outline-generator

name	outline-generator
description	Use when generating outlines, article structures, content outlines, blog outlines, planning article sections, structuring posts, breaking down topics into sections, or organizing ideas for long-form content. Also use for 'outline this', 'structure this article', or 'plan the sections'.

Outline Generator Skill

Generate 3 structured outline variants with different angles for any article/blog post topic. Takes an approved headline from the hooks skill and produces detailed outlines with section structures, word count estimates, image placement markers, and a comparison matrix — ready for the human to pick or hybridize.

Scope

This skill does: Outline structure and variant generation only.

This skill does NOT do:

• SEO keyword research → dataforseo-cli or manual research
• Headline/title generation → hooks skill
• Actual article writing → writer skill
• Image/diagram creation → image-generator skill

Inputs

Input	Source	Required
Topic / subject	Human or project brief	Yes
Approved title + subtitle	hooks skill output	Yes
Target word count	Human (default: 1,500–2,500)	No
Target audience notes	Human or keyword research brief	No

Process

1. Receive Topic + Approved Headlines

Pull the approved title/subtitle from the hooks skill output (typically in marketing/substack/drafts/[slug]/hooks.md). Confirm topic scope and any angle preferences with the human.

2. Generate 3 Variant Outlines

Each variant uses a different structure from the structure menu below. Pick the 3 most fitting for the topic — don't force a structure that doesn't serve the content.

Each variant includes:

• Structure type label
• Full section outline with H2 headings
• Key points (3–5 bullets) per section
• Word count estimate per section and total
• Image/diagram placement markers per the image rules below
• AI citability block marker (direct answer paragraph near top)
• Opening hook concept (1–2 sentences)
• Closing CTA concept

3. Build Comparison Matrix

Rate each variant (Low / Medium / High) across:

Dimension	What it measures
Emotional arc	Does it build feeling? Peaks and valleys?
Actionability	Can the reader DO something after each section?
Shareability	Would someone screenshot or forward a section?
SEO strength	Does the structure naturally accommodate target keywords?

4. Create ASCII Wireframe

For each variant, produce an ASCII wireframe showing the full article layout (see format below).

5. Present for Selection

Show all 3 variants with the comparison matrix. Human picks one, combines elements from multiple, or requests a new angle. Iterate until approved.

Structure Menu

Pick 3 per article. Options:

Structure	Shape	Best for
Chronological narrative	Timeline: past → present → future	Origin stories, market evolution, "how we got here"
Framework-first	Method → proof → application	Strategies, mental models, "here's how to think about X"
Results-first	Numbers/outcome → how → why it matters	Case studies, performance posts, data-driven pieces
Comparison piece	Option A vs B vs C → verdict	Reviews, tool evaluations, "which approach wins"
Provocative	Tear down status quo → build up alternative	Hot takes, myth-busting, contrarian angles
Builder's journey	Personal narrative → lessons → reader application	Personal finance stories, founder journeys
Technical deep-dive	Concept → mechanics → edge cases → practical use	Explainers, "how X actually works"

Section Structure Rules

Every section follows these rules:

• H2 headings every 300–400 words. No section exceeds 400 words without a subheading break.
• Mini-hook opening. Each section starts with a line that creates tension, curiosity, or stakes. Not a summary — a hook.
• "But, so" transitions. Sections connect with "but" (tension/contradiction) or "so" (consequence/momentum) logic. Never "and" (additive/flat). The reader should feel pulled forward, not walked forward.
• Open loop endings. End each section with an unresolved question, a tease, or a "half the picture" moment that makes the next section feel necessary.
• AI citability block. Include a 40-60 word direct answer block near the top of the article and mark it in the outline

Example section skeleton:

## H2: [Hook-style heading]
  ↳ Mini-hook opening (1–2 sentences, tension or curiosity)
  ↳ Key point 1
  ↳ Key point 2
  ↳ Key point 3
  ↳ Open loop → next section
  [~350 words]

Image Placement Rules

• Hero image above the fold (before first H2)
• Diagram, screenshot, or image every 2–3 sections
• Never exceed 500 words without a visual break
• Mark placements with tags:
  • [IMAGE: description of what to show]
  • [DIAGRAM: description of what to illustrate]
  • [SCREENSHOT: description of what to capture]
• Image descriptions should be specific enough for the image-generator skill to execute without guessing

ASCII Wireframe Format

Each variant gets a wireframe like this:

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│         [IMAGE: Hero — ...]         │  ← above fold
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│  H1: Title                          │
│  H2: Subtitle                       │
│  Byline · Date · Read time          │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│  § Intro / Hook          (~200 w)   │
│  Open loop → §1                     │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│  §1: [Heading]           (~350 w)   │
│  • Key point A                      │
│  • Key point B                      │
│  • Key point C                      │
│  Open loop → §2                     │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│  §2: [Heading]           (~350 w)   │
│  • Key point A                      │
│  • Key point B                      │
│     [DIAGRAM: ...]                  │
│  Open loop → §3                     │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│  §3: [Heading]           (~350 w)   │
│  • Key point A                      │
│  • Key point B                      │
│  Open loop → §4                     │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│     [IMAGE: ...]                    │  ← visual break
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│  §4: [Heading]           (~350 w)   │
│  • Key point A                      │
│  • Key point B                      │
│  • Key point C                      │
│  Open loop → Close                  │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│  § Closing / CTA         (~150 w)   │
│  Call to action                     │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│  TOTAL                  ~1,750 w    │
│  Images: 3  Diagrams: 1            │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

Adapt the number of sections and visuals to the target word count. The wireframe is the single-glance view of the whole article.

Output

Save to: marketing/substack/drafts/[slug]/outline-variants.md

Structure of the output file:

# Outline Variants: [Title]

**Topic:** ...
**Approved title:** ...
**Approved subtitle:** ...
**Target word count:** ...
**Date generated:** YYYY-MM-DD

---

## Variant A: [Structure Type]

### Wireframe
[ASCII wireframe]

### Section Outline
[Full section-by-section outline]

---

## Variant B: [Structure Type]

### Wireframe
[ASCII wireframe]

### Section Outline
[Full section-by-section outline]

---

## Variant C: [Structure Type]

### Wireframe
[ASCII wireframe]

### Section Outline
[Full section-by-section outline]

---

## Comparison Matrix

| Dimension | Variant A | Variant B | Variant C |
|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Emotional arc | ... | ... | ... |
| Actionability | ... | ... | ... |
| Shareability | ... | ... | ... |
| SEO strength | ... | ... | ... |

---

## Recommendation

[Brief note on which variant fits best and why, or suggested hybrid]

---

**Status:** Awaiting human selection
**Next step:** → `writer` skill with approved outline

Downstream Handoff

Once the human approves a variant (or hybrid):

1. Mark status as Approved in the outline file
2. The approved outline feeds into writer for drafting
3. Image/diagram markers feed into image-generator for visual creation