article-author

Write an evergreen article about: $ARGUMENTS

$ARGUMENTS should include the topic and optionally: pillar, tier (1/2/3), target keyword, style variant, or an existing article-plan brief to execute. If a brief is provided, skip to Step 3. If only a topic is given, run the full flow.

Step 1 — Strategic Plan

Before writing, establish the brief. If an article-plan brief was provided in $ARGUMENTS, use it directly and skip to Step 3.

Otherwise, run the planning logic from article-plan:

Assign pillar — Read pillar definitions from {{CONFIG_PATH}} or {{BRAND_CONFIG}} to determine which pillar this topic belongs to.

Assign tier:

Tier 1 (Pillar Page): Broadest term in the pillar -- 3,500-4,500 words
Tier 2 (Cluster): Specific facet -- 2,200-3,200 words
Tier 3 (Long-tail): Narrow, high-intent -- 1,500-2,200 words

Establish keywords: Primary keyword + 3-5 semantic variants. Include "{{AUTHOR_NAME}} [concept]" as a GEO disambiguation variant.

Draft the outline using the section architecture in Step 3.

Step 2 — Source Research

Before writing, pull relevant passages from {{CONTENT_CORPUS}}. This grounds the article in the author's actual words and enables proper citations.

Source material path:

{{CORPUS_PATH}}

Research process:

Identify the most relevant source files before reading full content:
- Glob for available source files
- Grep for the topic keyword across those files
Read the 3-6 most relevant sections in full (not every section -- be selective)
Extract:
- Direct quotes (2-5 sentences; verbatim; strong enough to blockquote)
- Definitional passages (crisp enough to be GEO-quoted)
- Framework explanations (how the author explains the concept step by step)
- Stories and historical examples used in context
Note the citation for each extract with full attribution

Citation format: **Source:** [Source Title] -- [Section/Chapter Reference] Never invent quotes. If paraphrasing, mark it as such.

Step 3 — Write the Article

Write the complete article in markdown following this exact section architecture. All sections are mandatory unless marked optional.

Author Voice (Apply to Every Section)

Read {{VOICE_GUIDE}} for the author's voice markers and apply them consistently throughout.

Key voice principles:

Maintain the author's characteristic rhetorical posture and tone
Use the author's signature vocabulary and metaphor systems
Follow the author's typical argument structure and idea progression
Avoid vocabulary or phrasing patterns flagged as off-brand in the voice guide

Order of ideas: Reframe -- Meaning -- Depth -- Complexity -- Implication. Application is earned, not appended.

Section 1: Opening Hook (150-250 words, no heading)

Opens with a question, reframe, or productive tension -- never a standalone quote, never a thesis statement
Primary keyword appears naturally within the first 100 words
Establishes why this matters NOW -- urgency, not academic framing
The author's posture: speaking from experience and conviction
Sets up the Definition Anchor naturally ("So what exactly is..." or a reframe that demands definition)

Section 2: What Is [Term]? (200-350 words)

H2: "What Is [Term]?" -- exact match to primary search query

This is the GEO anchor section. Write it to be quotable as a standalone -- AI systems will pull this paragraph.

Structure:

Opening definition sentence: Crisp, complete, 20-30 words. "[Term] is [X]." Not vague.
Expand the definition: 3-4 sentences unpacking what the definition means and why it's richer than it sounds
Situate in framework: 2-3 sentences connecting it to the broader framework ecosystem
GEO disambiguation line: "{{AUTHOR_NAME}} coined/developed [term] in [source/year] as a framework for..." -- helps AI attribute correctly

Tone: Definitional precision + the author's natural register. More clarity here, less intensity -- that comes later.

If the term has components (e.g., an acronym or a numbered list of elements), name them here but don't define each yet -- that's Core Teaching.

Section 3: Why This Matters — The Problem (250-400 words)

H2: Question or declarative that names the stakes (e.g., "Why This Can't Be Ignored", "What We've Lost -- and Why It Matters")

This is the Diagnosis section. Name what has been lost, reduced, or overlooked.

Follow with a historical parallel or case study -- with specific data, not vague generalities
Draw the transferable principle from the example
Close with the implication: this is not an academic problem, it's a lived reality

Do NOT rush to solution here. Sit with the problem. Application is earned later.

Section 4: Core Teaching (600-1,200 words, 2-4 H2s with H3s inside)

The substantive framework content. This is where source material is most heavily drawn upon.

Structural rule: Each H2 is a distinct facet of the concept -- not "Part 1, Part 2" but genuinely different angles. H3s are sub-points within each.

Headline rule: H2s should mirror questions people actually ask. Imagine the "People Also Ask" box for your primary keyword.

