Substack Post Writing Skill#

User Profile#

Dr. Shiva Kakkar - Faculty member positioned for future leadership roles in Indian higher education. Writes to build personal brand beyond institutional affiliation. His sweet spot: GenAI + education intersection (schools through B-schools in India).

Target audiences:

1. B-school leadership & faculty (decision-makers seeking practical implementation)
2. Students & parents (reality check seekers)
3. EdTech/academia commentators (idea spreaders)
4. Corporate recruiters & industry (quality signal seekers)

Voice characteristics:

• Numbers anchor credibility ($500 vs $6000, 65% stat, ₹4L courses)
• Contrarian without preaching ("IIMs aren't responsible—you are")
• Concrete over abstract (specific examples, not platitudes)
• Forward-looking pragmatism
• No false humility ("perhaps one of the most comprehensive" stated plainly)
• Industry voice validation (CEO quotes > personal opinion)
• Quick, clever humor when appropriate
• Explains concepts lucidly with analogies (like Sangeet Paul Choudhary or Paul Daugherty)

Key Difference from LinkedIn#

Substack is long-form. LinkedIn is a billboard. Substack is a conversation over coffee.

LinkedIn: 200-350 words. Violation → Credential → Insight → Hook. Quick hit.

Substack: 1500-3000 words. Violation → Deep Exploration → Multiple Angles → Actionable Framework → Uncomfortable Question.

Substack readers subscribed because they want depth. They want to understand not just what happened, but why it matters, how it connects, and what to do about it.

Writing Process#

Step 1: Search for Topic#

Use web_search to find major GenAI/education/edtech announcements, trends, or controversies:

text

Query patterns:
- "major AI education announcement 2025"
- "India GenAI students announcement 2025"
- "education technology breakthrough 2025"
- "OpenAI Google Microsoft education 2025"
- "[topic] controversy debate 2025"

Critical: Always contextualize to India. If announcement is global, search specifically for India impact:

• "India [announcement topic] 2025"
• Check if tools/policies mentioned apply to Indian users
• Verify pricing/availability for Indian market

Step 2: Gather Framework Material#

Use MCPs to enrich the post with depth:

Readwise MCP ( search_readwise_highlights):

json

{
  "full_text_queries": [
    {"field_name": "highlight_plaintext", "search_term": "[topic keyword 1]"},
    {"field_name": "highlight_plaintext", "search_term": "[topic keyword 2]"}
  ],
  "vector_search_term": "[conceptual theme of post]"
}

LlamaCloud MCP ( query_AI-Strategy-Studies or query_AI-Change-and-leadership or query_Persuasion-and-communication-OB):

text

Query: "[topic] frameworks adoption implementation"

Extract insights, NOT quotes:

• Identify mental models, frameworks, patterns
• Rewrite in user's voice and context
• Remove original author names
• Make audience-friendly (non-technical readers)
• Example: "Curse of Knowledge" → "Recognition Deficit" or similar reframing

For Substack, gather MORE material than LinkedIn. Aim for 3-5 frameworks/concepts to weave together.

Step 3: Select Theme from Rotation#

Choose from 6-week cycle (avoid repetition):

1. Cost Arbitrage Deep Dive: Real numbers violating assumptions + why the economics work this way + what institutions miss
2. Fusion Skills Exploration: Redefining AI literacy + case studies + what it looks like in practice
3. Implementation Playbook: Open-sourcing tools, frameworks with detailed how-to (highest engagement)
4. Industry Reality Report: What recruiters/CEOs actually think + data + implications
5. Institutional Autopsy: Gap between claims and actions + why it persists + what breaks the loop
6. Future Scenario Analysis: Agentic era implications + what it means for different stakeholders + how to prepare

Step 4: Apply the 5-Act Structure#

Substack needs a different architecture than LinkedIn. Think of it as a play in five acts:

Act 1: The Hook (150-300 words)

Open with violation, just like LinkedIn. But then expand into WHY this matters.

Structure:

• Counterintuitive data point (first line)
• Context that makes it worse ("And here's the kicker...")
• Stakes for the reader ("This isn't just about X. It's about...")

Example pattern:

text

[Shocking stat or fact]

[Second stat that compounds it]

[Explanation of why this should concern the reader]

This isn't about [surface-level interpretation]. It's about [deeper implication that affects reader].

Act 2: The Backstory (300-500 words)

Give context that LinkedIn doesn't have room for. How did we get here? What's the history?

Structure:

• Historical context or evolution
• Failed approaches or attempts
• Why obvious solutions don't work
• Personal experience or institutional example

This is where storytelling shines. Use specific characters, situations, failures.

Act 3: The Framework (400-700 words)

The meat of the post. Introduce a way of thinking about the problem.

Structure:

• Name the pattern or mental model (in user's own words)
• Explain it with concrete examples
• Show how it applies to different situations
• Include one counter-example or limitation

Critical: Vary how frameworks are presented:

• Sometimes as numbered steps (but not every post)
• Sometimes as contrasting approaches (Employee A vs Employee B)
• Sometimes as a narrative ("Here's what happened when we tried...")
• Sometimes as questions ("Ask yourself three things...")
• Sometimes embedded in prose without explicit structure

Act 4: The Application (300-500 words)

Make it actionable. What does the reader DO with this?

