section-break-check

name

section-break-check

description

Verifies the section-break style in a substacker draft matches the post register — asterisks (* * *) for essayistic posts under 2500 words, H2 for methodology / how-to / technical posts. Flags mixed registers (H2 in a reflective essay, asterisks in a structured how-to). Per the style-guide rhythm rule. Use every draft. Trigger keywords — section break, asterisk, H2, headers, register, essayistic vs methodology.

Section Break Check

Table of Contents

• The two registers
• Workflow
• Worked example
• Guardrails

Related skills: Called by Editor in structural pass. Reads shared-context/style-guide.md for the break rule.

The two registers

From style-guide.md:

• Essays (<1500 words, reflective register): no H1/H2 in body; use * * * between movements.
• Essays (1500+ words): * * * preferred; H2 only if structured as a how-to.
• Methodology / technical posts: H2 is fine and often necessary.
• Never use H3 or H4.

How to detect register:

• Reflective: first-person throughout, confession or admission opener, narrative arc, no numbered steps, no code blocks, <2500 words.
• Methodology: numbered steps, code blocks, command invocations, technical diagrams, "how to X" or "building Y" framing.
• Hybrid (e.g., Architecture, Not Prompting): both analytical claim and how-to sections. H2 is acceptable here.

Workflow

Section-break check draft D:
- [ ] Step 1: Detect register: reflective | methodology | hybrid
- [ ] Step 2: Scan for section breaks: count H1s, H2s, H3+, asterisk dividers
- [ ] Step 3: Apply register-appropriate rules
- [ ] Step 4: Flag mismatches

Scoring matrix

Register	Word count	H2 OK?	* * * OK?	Flag conditions
Reflective	<1500	No	Yes	H2 in body → tier-2
Reflective	1500–2500	Avoid	Preferred	Frequent H2 → tier-2
Hybrid	any	Yes	Yes	Mixing both in same section → tier-2
Methodology	any	Yes	Rare	H3+ usage → tier-2

Worked example

Draft 1: A 1200-word reflective essay on pathology AI with H2s (## The Training Set, ## The Failure, ## What I Learned).

Flag: (Tier-2) H2s in a short reflective post break register. Essays under 1500 words use * * *. Rewrite: replace each ## Heading with * * * and fold the heading concept into the first sentence of the new movement.

Draft 2: A 3000-word methodology post on building an agent system with no H2s, only * * * dividers.

Flag: (Tier-2) Methodology register typically uses H2 for navigation. Consider H2 for each major step of the build. Not blocking, but worth the writer's attention.

Draft 3: A 1800-word essay mixing analysis with a concrete build walk-through, with both H2 and * * * (some sections have H2, some have asterisks).

Flag: (Tier-2) Mixing within one essay breaks register. Pick one. Rewrite suggestion: use H2 for the methodology sections and * * * for the analytical transitions — but be consistent within each register.

Guardrails

1. Section-break issues are tier-2. Writer can publish anyway; it's a craft miss, not a voice violation.
2. Don't flag H1 in the draft — H1 is the post title and belongs there.
3. Don't flag section breaks in code blocks or quoted content.
4. H3+ is always flagged (style-guide rule: "Never use H3 or H4").
5. Series-log posts (frontmatter series: {slug}) typically use * * * — if a series post uses H2, flag softly.
6. Don't propose a full restructure; suggest the one change (replace H2 with * * * or vice versa) and let the writer execute.

Quick reference

• Detect register → apply rule.
• Two tolerated registers: reflective (asterisks) and methodology (H2).
• Mixed within one essay = tier-2 flag.