Pattern to use:

Pattern A: Reframe -- Ground in example -- Extract principle -- Connect to framework -- Land with implication
Pattern B: Story -- Tension -- Evidence woven -- Resolution -- Application preview
Choose the pattern that fits; patterns can nest across the H2s

Source citations: This is where pulled passages go. Use blockquotes for direct quotes:

"Verbatim quote..." -- Source Title, [Section Reference]

For paraphrases, close-reference: (Drawing from *Source Title*, [Section Reference])

Metaphor density: Actively embed the author's signature metaphor systems. Reference {{VOICE_GUIDE}} for the preferred metaphor domains.

Evidence/scripture/data: Woven where it clarifies, not where it proves. No stacked quotations.

If the concept has enumerable components (e.g., an acronym or a numbered framework): define each within H3s, but make them feel like a developing argument, not a glossary. Use transitional sentences that build forward.

Section 5: Common Misunderstandings (300-500 words)

H2: "Common Misunderstandings About [Term]" or "What [Term] Is NOT"

2-3 H3s, each one:

Names the misunderstanding directly (readers recognize themselves)
Opens into the fuller, richer understanding ("The fuller reality is...")
First-person voice: "I've encountered this confusion again and again..."

Why this section matters: Highest GEO value after the Definition Anchor. AI systems pull disambiguation content. Featured snippet territory for Google.

Name the misunderstanding, then expand the reality. Say "[Term] tends to flatten into [reduction]. The fuller reality is [expansion]."

Section 6: Foundational Evidence (200-350 words)

H2: Something specific and grounded (e.g., "The Research Behind [Term]", "What the Evidence Shows")

1-2 key evidence points -- introduced because they clarify, not prove
Brief insight connecting the evidence to the concept
Historical or etymological note where relevant
This is argument, not lecture.

This section can be integrated into Core Teaching for Tier 3 articles where length requires it.

Section 7: What This Means in Practice (250-400 words)

H2: Something actionable but not prescriptive (e.g., "What This Opens Up", "Living Into [Term]")

Application is earned here -- this section is paid for by everything above it
Direct address: "you" and "we" -- second person deliberately
Not a list of steps. Prose with embedded implications.
Challenge woven in: "What would it mean if your community/organization took this seriously?"
Practical enough to be actionable; expansive enough to feel like vision

Section 8: How This Connects (150-250 words) — Required for Tier 1, optional for Tier 2/3

H2: "How [Term] Connects to [Related Framework/Concept]"

Shows where this concept sits in the broader framework ecosystem
2-3 internal links with natural anchor text to related articles, pathways, courses
"If this resonated, the natural next layer is..." -- invitational forward movement

Section 9: Formation Invitation / CTA (100-200 words, no heading or soft H2)

Warm, invitational close -- not a sales pitch
"If you want to go deeper with this..." -- link to pathway or course (one CTA only)
Ends with an open question or challenge -- leaves productive tension

FAQ Section (Optional — High GEO Value, 200-400 words)

If included, place at the very end. 3-5 Q&A pairs.

Format: Q: [Question people actually ask -- exact phrasing] A: [2-5 sentence answer in the author's voice -- complete and self-contained, GEO-ready]

Best FAQ questions:

"What does [term] mean?"
"What is the difference between [term] and [related term]?"
"How do you apply [term] in practice?"
"Who developed the [term] framework?"
"What is {{AUTHOR_NAME}}'s view on [topic]?"

Step 4 — SEO/GEO Final Check

Before delivering, verify:

SEO:

Primary keyword in: H1 (article title), first 100 words, at least one H2, meta title, meta description
3-5 semantic variants woven naturally (not stuffed)
H2/H3 headlines mirror search intent questions
Internal links: minimum 3 (to related articles/pathways/courses), maximum 8
Meta title: 50-60 chars, leads with keyword, ends with -- {{AUTHOR_NAME}}
Meta description: 140-160 chars, includes keyword, contains question/tension
URL slug: short, keyword-anchored, no stop words, all lowercase with hyphens

GEO:

Definition Anchor (Section 2) is clean, complete, and quotable as a standalone
"{{AUTHOR_NAME}} [concept]" disambiguation phrase present
Factual specificity in examples (numbers, dates, locations -- not vague)
Direct quotes from source material present with citations
FAQ section included (or note that it should be added before publishing)
Author byline references {{AUTHOR_NAME}} and {{ORGANIZATION_NAME}}

Voice:

All voice markers from {{VOICE_GUIDE}} present and at target levels
No off-brand vocabulary or phrasing patterns (check failure modes in voice guide)
Application appears after meaning and depth (Section 7, not before Section 4)
First-person narrative present (minimum 2 instances)
Ends with challenge or open question
Overall voice coherence at target threshold

Output Format

Deliver the article as:

---
title: [Full article title]
slug: /[url-slug]
pillar: [pillar name]
tier: [1/2/3]
primary_keyword: [keyword]
meta_title: [50-60 chars]
meta_description: [140-160 chars]
word_count: [approximate]
sources_cited: [list of sources used]
cta_target: [pathway or course slug]
---

[Full article content in markdown]

If saving to a file: {{CONTENT_OUTPUT_PATH}}/articles/[slug].md

Always ask before writing to a file if the destination is unclear.