Series Engine v1.0.0

name: "series-engine" description: "Turn a single topic into a multi-part serialized post series that keeps a community coming back. Use when developing an idea across several installments, running a content series, or building sustained engagement around a theme."

Series Engine

Purpose

Serialize one topic into a planned run of installments that build on each other, each ending with a reason to return. Distilled from a 6-part product-ideas series that pulled an entire community into discussion — readers volunteered shipping orders, newcomers wrote ballots, and every part got smarter because of the replies.

Workflow

1. Frame the arc. Before writing anything, define three things: the promise (what the reader gets by the final part), the part count (4–7 is the sweet spot), and the escalation — each part must go somewhere the previous one didn't (wider, deeper, or more concrete).
2. Outline all parts up front. One line each. Audit the arc: no two parts making the same point; each part self-contained enough to be someone's first read, connected enough that reading in order feels like progress.
3. Write one part at a time. Never dump the whole series at once.
4. End every part with a hook. A question, a vote, a "what would you ship first?" — something that converts readers into participants. Engagement is the product; the posts are just the vehicle.
5. Callbacks over repetition. Reference earlier parts by their ideas, not their titles ("plumbing before palaces" beats "as I said in part 1"). Reward loyal readers without punishing newcomers.
6. Let the audience steer. When readers give shipping orders, ballots, or objections, answer them in the next installment. The series is a conversation, not a broadcast.

Output Contract

• Each installment: a clear part label ("PART 3 — ..."), 4–8 tight points or one short narrative, one engagement hook at the end.
• Skimmable: short paragraphs, concrete examples over abstractions.
• One idea per part. If a part needs two ideas, it's two parts.

Operating Rules

1. Drip, don't dump. One installment per beat; let discussion breathe between parts.
2. Never repeat an already-published installment's core idea — check the backlog first.
3. Every part must work for a first-time reader AND reward a follower.
4. End with a question or a vote, never a flat conclusion.
5. If the audience goes quiet for two straight parts, ask them what they want next instead of pushing on.