---
name: social-post-writer
description: "Generate social media posts from a topic using 9 templates (Story, Observation, Contrarian Take, Listicle, Past vs. Present, Hand-Raiser, Launch, Meme, Carousel) with platform adaptation."
compatibility: "No special requirements."
metadata:
  author: superamped
  version: "1.0"
  website: "https://superamped.com"
---

# Social Post Writer

Generate ready-to-publish social media posts from a topic, idea, or brief. Uses 9 proven content templates to produce posts that educate, entertain, challenge, and build trust — without sounding like marketing.

Unlike the content-repurposer (which breaks down existing long-form content), this skill generates original posts from a topic. Give it a subject and it writes the posts.

Built from the template framework in Justin Welsh's Content Operating System.

## Usage

Use when you have a topic and need social posts (no long-form source content required), filling gaps in a content calendar, testing messaging on a new topic, or generating variations to A/B test different angles.

## Process

### Step 1: Gather Inputs

Ask the user for:
1. **Topic or idea** — what the post(s) should be about. Can be a single sentence, a specific angle, a question, or a brief with talking points.
2. **Template(s) to use** (optional) — Story, Observation, Contrarian, Listicle, Past vs. Present, Hand-Raiser, Launch, Meme, Carousel, or "all" (default: first 5)
3. **Platform** — LinkedIn, Twitter/X, or both (default: both)
4. **Voice/tone** — who is the author, what's their tone (casual, professional, witty, provocative, etc.)
5. **Personal experience or proof points** (optional) — anecdotes, numbers, or examples to weave in
6. **Number of posts** (optional) — default: 5 (one per template)
7. **Constraints** (optional) — things to avoid, compliance requirements

### Step 2: Develop the Topic

Before writing, explore the topic to find angles:

- **What's the core insight?** — The one thing the audience should take away
- **What problems does this solve?** — Pain points the audience faces
- **What's counterintuitive about this?** — Any conventional wisdom that's wrong
- **What's the proof?** — Personal experience, data, examples, or observations
- **What tools/resources relate?** — Anything concrete to recommend
- **What's changed over time?** — How this topic has evolved

Present a brief angle summary to the user before generating posts. This ensures alignment and surfaces any personal stories or data points the user wants included.

### Step 3: Generate Posts

Write one post per selected template. Each template has a distinct structure and emotional effect.

---

#### Template 1: Story

A personal narrative that leads to the topic's key insight. Highest engagement, hardest to write.

**Emotional trigger:** Entertains / Empathizes

**Structure:**
1. **Pain/Attention** — Open with a specific, relatable moment. Not "I used to struggle with X" but the exact scene.
2. **Agitate** — Make it worse. What happened when the problem continued?
3. **Intrigue** — The turning point. What changed?
4. **Positive Future** — The result. Specific outcomes — numbers, feelings, changes.
5. **Solution** — The actionable takeaway.

**Rules:**
- First person. Real or realistic scenarios.
- Opening line must stop the scroll.
- Short paragraphs. One idea per line.
- The insight must feel earned through the narrative.

---

#### Template 2: Observation

A pattern or insight you've noticed, backed by specifics.

**Emotional trigger:** Teaches / Makes me think

**Structure:**
1. **Observation** — One clear, specific thing you've noticed.
2. **Evidence** — 3-5 specific, concrete points.
3. **Closer** — A punchy, quotable takeaway.

---

#### Template 3: Contrarian Take

Challenge something the audience assumes is true.

**Emotional trigger:** Makes me think / Empathizes

**Structure:**
1. **The take** — State the contrarian position in one sentence.
2. **Why the conventional view is wrong** — 2-3 reasons.
3. **The reframe** — A new way to think about it.

**Rules:**
- Must be genuinely surprising. "Work smarter not harder" is not contrarian.
- Support with logic, experience, or evidence — not just attitude.

---

#### Template 4: Listicle

A curated list of tips, tools, resources, or lessons.

**Emotional trigger:** Teaches

**Structure:**
1. **Frame** — "X [things] every [audience] should [know/use/avoid]:"
2. **List** — Each item: name/label + one-line description. Consistent format.
3. **Closer** — Optional recommendation or CTA.

**Rules:**
- Each item scannable in under 5 seconds.
- Odd numbers (5, 7, 9) tend to outperform even.
- Put the most surprising item at #1 or last position.

---

#### Template 5: Past vs. Present

Show transformation over time.

**Emotional trigger:** Entertains / Teaches

**Structure:**
1. **Then** — The old way. 3-5 bullet points.
2. **Now** — The new way. 3-5 bullet points (matching structure).
3. **Lesson** — One word or short phrase.

**Rules:**
- Parallel structure is critical.
- Be specific. "$2K/month" beats "less money."
- The lesson line should land like a punchline.

---

#### Template 6: Hand-Raiser

Generate comments from interested readers, then DM them a free resource.

