Content Research Writer
Assists in writing high-quality content by conducting research, adding citations, improving hooks, iterating on outlines, and providing real-time feedback on each section. Transforms your writing process from solo effort to collaborative partnership.
npx claude-code-templates@latest --skill ••••••••••••••••••••Interactive Terminal Locked
Unlock this skill to run and inspect the interactive installation sequence.
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
What This Skill Does
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
Help me create an outline for an article about [topic]
Research [specific topic] and add citations to my outline
Here's my introduction. Help me make the hook more compelling.
I just finished the "Why This Matters" section. Review it and give feedback.
Review the full draft for flow, clarity, and consistency.
Instructions
When a user requests writing assistance:
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)
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
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.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?
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!
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]?"
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. ...
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:
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 1. **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
Newsletter Workflow
Technical Tutorial Workflow
Thought Leadership Workflow
Pro Tips
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.mdBest Practices
For Research
For Feedback
For Voice
Related Use Cases
How to Use & Getting Started
# Step 1: Initialize skill agent setup
npx skills add Content Research Writer --install-production
python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
codex plugin install Content Research Writer@latest
export API_KEY=secret_token_key_here
Installation Runbook & Walkthrough Locked
Unlock this skill to reveal complete step-by-step setup guides, terminal commands, configuration recipes, repository links, and interactive installation video walkthroughs.
Unlock full access to Content Research Writer
Get instant access to complete setup guides, repository source code, and integration assets.
More in marketing
View all marketing skills →Marketing Skills
52 production-grade AI agent skills for technical marketers and founders. Automate conversion rate optimization (CRO), copywriting, programmatic SEO, analytics, paid ads, and growth loops across Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor.
Seo Optimizer
Search Engine Optimization specialist for content strategy, technical SEO, keyword research, and ranking improvements. Use when optimizing website content, improving search rankings, conducting keyword analysis, or implementing SEO best practices. Expert in on-page SEO, meta tags, schema markup, and Core Web Vitals.
Content Creator
Create SEO-optimized marketing content with consistent brand voice. Includes brand voice analyzer, SEO optimizer, content frameworks, and social media templates. Use when writing blog posts, creating social media content, analyzing brand voice, optimizing SEO, planning content calendars, or when user mentions content creation, brand voice, SEO optimization, social media marketing, or content strategy.