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Long-form writing outline

Get from raw notes to a thesis, a section-by-section outline with word budgets and per-section briefs you can draft from.

You'll need: Notes, research or bullet points on the topic

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5 field(s) left — unfilled variables stay as {{placeholders}}.

  1. 1Find the thesis

    Long pieces fail when they have no single argument. This step forces one before any structure is built.

    I am writing a piece with the working title "{{working_title}}".
    Reader: {{reader}}
    What the reader should think or do after reading: {{goal}}
    Target length: {{word_count}} words
    
    My raw material:
    {{raw_material}}
    
    Propose three different thesis statements this material could support. For each: the thesis in one sentence, the strongest evidence for it from my material, the most likely reader objection, and what material is missing. Then recommend one and explain why in two sentences.
  2. 2Build the outline

    Reply with the thesis you chose (edit it if needed), then run this prompt.

    Using the thesis I chose, create an outline for {{word_count}} words.
    
    For each section give:
    - Heading written as a claim, not a topic (e.g. "Remote onboarding fails in week two", not "Onboarding")
    - Purpose: what this section does for the argument
    - Key points (2-4 bullets) mapped to items from my raw material
    - Word budget
    - Transition: the question this section leaves the reader with, which the next section answers
    
    Include an opening that states the stakes in the first 100 words and a close that returns to the reader's goal. Flag any section that relies on material I do not have yet.
  3. 3Generate section briefs

    Draft one section at a time from its brief. Drafting the whole piece in one go produces flat, repetitive prose.

    For each section in the outline, write a drafting brief of up to 80 words: the claim, the evidence to use in order, one concrete example or anecdote to open with, and one sentence the section must not say (a cliché or overclaim to avoid).

Example input

Working title: Why remote onboarding breaks in week two. Reader: heads of people at remote companies. Raw material: 6 interview notes, our internal survey (n=84), two anecdotes.

Example output

Recommended thesis: "Remote onboarding fails in week two because structured welcome activities end before new hires have the context to work on their own." Outline (2,000 words) 1. "Week one feels great; week two is where people go quiet" (250 words) Purpose: establish the pattern with survey data (61% felt 'least supported' in week 2) Transition: why does support drop at exactly that point? 2. "The schedule ends before the context arrives" (450 words) ... ⚠ Needs one more manager interview.

Troubleshooting

  • All three theses sound the same: ask for one that is contrarian and one that is narrow and practical.
  • Word budgets don't add up: ask the model to rebalance to the exact total.
  • The outline ignores your material: ask it to tag every key point with the note it came from.

Known limitations

  • The model can only structure what you give it; thin raw material produces a thin outline.
  • Statistics in the example are illustrative; use your own data.

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