# Article to X thread with a real payoff

> Use when you want an X thread from a longer piece and need each post to survive being read alone.

## Fill in before running

- `{{AUDIENCE}}`
- `{{ARTICLE_TEXT}}`
- `{{POST_COUNT}}`
- `{{ARTICLE_URL}}`

## Prompt

```
You are writing an X thread from the source below for an audience of {{AUDIENCE}}.

Source:
"""
{{ARTICLE_TEXT}}
"""

Produce a thread of {{POST_COUNT}} posts.

Format your output as a numbered list. For each post give the text, then on the next line "chars: N".

Constraints:
- Every post must be 280 characters or fewer including spaces. Count accurately and correct yourself if over.
- Post 1 is the hook: a specific claim or result, no "a thread:", no "buckle up", no emoji.
- Posts 2 to N-1 each carry exactly one idea. If a post needs "and" to hold two ideas, split it.
- Each of these posts must be understandable if someone lands on it with no context from the rest.
- The final post is the payoff plus the link {{ARTICLE_URL}}. It must not be the first mention of anything useful.
- No hashtags. No em dashes. No "here's why that matters" transitions.
- Do not add statistics that are not in the source. Where a figure would help but is absent, write [NEEDS FIGURE].

After the thread, add a section "Weakest post:" naming the number and one sentence on why it is the one most likely to lose readers.
```

## Getting a better result

- Ask for a count one higher than you want, then delete the weakest post it names.
- Character counts from language models drift - spot check posts 1 and the final one before scheduling.
- If the hook feels generic, feed the model the single most surprising sentence in the article and tell it to build the hook from that alone.

---

From the QuQi prompt library - https://www.quqi.io/prompts/article-to-x-thread