Research-to-Essay Skill

Systematic workflow for producing publication-grade essays from research. Handles multi-source synthesis, narrative construction, voice calibration, and citation management.

Core Workflow

1. Intake & Planning

Parse user request to determine:

• Format target: Substack (1500-3000w), LinkedIn (150-300w), Academic (3000-8000w), or Executive Brief (500-1000w)
• Topic & angle: What question/claim is central?
• Essay structure: Which arc fits? (Persuasive, Exploratory, Diagnostic, Narrative-Conceptual, Synthesis)
  • Consult references/essay-structures.md for detailed arc patterns
• Voice profile: Which register? (Poetic Rigor, Professional Signal, Scholarly Precision, Surgical Clarity)
  • Consult references/voice-profiles.md for characteristics and forbidden patterns

Output from this phase: Research plan with target structure and voice