{"skill":{"slug":"substack-writer","displayName":"Write substack like articles","summary":"Write long-form Substack newsletters about GenAI, education, edtech, and their intersections. This skill should be used when the user requests a Substack pos...","description":"---\r\nname: substack-post-writer\r\ndescription: Write long-form Substack newsletters about GenAI, education, edtech, and their intersections. This skill should be used when the user requests a Substack post, newsletter, or long-form article about AI/education topics. Produces essays using Made to Stick principles adapted for long-form, maintains the user's distinctive voice (Dr. Shiva Kakkar's style), and positions him as a thought leader at the GenAI-education intersection. Posts are data-driven, contrarian without being preachy, and designed for deep reader engagement.\r\n---\r\n\r\n# Substack Post Writing Skill\r\n\r\n## User Profile\r\n\r\n**Dr. Shiva Kakkar** - Faculty member positioned for future leadership roles in Indian higher education. Writes to build personal brand beyond institutional affiliation. His sweet spot: GenAI + education intersection (schools through B-schools in India).\r\n\r\n**Target audiences:**\r\n1. B-school leadership & faculty (decision-makers seeking practical implementation)\r\n2. Students & parents (reality check seekers)\r\n3. EdTech/academia commentators (idea spreaders)\r\n4. Corporate recruiters & industry (quality signal seekers)\r\n\r\n**Voice characteristics:**\r\n- Numbers anchor credibility ($500 vs $6000, 65% stat, ₹4L courses)\r\n- Contrarian without preaching (\"IIMs aren't responsible—you are\")\r\n- Concrete over abstract (specific examples, not platitudes)\r\n- Forward-looking pragmatism\r\n- No false humility (\"perhaps one of the most comprehensive\" stated plainly)\r\n- Industry voice validation (CEO quotes > personal opinion)\r\n- Quick, clever humor when appropriate\r\n- Explains concepts lucidly with analogies (like Sangeet Paul Choudhary or Paul Daugherty)\r\n\r\n## Key Difference from LinkedIn\r\n\r\nSubstack is long-form. LinkedIn is a billboard. Substack is a conversation over coffee.\r\n\r\n**LinkedIn**: 200-350 words. Violation → Credential → Insight → Hook. Quick hit.\r\n\r\n**Substack**: 1500-3000 words. Violation → Deep Exploration → Multiple Angles → Actionable Framework → Uncomfortable Question.\r\n\r\nSubstack readers subscribed because they want depth. They want to understand not just what happened, but why it matters, how it connects, and what to do about it.\r\n\r\n## Writing Process\r\n\r\n### Step 1: Search for Topic\r\n\r\nUse `web_search` to find major GenAI/education/edtech announcements, trends, or controversies:\r\n\r\n```\r\nQuery patterns:\r\n- \"major AI education announcement 2025\"\r\n- \"India GenAI students announcement 2025\"\r\n- \"education technology breakthrough 2025\"\r\n- \"OpenAI Google Microsoft education 2025\"\r\n- \"[topic] controversy debate 2025\"\r\n```\r\n\r\n**Critical: Always contextualize to India.** If announcement is global, search specifically for India impact:\r\n- \"India [announcement topic] 2025\"\r\n- Check if tools/policies mentioned apply to Indian users\r\n- Verify pricing/availability for Indian market\r\n\r\n### Step 2: Gather Framework Material\r\n\r\nUse MCPs to enrich the post with depth:\r\n\r\n**Readwise MCP** (`search_readwise_highlights`):\r\n```json\r\n{\r\n  \"full_text_queries\": [\r\n    {\"field_name\": \"highlight_plaintext\", \"search_term\": \"[topic keyword 1]\"},\r\n    {\"field_name\": \"highlight_plaintext\", \"search_term\": \"[topic keyword 2]\"}\r\n  ],\r\n  \"vector_search_term\": \"[conceptual theme of post]\"\r\n}\r\n```\r\n\r\n**LlamaCloud MCP** (`query_AI-Strategy-Studies` or `query_AI-Change-and-leadership` or `query_Persuasion-and-communication-OB`):\r\n```\r\nQuery: \"[topic] frameworks adoption implementation\"\r\n```\r\n\r\n**Extract insights, NOT quotes:**\r\n- Identify mental models, frameworks, patterns\r\n- Rewrite in user's voice and context\r\n- Remove original author names\r\n- Make audience-friendly (non-technical readers)\r\n- Example: \"Curse of Knowledge\" → \"Recognition Deficit\" or similar reframing\r\n\r\nFor Substack, gather MORE material than LinkedIn. Aim for 3-5 frameworks/concepts to weave together.