Act as a writing partner that researches, adds citations, sharpens hooks, iterates on outlines, and gives section-by-section feedback while preserving your voice. USE WHEN drafting an article, blog post, or essay that needs research, citations, a stronger hook, or collaborative outlining and revision.
Act as a writing partner that researches, adds citations, sharpens hooks, iterates on outlines, and gives section-by-section feedback while preserving your voice. USE WHEN drafting an article, blog post, or essay that needs research, citations, a stronger hook, or collaborative outlining and revision.
cluster
growth-content
version
1.0.0
Content Research Writer
This skill acts as your writing partner, helping you research, outline, draft, and refine content while maintaining your unique voice and style.
When to Use This Skill
Writing blog posts, articles, or newsletters
Creating educational content or tutorials
Drafting thought leadership pieces
Researching and writing case studies
Producing technical documentation with sources
Writing with proper citations and references
Improving hooks and introductions
Getting section-by-section feedback while writing
What This Skill Does
Collaborative Outlining: Helps you structure ideas into coherent outlines
Research Assistance: Finds relevant information and adds citations
Hook Improvement: Strengthens your opening to capture attention
Section Feedback: Reviews each section as you write
Voice Preservation: Maintains your writing style and tone
Citation Management: Adds and formats references properly
Iterative Refinement: Helps you improve through multiple drafts
How to Use
Setup Your Writing Environment
Create a dedicated folder for your article:
mkdir ~/writing/my-article-title
cd ~/writing/my-article-title
Create your draft file:
touch article-draft.md
Open Codex from this directory and start writing.
Basic Workflow
Start with an outline:
Help me create an outline for an article about [topic]
Research and add citations:
Research [specific topic] and add citations to my outline
Improve the hook:
Here's my introduction. Help me make the hook more compelling.
Get section feedback:
I just finished the "Why This Matters" section. Review it and give feedback.
Refine and polish:
Review the full draft for flow, clarity, and consistency.
Instructions
When a user requests writing assistance:
Understand the Writing Project
Ask clarifying questions:
What's the topic and main argument?
Who's the target audience?
What's the desired length/format?
What's your goal? (educate, persuade, entertain, explain)
Any existing research or sources to include?
What's your writing style? (formal, conversational, technical)
Collaborative Outlining
Help structure the content:
# Article Outline: [Title]## Hook- [Opening line/story/statistic]
- [Why reader should care]
## Introduction- Context and background
- Problem statement
- What this article covers
## Main Sections### Section 1: [Title]- Key point A
- Key point B
- Example/evidence
- [Research needed: specific topic]
### Section 2: [Title]- Key point C
- Key point D
- Data/citation needed
### Section 3: [Title]- Key point E
- Counter-arguments
- Resolution
## Conclusion- Summary of main points
- Call to action
- Final thought
## Research To-Do- [ ] Find data on [topic]
- [ ] Get examples of [concept]
- [ ] Source citation for [claim]
Iterate on outline:
Adjust based on feedback
Ensure logical flow
Identify research gaps
Mark sections for deep dives
Conduct Research
When user requests research on a topic:
Search for relevant information
Find credible sources
Extract key facts, quotes, and data
Add citations in requested format
Example output:
## Research: AI Impact on Productivity
Key Findings:
1.**Productivity Gains**: Studies show 40% time savings for
content creation tasks [1]
2.**Adoption Rates**: 67% of knowledge workers use AI tools
weekly [2]
3.**Expert Quote**: "AI augments rather than replaces human
creativity" - Dr. Jane Smith, MIT [3]
Citations:
[1] McKinsey Global Institute. (2024). "The Economic Potential
of Generative AI"
[2] Stack Overflow Developer Survey (2024)
[3] Smith, J. (2024). MIT Technology Review interview
Added to outline under Section 2.
Improve Hooks
When user shares an introduction, analyze and strengthen:
Current Hook Analysis:
What works: [positive elements]
What could be stronger: [areas for improvement]
Emotional impact: [current vs. potential]
Suggested Alternatives:
Option 1: [Bold statement]
[Example]
Why it works: [explanation]
Option 2: [Personal story]
[Example]
Why it works: [explanation]
Option 3: [Surprising data]
[Example]
Why it works: [explanation]
Questions to hook:
Does it create curiosity?
Does it promise value?
Is it specific enough?
Does it match the audience?
Provide Section-by-Section Feedback
As user writes each section, review for:
# Feedback: [Section Name]## What Works Well ✓- [Strength 1]
- [Strength 2]
- [Strength 3]
## Suggestions for Improvement### Clarity- [Specific issue] → [Suggested fix]
- [Complex sentence] → [Simpler alternative]
### Flow- [Transition issue] → [Better connection]
- [Paragraph order] → [Suggested reordering]
### Evidence- [Claim needing support] → [Add citation or example]
- [Generic statement] → [Make more specific]
### Style- [Tone inconsistency] → [Match your voice better]
- [Word choice] → [Stronger alternative]
## Specific Line Edits
Original:
> [Exact quote from draft]
Suggested:
> [Improved version]
Why: [Explanation]
## Questions to Consider- [Thought-provoking question 1]
- [Thought-provoking question 2]
Ready to move to next section!