Structure:

• Specific actions for different audience segments (implied, not labeled)
• Examples of implementation
• Common pitfalls to avoid
• Resources or starting points

Act 5: The Uncomfortable Close (150-300 words)

End with provocation, not inspiration. Leave the reader thinking.

Structure:

• Circle back to opening violation
• Escalate the implications
• Pose an uncomfortable question or challenge
• No inspirational padding

Section Headers#

Unlike LinkedIn, Substack can use headers. But use them sparingly and strategically.

Good header style:

• Questions that provoke ("What if we're asking the wrong question?")
• Contrarian statements ("The real problem isn't what you think")
• Concrete specifics ("The ₹500 vs ₹50,000 gap")
• Narrative transitions ("What happened when we actually tried")

Avoid:

• Generic headers ("Introduction", "Conclusion", "Key Takeaways")
• Numbered lists in headers ("3 Ways to...", "5 Steps to...")
• Buzzword headers ("Leveraging AI for Success")

Use 3-5 headers per post, not more. Let prose breathe.

Tone & Style Guidelines#

Explanation style:

• Use analogies and metaphors (like Sangeet Paul Choudhary)
• Show how concepts connect to each other
• Explain why, not just what
• Use concrete examples over abstract principles

Narrative techniques:

• Specific characters (Employee A vs B, the marketing professor, the CEO)
• Dialogue where appropriate
• Sensory details ("the 3-second Google search", "a smartphone in their pocket")
• Escalation ("Weird... Weirder... Weirdest")

Data integration:

• Lead with specific numbers
• Cite sources naturally (not academically)
• Contrast numbers that reveal gaps ($6000 vs $500)
• Use percentages for human scale (65%, not "majority")

Voice markers:

• Direct address to reader ("Here's what you need to understand")
• Admission of uncertainty when appropriate ("I don't know if this will work, but...")
• Self-aware humor (not forced)
• No false modesty or excessive hedging

Length & Formatting#

Target: 1500-3000 words

• Under 1500: May lack depth readers expect from Substack
• Over 3000: Risks losing reader attention

Paragraph length:

• 2-5 sentences per paragraph
• Vary length for rhythm
• Use single-sentence paragraphs for emphasis (sparingly)

White space:

• Generous line breaks between paragraphs
• Headers create visual breaks
• Pull quotes or emphasis for key points (bold or italic, not both)

Formatting:

• Bold for key terms or emphasis (sparingly)
• Italics for internal dialogue or hypotheticals
• No bullet points in main body (breaks narrative flow)
• Lists only in Application section if needed

SUCCESs Framework for Long-Form#

All six elements still apply, but expanded:

• Simple: Core message still distillable to one sentence (but explored fully)
• Unexpected: Multiple violations throughout, not just opening
• Concrete: Many specific examples, characters, numbers (LinkedIn has 1-2, Substack has 5-8)
• Credentialed: Implementation proof, industry voices, verifiable claims
• Emotional: Build emotional arc (frustration → insight → possibility → challenge)
• Stories: Full narrative arcs, not just anecdotes

Critical Reminders#

Never:

• Mention original book/framework names
• Quote sources verbatim
• Use generic headers ("Introduction", "Conclusion")
• Default to institutional positioning
• Forget India context for global announcements
• Include pre-text, post-text, acknowledgments, or padding
• Use bullet points for main arguments
• End with inspirational fluff

Always:

• Search for India-specific implications
• Use MCPs to enrich with frameworks (but rewrite)
• Verify numbers and claims
• Lead with violation, not context
• Vary structural presentation
• Build to uncomfortable close
• Include specific, verifiable data
• Explain WHY, not just WHAT

Example Quality Checks#

Good post indicators:

• Opens with number that surprises
• Contains 5+ concrete examples
• Has clear framework but varied presentation
• Builds emotional arc
• Ends with provocation, not summary
• Uses headers strategically
• Shows deep understanding of WHY things work the way they do

Bad post indicators:

• Opens with context or scene-setting
• Uses "Three X Framework" in headers
• Mentions books or original authors
• Generic inspirational close
• Bullet-point heavy
• Headers are generic ("Key Insights")
• Tells reader what to think instead of making them think

Output Format#

CRITICAL - ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT:

Output MUST begin IMMEDIATELY with the title. Zero exceptions.

❌ FORBIDDEN - Never include:

• "I'll read the skill..."
• "Let me create..."
• "Here's your post..."
• "Based on the announcement..."
• "I found this news..."
• Separators like "---" or "========="
• "Would you like me to adjust..."
• "Let me know if..."
• Any explanatory text before or after the post

✅ REQUIRED format:

text

[Title: Provocative, specific, not clickbait]

[Opening paragraph - violation first]

[Continue with natural prose and strategic headers]

[Uncomfortable close - no summary]

---

[Source URL if news-based]

The very first character output must be the title of the post. Period.

Post Creation Workflow Summary#

1. Search: Find recent GenAI/edu topic (India-contextualized)
2. Gather: Use MCPs for 3-5 frameworks (rewrite in user voice)
3. Select: Choose theme from 6-week rotation
4. Outline: Map 5-act structure with specific examples
5. Draft: Write with prose flow, varied presentation
6. Verify: Check SUCCESs framework (all 6 elements present)
7. Polish: Ensure voice authenticity, header quality, emotional arc
8. Output: Post text only (no wrapper text)