\r\n\r\n### Step 3: Select Theme from Rotation\r\n\r\nChoose from 6-week cycle (avoid repetition):\r\n\r\n1. **Cost Arbitrage Deep Dive**: Real numbers violating assumptions + why the economics work this way + what institutions miss\r\n2. **Fusion Skills Exploration**: Redefining AI literacy + case studies + what it looks like in practice\r\n3. **Implementation Playbook**: Open-sourcing tools, frameworks with detailed how-to (highest engagement)\r\n4. **Industry Reality Report**: What recruiters/CEOs actually think + data + implications\r\n5. **Institutional Autopsy**: Gap between claims and actions + why it persists + what breaks the loop\r\n6. **Future Scenario Analysis**: Agentic era implications + what it means for different stakeholders + how to prepare\r\n\r\n### Step 4: Apply the 5-Act Structure\r\n\r\nSubstack needs a different architecture than LinkedIn. Think of it as a play in five acts:\r\n\r\n**Act 1: The Hook (150-300 words)**\r\n\r\nOpen with violation, just like LinkedIn. But then expand into WHY this matters.\r\n\r\nStructure:\r\n- Counterintuitive data point (first line)\r\n- Context that makes it worse (\"And here's the kicker...\")\r\n- Stakes for the reader (\"This isn't just about X. It's about...\")\r\n\r\nExample pattern:\r\n```\r\n[Shocking stat or fact]\r\n\r\n[Second stat that compounds it]\r\n\r\n[Explanation of why this should concern the reader]\r\n\r\nThis isn't about [surface-level interpretation]. It's about [deeper implication that affects reader].\r\n```\r\n\r\n**Act 2: The Backstory (300-500 words)**\r\n\r\nGive context that LinkedIn doesn't have room for. How did we get here? What's the history?\r\n\r\nStructure:\r\n- Historical context or evolution\r\n- Failed approaches or attempts\r\n- Why obvious solutions don't work\r\n- Personal experience or institutional example\r\n\r\nThis is where storytelling shines. Use specific characters, situations, failures.\r\n\r\n**Act 3: The Framework (400-700 words)**\r\n\r\nThe meat of the post. Introduce a way of thinking about the problem.\r\n\r\nStructure:\r\n- Name the pattern or mental model (in user's own words)\r\n- Explain it with concrete examples\r\n- Show how it applies to different situations\r\n- Include one counter-example or limitation\r\n\r\n**Critical: Vary how frameworks are presented:**\r\n- Sometimes as numbered steps (but not every post)\r\n- Sometimes as contrasting approaches (Employee A vs Employee B)\r\n- Sometimes as a narrative (\"Here's what happened when we tried...\")\r\n- Sometimes as questions (\"Ask yourself three things...\")\r\n- Sometimes embedded in prose without explicit structure\r\n\r\n**Act 4: The Application (300-500 words)**\r\n\r\nMake it actionable. What does the reader DO with this?\r\n\r\nStructure:\r\n- Specific actions for different audience segments (implied, not labeled)\r\n- Examples of implementation\r\n- Common pitfalls to avoid\r\n- Resources or starting points\r\n\r\n**Act 5: The Uncomfortable Close (150-300 words)**\r\n\r\nEnd with provocation, not inspiration. Leave the reader thinking.\r\n\r\nStructure:\r\n- Circle back to opening violation\r\n- Escalate the implications\r\n- Pose an uncomfortable question or challenge\r\n- No inspirational padding\r\n\r\n## Section Headers\r\n\r\nUnlike LinkedIn, Substack can use headers. But use them sparingly and strategically.\r\n\r\n**Good header style:**\r\n- Questions that provoke (\"What if we're asking the wrong question?\")\r\n- Contrarian statements (\"The real problem isn't what you think\")\r\n- Concrete specifics (\"The ₹500 vs ₹50,000 gap\")\r\n- Narrative transitions (\"What happened when we actually tried\")\r\n\r\n**Avoid:**\r\n- Generic headers (\"Introduction\", \"Conclusion\", \"Key Takeaways\")\r\n- Numbered lists in headers (\"3 Ways to...\", \"5 Steps to...\")\r\n- Buzzword headers (\"Leveraging AI for Success\")\r\n\r\nUse 3-5 headers per post, not more. Let prose breathe.\r\n\r\n## Tone & Style Guidelines\r\n\r\n**Explanation style:**\r\n- Use analogies and metaphors (like Sangeet Paul Choudhary)\r\n- Show how concepts connect to each other\r\n- Explain why, not just what\r\n- Use concrete examples over abstract principles\r\n\r\n**Narrative techniques:**\r\n- Specific characters (Employee A vs B, the marketing professor, the CEO)\r\n- Dialogue where appropriate\r\n- Sensory details (\"the 3-second Google search\", \"a smartphone in their pocket\")\r\n- Escalation (\"Weird... Weirder... Weirdest\")\r\n\r\n**Data integration:**\r\n- Lead with specific numbers\r\n- Cite sources naturally (not academically)\r\n- Contrast numbers that reveal gaps ($6000 vs $500)\r\n- Use percentages for human scale (65%, not \"majority\")\r\n\r\n**Voice markers:**\r\n- Direct address to reader (\"Here's what you need to understand\")\r\n- Admission of uncertainty when appropriate (\"I don't know if this will work, but...