content-research-writer

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 Claude Code 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)...

Maintain a running citations list:

## References
   
   1. Author. (Year). "Title". Publication.
   2. Author. (Year). "Title". Publication.
   ...

Final Review and Polish

When draft is complete, provide comprehensive feedback:

# Full Draft Review
   
   ## Overall Assessment
   
   Strengths:
   - [Major strength 1]
   - [Major strength 2]
   - [Major strength 3]
   
   Impact: [Overall effectiveness assessment]
   
   ## Structure & Flow
   - [Comments on organization]
   - [Transition quality]
   - [Pacing assessment]
   
   ## Content Quality
   - [Argument strength]
   - [Evidence sufficiency]
   - [Example effectiveness]
   
   ## Technical Quality
   - Grammar and mechanics: [assessment]
   - Consistency: [assessment]
   - Citations: [completeness check]
   
   ## Readability
   - Clarity score: [evaluation]
   - Sentence variety: [evaluation]
   - Paragraph length: [evaluation]
   
   ## Final Polish Suggestions
   
   1. Introduction: [Specific improvements]
   2. Body: [Specific improvements]
   3. Conclusion: [Specific improvements]
   4. Title: [Options if needed]
   
   ## Pre-Publish Checklist
   - [ ] All claims sourced
   - [ ] Citations formatted
   - [ ] Examples clear
   - [ ] Transitions smooth
   - [ ] Call to action present
   - [ ] Proofread for typos
   
   Ready to publish! 🚀

Examples

Example 1: Teresa Torres's Workflow

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 Examples

Company A: Used AI for user research synthesis

   - Result: 60% time savings
   - Source: [citation]
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 Claude 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?"

For Voice

Share examples of your writing

Specify tone preferences

Point out good matches: "That sounds like me!"

Flag mismatches: "Too formal for my style"

Related Use Cases

Creating social media posts from articles

Adapting content for different audiences

Writing email newsletters

Drafting technical documentation

Creating presentation content

Writing case studies

Developing course outlines