---
name: ck-copywriting
description: >
  Writes, edits, and refines marketing copy, documentation, and content for any medium.
  Activate when user says 'write copy for', 'improve this text', 'make this more compelling',
  'write a landing page', 'product description', or 'help me write this email'.
  Accepts drafts, briefs, target audience descriptions, and tone guidelines.
---

## Overview
Produces high-quality written content across formats: landing pages, emails, product descriptions, blog posts, UX microcopy, and technical documentation. Adapts tone and style to audience and medium.

## When to Use
- Writing or improving marketing copy for landing pages, ads, or emails
- Crafting product descriptions, feature announcements, or release notes
- Editing existing text for clarity, tone, or persuasiveness
- Writing UX microcopy (button labels, error messages, empty states, tooltips)
- Creating onboarding sequences or drip email campaigns
- Technical writing for developer docs or API references

## Don't Use When
- Task requires domain-specific legal or medical accuracy (verify with a professional)
- User needs SEO keyword research (use a dedicated SEO tool)
- Content needs real-time data or news (model knowledge has a cutoff)

## Steps / Instructions

### 1. Clarify the Brief

Before writing, confirm:
- **Goal**: What action should the reader take?
- **Audience**: Who are they? Technical? Executive? Consumer?
- **Tone**: Professional, casual, witty, authoritative, empathetic?
- **Format**: Email, headline, paragraph, bullet list, full page?
- **Constraints**: Word count, brand voice guide, banned phrases?

### 2. Apply Copywriting Frameworks

**AIDA (Awareness → Interest → Desire → Action):**
```
Headline: Grabs attention, states core benefit
Subheadline: Builds interest, elaborates on promise
Body: Creates desire through benefits, social proof, specifics
CTA: Single, clear action with urgency or value
```

**PAS (Problem → Agitate → Solution):**
```
Problem: Name the pain the reader feels
Agitate: Amplify why it matters / consequences of inaction
Solution: Present your product/feature as the relief
```

**Feature → Benefit → Proof:**
```
Feature: "Real-time collaboration"
Benefit: "Your whole team stays in sync without meetings"
Proof: "Teams using it cut status meetings by 60%"
```

### 3. Headlines and Subject Lines

Strong headline formulas:
```
How to [achieve result] without [common pain]
The [number] [things/ways/secrets] to [desired outcome]
[Do X] like [aspirational reference]
Stop [doing painful thing]. Start [doing better thing].
[Outcome] in [timeframe]: [Brief credibility hook]
```

Email subject line principles:
- Under 50 characters for mobile preview
- Personalization token where natural: "{{first_name}}, your dashboard is ready"
- Curiosity gap or clear value, not both at once
- Avoid spam triggers: ALL CAPS, excessive punctuation, "FREE!!!"

### 4. UX Microcopy

Error messages:
```
Bad:  "Error 403: Forbidden"
Good: "You don't have permission to view this. Contact your admin to request access."
```

Empty states:
```
Bad:  "No data found."
Good: "Nothing here yet. Add your first project to get started. [+ New Project]"
```

Button labels — use verb + object:
```
Bad:  "Submit" / "OK" / "Click here"
Good: "Save Changes" / "Send Message" / "Start Free Trial"
```

### 5. Editing Pass

Run through these checks:
1. **Clarity**: Could a 12-year-old understand the core message?
2. **Specificity**: Replace vague claims ("great", "amazing") with evidence
3. **Active voice**: "We built X" not "X was built by us"
4. **Cut ruthlessly**: Remove every word that doesn't add meaning
5. **Read aloud**: Awkward rhythm means awkward reading
6. **Single CTA**: Multiple asks dilute conversion

### 6. Tone Calibration

| Audience | Tone Markers |
|----------|-------------|
| Developer | Direct, technical, no fluff, code examples welcome |
| Executive | Outcome-focused, metrics, business impact |
| Consumer | Warm, benefit-led, relatable, social proof |
| Enterprise buyer | Professional, risk-aware, ROI-focused |

## Notes
- Always match tone to the existing brand voice if one is established
- First draft is for structure; second draft is for words; third is for cuts
- Read competitor copy to understand category conventions before breaking them
- Concrete numbers always outperform vague claims: "saves 3 hours/week" beats "saves time"