\")\r\n- Self-aware humor (not forced)\r\n- No false modesty or excessive hedging\r\n\r\n## Length & Formatting\r\n\r\n**Target**: 1500-3000 words\r\n\r\n- Under 1500: May lack depth readers expect from Substack\r\n- Over 3000: Risks losing reader attention\r\n\r\n**Paragraph length:**\r\n- 2-5 sentences per paragraph\r\n- Vary length for rhythm\r\n- Use single-sentence paragraphs for emphasis (sparingly)\r\n\r\n**White space:**\r\n- Generous line breaks between paragraphs\r\n- Headers create visual breaks\r\n- Pull quotes or emphasis for key points (bold or italic, not both)\r\n\r\n**Formatting:**\r\n- Bold for key terms or emphasis (sparingly)\r\n- Italics for internal dialogue or hypotheticals\r\n- No bullet points in main body (breaks narrative flow)\r\n- Lists only in Application section if needed\r\n\r\n## SUCCESs Framework for Long-Form\r\n\r\nAll six elements still apply, but expanded:\r\n\r\n- **Simple**: Core message still distillable to one sentence (but explored fully)\r\n- **Unexpected**: Multiple violations throughout, not just opening\r\n- **Concrete**: Many specific examples, characters, numbers (LinkedIn has 1-2, Substack has 5-8)\r\n- **Credentialed**: Implementation proof, industry voices, verifiable claims\r\n- **Emotional**: Build emotional arc (frustration → insight → possibility → challenge)\r\n- **Stories**: Full narrative arcs, not just anecdotes\r\n\r\n## Critical Reminders\r\n\r\n**Never:**\r\n- Mention original book/framework names\r\n- Quote sources verbatim\r\n- Use generic headers (\"Introduction\", \"Conclusion\")\r\n- Default to institutional positioning\r\n- Forget India context for global announcements\r\n- Include pre-text, post-text, acknowledgments, or padding\r\n- Use bullet points for main arguments\r\n- End with inspirational fluff\r\n\r\n**Always:**\r\n- Search for India-specific implications\r\n- Use MCPs to enrich with frameworks (but rewrite)\r\n- Verify numbers and claims\r\n- Lead with violation, not context\r\n- Vary structural presentation\r\n- Build to uncomfortable close\r\n- Include specific, verifiable data\r\n- Explain WHY, not just WHAT\r\n\r\n## Example Quality Checks\r\n\r\n**Good post indicators:**\r\n- Opens with number that surprises\r\n- Contains 5+ concrete examples\r\n- Has clear framework but varied presentation\r\n- Builds emotional arc\r\n- Ends with provocation, not summary\r\n- Uses headers strategically\r\n- Shows deep understanding of WHY things work the way they do\r\n\r\n**Bad post indicators:**\r\n- Opens with context or scene-setting\r\n- Uses \"Three X Framework\" in headers\r\n- Mentions books or original authors\r\n- Generic inspirational close\r\n- Bullet-point heavy\r\n- Headers are generic (\"Key Insights\")\r\n- Tells reader what to think instead of making them think\r\n\r\n## Output Format\r\n\r\n**CRITICAL - ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT**:\r\n\r\nOutput MUST begin IMMEDIATELY with the title. Zero exceptions.\r\n\r\n❌ FORBIDDEN - Never include:\r\n- \"I'll read the skill...\"\r\n- \"Let me create...\"\r\n- \"Here's your post...\"\r\n- \"Based on the announcement...\"\r\n- \"I found this news...\"\r\n- Separators like \"---\" or \"=========\"\r\n- \"Would you like me to adjust...\"\r\n- \"Let me know if...\"\r\n- Any explanatory text before or after the post\r\n\r\n✅ REQUIRED format:\r\n```\r\n[Title: Provocative, specific, not clickbait]\r\n\r\n[Opening paragraph - violation first]\r\n\r\n[Continue with natural prose and strategic headers]\r\n\r\n[Uncomfortable close - no summary]\r\n\r\n---\r\n\r\n[Source URL if news-based]\r\n```\r\n\r\n**The very first character output must be the title of the post. Period.**\r\n\r\n## Post Creation Workflow Summary\r\n\r\n1. **Search**: Find recent GenAI/edu topic (India-contextualized)\r\n2. **Gather**: Use MCPs for 3-5 frameworks (rewrite in user voice)\r\n3. **Select**: Choose theme from 6-week rotation\r\n4. **Outline**: Map 5-act structure with specific examples\r\n5. **Draft**: Write with prose flow, varied presentation\r\n6. **Verify**: Check SUCCESs framework (all 6 elements present)\r\n7. **Polish**: Ensure voice authenticity, header quality, emotional arc\r\n8. **Output**: Post text only (no wrapper text)","topics":["Education"],"tags":{"latest":"1.0.0"},"stats":{"comments":0,"downloads":346,"installsAllTime":13,"installsCurrent":0,"stars":0,"versions":1},"createdAt":1771311995375,"updatedAt":1778491563795},"latestVersion":{"version":"1.0.0","createdAt":1771311995375,"changelog":"Write substack style articles in my voice","license":null},"metadata":null,"owner":{"handle":"shivak11","userId":"s1718e2tzw0nb2ej5x68atgzmd884tjq","displayName":"Shivak11","image":"https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/121174127?v=4"},"moderation":null}