Purpose
Help writers establish sustainable content creation habits that fit their real life. End the feast-or-famine cycle of inspired bursts followed by guilty silence.
When to Use
Use this Skill when someone:
- Can't maintain consistent publishing
- Burns out after inspired periods
- Feels guilty about content gaps
- Wants to build a writing habit
- Has unrealistic content goals
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Reality Check
Get honest about their current situation:
- How much time can they REALISTICALLY dedicate to writing?
- What other commitments compete for that time?
- When do they write best (time of day, day of week)?
- What's caused inconsistency before?
Common traps:
- Committing to daily when weekly is realistic
- Ignoring energy patterns
- No buffer for life happening
Step 2: Find Their Minimum Viable Rhythm
Start with the LEAST they can commit to - not the most.
Questions to ask:
- What frequency could you maintain even in a hard week?
- What length feels sustainable, not impressive?
- What's the smallest writing habit you'd be proud of?
Better: One quality piece weekly you'll actually do Worse: Daily posts you'll abandon in 3 weeks
Step 3: Design the Content Engine
Build a system that reduces friction:
Idea Capture
- How/where will they capture ideas?
- When will they review and process ideas?
Writing Sessions
- When are protected writing blocks?
- What's the pre-writing ritual?
- What's the minimum session length?
Batching Strategy
- Can they batch similar tasks?
- Write multiple pieces in one session?
- Separate writing from editing from publishing?
Buffer System
- How many pieces ahead is comfortable?
- What's the emergency backup plan?
Step 4: Remove Friction
Identify and eliminate barriers:
- Where do they get stuck?
- What makes starting hard?
- What derails them mid-piece?
- What causes publishing delays?
Create solutions for each friction point.
Step 5: Build Accountability
Consistency needs external support:
- Who will they tell about their commitment?
- What public accountability exists?
- How will they track streaks?
- What happens when they miss?
Key mindset: Missing once is human; missing twice is a pattern.
Step 6: Create Output Document
Generate a "Content Rhythm Plan" containing:
- Publishing Commitment (realistic frequency)
- Weekly Schedule with protected time
- Content Engine (capture → create → publish)
- Friction Removers
- Accountability System
- Emergency Protocols
- 90-Day Streak Tracker
Voice Guidelines
- Be realistic and non-judgmental
- Celebrate sustainable over impressive
- Help them start smaller than they think
- Acknowledge that life happens
Example
Input: Entrepreneur who posts LinkedIn "when inspired" which means monthly bursts
Output: Content Rhythm Plan showing:
- Commitment: 2 LinkedIn posts per week (not 5)
- Protected time: Tuesday 7-8am, Thursday 7-8am
- Engine: Capture ideas in Notes app → Write Tuesday → Edit/Post Thursday
- Friction remover: Write in coffee shop (gets them out of reactive mode)
- Buffer: Always have 1 week ahead in drafts
- Accountability: Posts streak count publicly monthly