmable assessment with clear next steps.

Every Editorial Triage

Fast first-pass check for drafts submitted to Every. Assesses whether a piece has the foundational elements and strategic fit before deeper editing.

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• An editor receives a new draft from a writer
• You need to quickly assess "does this have bones?"
• You want to determine next steps: reject, fundamental rework, or proceed to detailed edit

Output Format

Provide a TIGHT, skimmable assessment in this exact structure:

✅ ESSENTIALS CHECK

• Hook [✅/❌]: [One sentence: does it grab you in first 3 sentences?]
• Thesis [✅/❌]: [One sentence: clear, arguable point?]
• Promise [✅/❌]: [One sentence: reason to keep reading?]
• Stakes [✅/❌]: [One sentence: why this matters NOW?]

✅ STRATEGY ALIGNMENT

• Audience [✅/❌]: [One sentence: serves AI early-adopters building AI-native companies?]
• Pillar Fit [✅/❌]: [One sentence: fits Coding/Writing/Design/Work pillar?]
• Every Voice [✅/❌]: [One sentence: optimistic realism, lived experience, practical?]

🔧 HIGH-LEVEL SUGGESTIONS

[2-3 bullet points max, super concise, only critical issues]

→ NEXT STEPS

Choose one path:

Path 1: NOT RIGHT FOR EVERY

• This piece doesn't align with Every's strategy/audience
• [One sentence: why not]
• Would you like me to draft a rejection email?

Path 2: NEEDS FUNDAMENTAL REWORK

• The piece has potential but needs major structural changes
• [One sentence: what's the core issue]
• Would you like specific guidance on the rework?

Path 3: READY FOR DEEPER EDIT

• Essentials are solid, proceed to detailed editorial review
• [One sentence: main strength]
• Would you like me to do a detailed edit now?

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After delivering this assessment, STOP and ask: "Which path do you want to take?"

Every's Strategy Context

Target Audience

AI early-adopters building AI-native companies: multidimensional generalists who are curious, ambitious, openminded. They read, think deeply, care about great work and great life.

Core Pillars

• Coding: Compound engineering, AI-assisted development (Kieran as signature voice)
• Writing: AI-enhanced writing workflows
• Design: AI + design intersection
• Work/Companies: Building AI-native organizations, adoption, "How We Build Now"

Voice Requirements

• Optimistic realism - celebrate AI possibilities, acknowledge risks, never position as silver bullet
• Practical optimism - critique constructively, propose frameworks that move forward
• Lived experience - authentic stories from personal experience, not distant observation
• Accessible intellectualism - translate dense ideas into plain, lively language
• Intellectual generosity - resist dogma, pose genuine questions

Essential Opening Elements

Hook patterns that work:

• The Already-Happened (past-tense revelation)
• The Paradigm Flip (challenges assumed truth)
• The Visceral Moment (sensory detail + emotion)
• The Contradiction (two true things that shouldn't both be true)
• The Vulnerability Drop (admission of struggle)

Thesis requirements:

• Arguable (someone could disagree)
• Specific (not vague)
• Reframes the topic
• One sentence, two max
• Appears within first 150 words

Promise requirements: Include 3+ of these 5:

• Transformation signal (who they'll become)
• Urgency marker (why NOW)
• Credibility proof (time invested, expertise earned)
• Specificity (concrete number, framework, outcome)
• Emotional pull (desire, fear, curiosity)

Stakes:

• Why should reader care TODAY?
• Connect personal to universal quickly
• Reach stakes by paragraph 4

Red Flags to Catch

Fatal flaws:

• Buried lede (real insight hiding in paragraph 3+)
• Throat-clearing (background before tension)
• Abstract headlines (no one could argue with it)
• Missing stakes
• No personal investment (writer as distant observer)

AI writing tells:

• "In today's fast-paced world..."
• "In this essay, I will..."
• "Let's dive in"
• Dating language ("a few weeks ago" vs specific dates)
• Correlative conjunctions ("not just x, but y")

Follow-Up Paths

After the user chooses a path, provide:

If Path 1 (Rejection):

Draft a kind but clear rejection email explaining why the piece doesn't fit Every's strategy. Be specific about the misalignment.

If Path 2 (Fundamental Rework):

Provide specific guidance on:

• What structural element is missing or broken (hook/thesis/promise/stakes)
• Concrete suggestion for how to fix it
• Example of what success would look like
• Ask if they want you to go deeper on any element

If Path 3 (Detailed Edit):

Load the full Every Editing Principles and provide comprehensive editorial feedback following Every's standards. This is when you can be verbose and thorough.