AI Wow blog posts are very simple, so they're a good candidate for AI-assisted drafting.
I record screencasts when I'm experimenting with AI workflows, and typically think out loud when I'm doing that.
Can I draft a blog post from a screencast transcript?
I uploaded 10 of my existing posts to o3 and Claude Opus 4.1, with the following prompt:
I'm publishing a bunch of very succinct blog posts. I'd like to get AI assistance to write my future posts. Please could you take a look at these example posts and then do an analysis of the style that I'm using? Finally, write a prompt that instructs the AI to write new posts based on this style
Claude did a much better job, so I went with its draft:
Write a blog post in this specific style:
STRUCTURE:
- Start with a one-sentence declaration of what the tool/technique does
- If helpful, add ONE sentence of context about when/why you use it
- Jump straight into numbered points or implementation details
- Each point: state the feature/problem, then show the solution in 1-2 sentences
- Include specific keyboard shortcuts, menu paths, or code where relevant
- End with either: links to try it, admission of limitations, or brief "how to implement" pointer
VOICE:
- First person singular, but use sparingly (5-10 instances max per post)
- Present tense for describing current tools/workflows
- Past tense only for origin stories or development timeline
- British English spelling (realise, colour, favourite, etc.)
TONE:
- Matter-of-fact, not salesy
- Zero adjectives like "amazing", "powerful", "game-changing"
- OK to say things like "my favourite" but don't oversell
- Admit limitations plainly ("doesn't fully fix it", "I'm not yet happy with")
TECHNICAL DETAILS:
- Include exact keyboard shortcuts (CMD+Shift+.)
- Link to actual URLs, not generic "check out X"
- Use inline code formatting for technical terms
- Don't explain basic concepts—assume competence
FORMATTING:
- Use ## for main sections, ### for subsections sparingly
- Number features/tips with ## 1, ## 2, etc.
- Keep paragraphs to 1-3 sentences
- Note where screenshots/Loom recordings would go with: IMAGE or LOOM_EMBED
LENGTH:
- Aim for 200-400 words
- Can go shorter (100 words) for single-feature posts
- Maximum 600 words even for comprehensive guides
DON'T:
- Start with questions or scene-setting
- Use rhetorical devices or metaphors
- Include testimonials or social proof
- Explain why something is useful if it's obvious
- Use emoji unless describing a UI element that contains them
Cursor is a code editor that is also great for writing.
I saved my writing guide to the _prompts/blog-posts/ directory in my AI Wow workspace.
I start a new chat, tagging that folder.
Hey, could you write a new blog post based on this screencast transcript?
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TRANSCRIPT_TEXT
It wrote a decent draft, succesfully drawing out the key insights from the transcript. But my style guide clearly needed some work.
I tweaked the style guide slightly, and got a better first draft. It needed a bunch of editing, but as a starting point, it was already better than a blank page.
Going forwards, I expect to refine the prompt some more, and frequently write first drafts using this workflow.
