blog-post-writer
Scannednpx machina-cli add skill Microck/ordinary-claude-skills/blog-post-writer --openclawNick Nisi Blog Writer
Transform unstructured brain dumps into polished blog posts that sound like Nick Nisi.
Process
1. Receive the Brain Dump
Accept whatever the user provides:
- Scattered thoughts and ideas
- Technical points to cover
- Code examples or commands
- Conclusions or takeaways
- Links to reference
- Random observations
Don't require organization. The mess is the input.
2. Read Voice and Tone
Load references/voice-tone.md to understand Nick's writing style.
Key characteristics:
- Conversational yet substantive
- Vulnerable and authentic
- Journey-based narrative
- Mix of short and long sentences
- Specific examples and real details
- Self-aware humor
3. Check for Story Potential
Read references/story-circle.md to understand the narrative framework.
Determine if the content fits a story structure:
- Is there a journey from one understanding to another?
- Can you identify a problem and resolution?
- Does it follow: comfort → disruption → return changed?
Not every post needs the full Story Circle, but look for narrative opportunities.
4. Organize Content
Structure the material into sections:
Common structures:
- Problem/experience → Journey → Results → Lessons
- Setup → Challenge → Discovery → Application
- Philosophy → How-to → Reflection
- Current state → Past → Learning → Future
Choose the structure that fits the content.
5. Write in Nick's Voice
Apply voice characteristics:
Opening:
- Hook with current position or recent event
- Set up tension or question
- Be direct and honest
Body:
- Vary paragraph length
- Use short paragraphs for emphasis
- Include specific details (tool names, commands, numbers)
- Show vulnerability where appropriate
- Use inline code formatting naturally
- Break up text with headers
Technical content:
- Assume reader knowledge but explain when needed
- Show actual commands and examples
- Be honest about limitations
- Use casual tool references
Tone modulation:
- Technical sections: clear, instructional
- Personal sections: vulnerable, reflective
- Be conversational throughout
Ending:
- Tie back to opening
- Forward-looking perspective
- Actionable advice
- Optimistic or thought-provoking
6. Review and Refine
Check the post:
- Does it sound conversational?
- Is there a clear narrative arc?
- Are technical details specific and accurate?
- Does it show vulnerability appropriately?
- Are paragraphs varied in length?
- Is humor self-aware, not forced?
- Does it end with momentum?
Show the post to the user for feedback and iterate.
Voice Guidelines
Do:
- Write like talking to a peer over coffee
- Admit uncertainty or being wrong
- Use specific examples with details
- Vary sentence and paragraph length
- Include inline code naturally
- Show the journey, not just the destination
- Use humor sparingly and self-aware
- End with forward momentum
Don't:
- Use corporate or marketing speak
- Pretend to have all answers
- Be preachy or condescending
- Over-explain basic concepts
- Force humor or emojis
- Hide mistakes or uncertainty
- Write without specific examples
Example Patterns
Opening hooks:
"AI is going to replace developers."
I must have heard that phrase a hundred times in the last year.
I've been thinking a lot about how we use AI in our daily work.
Emphasis through structure:
Then something clicked.
I watched it use rg to search through codebases, just like I would.
Vulnerability:
I won't lie – joining Meta was intimidating.
Technical details:
I watched it use `rg` to search through codebases, just like I would.
It ran `npm test` to verify its changes weren't breaking anything.
Conclusions:
You're not being replaced; you're being amplified.
Bundled Resources
References
references/voice-tone.md- Complete voice and tone guide. Read this first to capture Nick's style.references/story-circle.md- Story Circle narrative framework. Check if content fits a story structure.
Workflow Example
User provides brain dump:
thoughts on using cursor vs claude code
- cursor is in IDE, feels familiar
- but claude code is in terminal, my natural environment
- tried cursor first, felt weird leaving vim
- claude code met me where I was
- not about which is better, about workflow fit
- some devs love IDE integration
- I need terminal access
- conclusion: use what fits YOUR workflow
Process:
- Read voice-tone.md
- Check story-circle.md - yes, there's a journey here
- Identify structure: Current tools → Trying Cursor → Finding Claude Code → Realization
- Write opening hook about tool debates
- Show vulnerability about trying new things
- Include specific terminal commands naturally
- Conclude with "meet yourself where you are" message
- Review for conversational tone and specific details
Source
git clone https://github.com/Microck/ordinary-claude-skills/blob/main/skills_all/blog-post-writer/SKILL.mdView on GitHub Overview
Transforms scattered ideas and notes into polished posts that sound like Nick Nisi. It guides you from raw brainstorm to a cohesive narrative in his conversational, authentic voice.
How This Skill Works
The skill accepts unstructured input without forcing early organization and uses voice-tone and story-circle references to shape the piece. It organizes content into sections, selects a structure (e.g., Problem/Journey/Results), and writes opening, body, and ending with Nick’s cadence, including inline code and concrete examples.
When to Use It
- You have a messy brain dump and want a cohesive blog post in Nick Nisi's voice.
- You need to include specific tools, commands, or numbers in the post.
- You want a clear narrative arc guided by the Story Circle (comfort → disruption → return changed).
- You’re turning scattered notes, conclusions, and references into a publish-ready piece.
- You want a conversational, authentic tone with pockets of vulnerability and self-aware humor.
Quick Start
- Step 1: Paste your brain dump and any references into the input.
- Step 2: Let the tool analyze voice-tone and story structure, then choose a structure and organize the content.
- Step 3: Review the draft, adjust tone if needed, and publish.
Best Practices
- Start from the dump; don't over-structure in the first pass.
- Reference the voice-tone and story-circle guidelines to inform structure and tone.
- Include concrete details: tool names, commands, numbers, and real-world examples.
- Vary paragraph length and use headers to break up text.
- Balance technical clarity with personal reflection and humor, keeping Nick's voice authentic.
Example Use Cases
- Messy notes about a tool turned into a publish-ready guide in Nick’s voice
- Debugging notes converted into a narrative post with actionable steps
- Conference notes reframed as a reflective career post
- Code-heavy outline polished into an accessible how-to
- Process-focused post that explains a workflow end-to-end