**Emotional trigger:** Teaches / Empathizes

**Structure:**
1. **Personal struggle** — Open with a relatable problem (2-3 short lines)
2. **Transformation** — What changed, with specific numbers and timeframe
3. **The offer** — A free resource that breaks down your process
4. **Relief statement** — 3 things they WON'T have to do (lowers friction)
5. **Fascinations** — 5-7 curiosity-gap bullets about what's inside
6. **CTA** — `Drop "[WORD]" below and I'll DM it to you`

**Rules:**
- Fascinations are NOT feature bullets. They are curiosity gaps.
- The relief statement matters — telling people what they won't need to do reduces perceived cost.
- One-page PDF is the ideal resource format.

---

#### Template 7: Launch / Doors Open

Promote a paid offer. Story-first, pitch-second.

**Emotional trigger:** Empathizes / Teaches

**Structure:**
1. **Hook** (Line 1) — One short, scroll-stopping line. Never promotional.
2. **Curiosity inducer** (Line 2) — Creates an open loop.
3. **Story** (60-70% of the post) — Build tension, share a relatable struggle.
4. **Fascinations** (3-5 bullets) — Curiosity-gap bullets, 10 words or fewer each.
5. **CTA** — One clear action with the link.

**Rules:**
- 175-225 words total. Scannable in under 60 seconds.
- Story before pitch. The first 60-70% earns attention.
- Emoji: 0-2 max, in hook or CTA only.

---

#### Template 8: Meme

Turn a topic into a meme-format post.

**Emotional trigger:** Entertains

**Structure:**
1. **Choose a meme format** — Match the topic's core tension to a template
2. **Write a 1-2 sentence caption** — The meme image does the heavy lifting.

**Rules:**
- Standalone. Understandable without any other context.
- Use the audience's in-group language.
- Don't force it. If no natural meme angle exists, skip.

---

#### Template 9: Instagram Carousel

Multi-slide visual post optimized for swipe mechanic.

**Emotional trigger:** Teaches

**Structure:**
1. **Cover slide** — Bold headline + subtitle (the hook)
2. **Content slides (5-8)** — One point per slide, consistent design
3. **Summary slide** — Recap key points
4. **CTA slide** — Follow, save, share, or visit link

**Rules:**
- Square format (1080x1080).
- First slide is everything — if it doesn't hook, nobody swipes.
- Educational carousels get the highest save rates on Instagram.

---

### Step 4: Platform Adaptation

Adapt each post for the target platform(s):

**LinkedIn:**
- First line shows above the fold — must earn the "see more" click
- Generous line breaks. One thought per line.
- Emojis: only if they match brand voice, sparingly
- Sweet spot: 800-1,300 characters
- End with a question to drive comments

**Twitter/X:**
- Single tweets: 280 characters max. Ruthlessly compress.
- Threads: first tweet stands alone. Each subsequent tweet adds one idea.
- No hashtags in the body.
- Observation and Listicle compress well into single tweets.
- Story and Contrarian Take are better as threads (3-7 tweets).

If generating for both platforms, produce separate versions — don't just trim one for the other.

### Step 5: Review and Polish

For each post, check:
- **Hook strength** — Would you stop scrolling for the first line?
- **Specificity** — Replace any generic advice with concrete details.
- **Voice match** — Does it sound like the author, not like a template?
- **Standalone test** — Does the post make sense without any other context?

## Output Format

```
# Social Posts: [Topic]

**Date:** [current date]
**Topic:** [topic or idea]
**Platform(s):** [LinkedIn / Twitter / Both]
**Templates Used:** [list]
**Posts Generated:** [count]

---

## Angle Summary

**Core insight:** [one sentence]
**Audience pain:** [what problem this addresses]
**Contrarian angle:** [if applicable]
**Proof available:** [personal story, data, examples]

---

## Post 1: Story
**Trigger:** [Entertains / Empathizes]

### LinkedIn
[Full post text]

### Twitter/X
[Full post or thread]

---

## Post 2: Observation
**Trigger:** [Teaches / Makes me think]

### LinkedIn
[Full post text]

### Twitter/X
[Full post text]

---

[Continue for all posts...]

---

## Trigger Balance

| Trigger | Count |
|---------|-------|
| Entertains | X |
| Teaches | X |
| Empathizes | X |
| Makes me think | X |
```

## Rules

- The first line of every post is the post. If the hook doesn't work, nothing else matters.
- Specificity beats cleverness. "Save 12 hours/week on reporting" beats "Work smarter, not harder."
- Write in the audience's language. If they say "clients" not "customers," your post says "clients."
- Story posts require real (or realistic) personal experience. If the user doesn't provide anecdotes, ask for them.
- Not every template works for every topic. If there's no contrarian angle, skip Contrarian Take and generate a second Observation or Listicle instead.
- These templates are frameworks, not fill-in-the-blanks. The output should read like a human wrote it.
- Templates from Justin Welsh's Content Operating System.