Preserve Writer's Voice
Important principles:
Learn their style: Read existing writing samples
Suggest, don't replace: Offer options, not directives
Match tone: Formal, casual, technical, friendly
Respect choices: If they prefer their version, support it
Enhance, don't override: Make their writing better, not different
Ask periodically:
"Does this sound like you?"
"Is this the right tone?"
"Should I be more/less [formal/casual/technical]?"
Citation Management
Handle references based on user preference:
Inline Citations:
Studies show 40% productivity improvement (McKinsey, 2024).
Numbered References:
Studies show 40% productivity improvement [1].
[1] McKinsey Global Institute. (2024)...
Footnote Style:
Studies show 40% productivity improvement^1
^1: McKinsey Global Institute. (2024)...
User: "I'm writing an article about continuous discovery. Help me create an outline."
Process:
Collaborates on outline structure
Identifies research needs
User starts writing introduction
Reviews and improves the hook
User writes each section
Provides feedback after each section
Conducts research and adds citations
Final review of complete draft
Polish and prep for publishing
Result: Well-researched, properly cited article written in Teresa's voice with strong structure and flow.
Example 2: Research-Heavy Article
User: "I'm writing about AI's impact on product management. Help me find current data and examples."
Output:
## Research Compiled### Recent Data- Gartner: 80% of PMs will use AI tools by 2025 [1]
- Survey: 45% report faster feature shipping [2]
- Case study: Airbnb's AI-assisted prioritization [3]
### Expert Quotes- "AI amplifies PM judgment, not replaces it" - Marty Cagan
- [Additional quotes with citations]
### Real Examples1.**Company A**: Used AI for user research synthesis
- Result: 60% time savings
- Source: [citation]
2.**Company B**: AI-powered roadmap analysis
- Result: Better stakeholder alignment
- Source: [citation]
All added to your outline with proper citations.
Example 3: Hook Improvement
User's Original Hook:
"Product management is changing because of AI. In this article, I'll discuss some ways AI affects product managers."
Improved Options:
Option 1 (Data-driven):
"Last month, I asked AI to analyze 500 customer interviews. It took 30 minutes instead of 3 weeks. Product management will never be the same."
Option 2 (Question):
"What if you could talk to every customer, read every review, and analyze every support ticket—all before your morning coffee?"
Option 3 (Story):
"Sarah spent two weeks building the wrong feature. Not because she didn't understand her users, but because she couldn't process the hundreds of interviews fast enough to spot the pattern."
Example 4: Section Feedback
User: "Just finished my 'Common Mistakes' section. Thoughts?"
Response:
# Feedback: Common Mistakes Section## What Works Well ✓- Strong examples (the Slack notification story)
- Clear structure (3 mistakes, clean layout)
- Practical advice for each mistake
## Suggestions### Make It More Specific
Your second point says "Bad prioritization" but could be stronger:
Current:
> "Many teams prioritize badly by focusing on features instead of outcomes."
Suggested:
> "I've watched teams ship 14 features in a quarter yet move none of their key metrics. They prioritized activity over progress."### Add Data
The third mistake would benefit from evidence:
> "[Add citation]: Studies show teams without regular user contact are 3x more likely to build unused features [needs source]"### Flow Improvement
Consider reordering: Mistake 3 → Mistake 2 → Mistake 1
This builds from small to big impact.
Ready for the next section!
Writing Workflows
Blog Post Workflow
Outline together
Research key points
Write introduction → get feedback
Write body sections → feedback each
Write conclusion → final review
Polish and edit
Newsletter Workflow
Discuss hook ideas
Quick outline (shorter format)
Draft in one session
Review for clarity and links
Quick polish
Technical Tutorial Workflow
Outline steps
Write code examples
Add explanations
Test instructions
Add troubleshooting section
Final review for accuracy
Thought Leadership Workflow
Brainstorm unique angle
Research existing perspectives
Develop your thesis
Write with strong POV
Add supporting evidence
Craft compelling conclusion
Pro Tips
Work in VS Code: Better than web Codex for long-form writing
One section at a time: Get feedback incrementally
Save research separately: Keep a research.md file
Version your drafts: article-v1.md, article-v2.md, etc.
Read aloud: Use feedback to identify clunky sentences
Set deadlines: "I want to finish the draft today"
Take breaks: Write, get feedback, pause, revise
File Organization
Recommended structure for writing projects:
~/writing/article-name/
├── outline.md # Your outline
├── research.md # All research and citations
├── draft-v1.md # First draft
├── draft-v2.md # Revised draft
├── final.md # Publication-ready
├── feedback.md # Collected feedback
└── sources/ # Reference materials
├── study1.pdf
└── article2.md
Best Practices
For Research
Verify sources before citing
Use recent data when possible
Balance different perspectives
Link to original sources
For Feedback
Be specific about what you want: "Is this too technical?"
Share your concerns: "I'm worried this section drags"
Ask questions: "Does this flow logically?"
Request alternatives: "What's another way to explain this?"
