Load Context First

Before executing this skill, read the following files from the project folder if they exist:

1. USER.md — who the user is, how they think, how they work
2. BUSINESS.md — their business, products, positioning, brand voice, content strategy
3. ICP.md — their ideal customer, their language, their fears, what makes them buy
4. Voice or brand voice skill — look for any installed skill related to voice, tone, or brand voice and apply it automatically
5. Any additional context provided by the user in this session

Use all context silently. Do not reference or summarize files unless asked.

Contrarian Take Newsletter

Purpose: Write a compelling newsletter (800-1,200 words) built around a strong opinion that challenges conventional wisdom in the user's niche. This format creates cognitive dissonance, drives engagement, and positions the writer as an independent thinker.

When to Activate

Use this skill when:

• User wants to write a "hot take" or "unpopular opinion" newsletter
• User mentions challenging conventional wisdom or industry norms
• User has a strong opinion they want to articulate fully
• User says "contrarian take", "controversial piece", or "the thing nobody's saying"

Why Contrarian Content Works

Contrarian pieces create cognitive dissonance — they force readers to confront a belief they've never questioned. This drives:

• Higher engagement — people argue, share, and save
• Authority positioning — you're not echoing the echo chamber
• Audience filtering — attracts people who think for themselves

The key: you must actually believe the take AND back it with evidence. Lazy contrarianism ("everything you know is wrong!") with no substance is content poison.

Structure

Section 1: The Contrarian Statement (50-100 words)

Open with the bold claim. No warmup. No throat-clearing. Hit them with it.

Format:

• 1-2 sentences stating the conventional wisdom
• 1 sentence flipping it on its head
• 1 sentence previewing why they should care

Example opening pattern:

Everyone says [conventional wisdom]. I think that's wrong. Here's why — and what to do instead.

Rules:

• Be specific. "Most advice is bad" = weak. "Most productivity advice makes you less productive" = strong.
• State it with conviction. No hedging ("I kind of think maybe...").
• Make it about something your audience actively believes and acts on.

Section 2: Why Everyone Believes the Conventional Wisdom (100-200 words)

Before dismantling it, acknowledge why the conventional view exists. This shows intellectual honesty and prevents readers from dismissing you as uninformed.

Include:

• Where the conventional wisdom came from
• Why it made sense at the time (or still makes sense on the surface)
• Why smart people believe it

This section earns permission. If you skip it, readers think you don't understand the other side. If you include it, they think "okay, this person gets it — now I'm curious why they disagree."

Section 3: The Case Against (300-500 words)

This is the meat. Build your argument with 3-5 concrete evidence points.

For each evidence point:

1. Claim — One clear sentence stating the sub-argument
2. Evidence — Data, example, experience, or logical reasoning
3. Implication — What this means for the reader specifically

Types of evidence to use:

• Personal experience or observation (strongest for this format)
• Data or research that contradicts the norm
• Examples of people who went against the grain and succeeded
• Logical reasoning that exposes the flaw in conventional thinking
• Historical parallels where the consensus was wrong

Rules:

• Each point should be able to stand alone
• Use specific examples, not vague generalizations
• Ground everything in your niche — don't go abstract

Section 4: "But What About..." — Addressing Objections (150-250 words)

Anticipate the 2-3 strongest objections your reader will have. Name them explicitly and address each one.

Format:

"But what about [objection]?" [Direct, honest answer — 2-4 sentences]

Why this section is critical:

• It shows you've thought deeply about this, not just reacted
• It disarms the skeptics before they tune out
• It converts fence-sitters into believers

Rules:

• Pick the REAL objections, not strawmen
• Don't dismiss them — acknowledge their validity, then explain why your position still holds
• Be honest if there are edge cases where the conventional wisdom IS right

Section 5: What to Do Instead (150-250 words)

Close with clear, actionable advice. The reader now agrees (or at least considers) your contrarian take — tell them what to do about it.

Include:

• 3-5 specific actions or mindset shifts
• What the reader should stop doing
• What they should start doing instead
• What results they should expect

Rules:

• Be specific and practical
• Connect back to the opening claim
• End with a line that sticks — something quotable, memorable, or provocative

Subject Lines

Generate 5 options using these patterns:

1. Direct challenge: "Stop [conventional behavior] — it's not working"
2. Unpopular opinion format: "Unpopular opinion: [contrarian take]"
3. The thing nobody says: "The thing nobody tells you about [topic]"
4. Why X is wrong: "Why [common advice] is actually hurting you"
5. Confession format: "I stopped [conventional thing] and here's what happened"

Requirements: Sentence-case. 30-60 characters. Specific, not clickbait.

Output Format

## Subject Line Options

1. [Option 1]
2. [Option 2]
3. [Option 3]
4. [Option 4]
5. [Option 5]

**Recommended**: Option [X] — [reasoning]

---

## Newsletter: [Chosen Subject Line]

**Word count**: ~[X] words

---

[Contrarian statement opening — 50-100 words]

[Why everyone believes the conventional wisdom — 100-200 words]

[The case against — 3-5 evidence points, 300-500 words]

["But what about..." objection handling — 150-250 words]

[What to do instead — 150-250 words, ending with a memorable line]

---

**Stats**: [X] words | [X] evidence points | [X] objections addressed

Quality Checklist

Before delivering:

• Opens with a bold, specific contrarian statement (no hedging)
• Acknowledges why conventional wisdom exists (intellectual honesty)
• 3-5 concrete evidence points (not just opinions)
• 2-3 real objections addressed honestly
• Closes with specific, actionable advice
• 800-1,200 words total
• Voice matches user's context profiles
• The take is genuinely contrarian, not just slightly different
• Evidence is grounded in the user's niche
• Ends with a memorable, quotable line

What Makes a GOOD Contrarian Take

Strong contrarian takes:

• Challenge something the audience actively does or believes
• Are backed by evidence, not just vibes
• Offer a better alternative (not just criticism)
• Come from experience, not theory

Weak contrarian takes:

• "Everything you know is wrong" (too broad)
• Takes that are actually mainstream opinions disguised as contrarian
• Criticism without an alternative
• Takes you don't actually believe (readers can tell)