AgentSkillsCN

Satirical Article Template

讽刺文章模板

SKILL.md

The Aiglet Article Template

This template provides a consistent structure and style guide for satirical articles on The Aiglet.

Article Structure

1. Frontmatter (TOML format)

toml
+++
date = 'YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS-04:00'
type = 'posts'
draft = false
title = 'Punchy, Absurd Headline That Sounds Almost Believable'
slug = 'url-friendly-slug-lowercase-hyphens'
image = 'descriptive-image-name.jpg'
alt = 'Brief image description for accessibility'
tags = ['category1', 'category2', 'satire']
description = "1-2 sentence summary for SEO and social sharing previews"
img-prompt = 'Detailed image generation prompt describing the visual style, composition, subjects, mood, and artistic approach'
+++

2. Location Line

Start with a location in ALL CAPS BOLD format:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — [Article begins here]

SILICON VALLEY — [Alternative example]

NEW YORK — [Another example]

3. Lead Paragraph (Opening Hook)

The first paragraph should:

  • •Immediately establish the absurd premise
  • •Use professional news tone
  • •Include key "who, what, when, where" elements
  • •Hook the reader with the satirical angle
  • •Be 2-3 sentences typically

Example:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a move that has left public health officials gasping for air, President Chester B. Fogarty signed an executive order Tuesday officially allowing smoking on all domestic and international flights departing from U.S. soil.

4. Body Paragraphs (Development)

Paragraph 2-3: The Absurd Details

  • •Introduce the ridiculous policy/initiative/announcement
  • •Include a satirical name (e.g., "Freedom to Fume Act," "Efficiency Over Etiquette")
  • •Add specific absurd details that sound almost plausible

Paragraph 4-5: Fictional Quotes

  • •Include quotes from made-up officials, experts, or affected parties
  • •Use exaggerated professional language
  • •Names should be satirical but not too on-the-nose (e.g., "Chester B. Fogarty," "Xander Blip")
  • •Maintain deadpan delivery

Paragraph 6-7: Escalating Absurdity

  • •Build on the premise with increasingly ridiculous details
  • •Add reactions from other fictional stakeholders
  • •Include specific examples or statistics (made up, but believable-sounding)
  • •Use lists, numbered items, or bullet points when appropriate

Paragraph 8-9: Backlash or Consequences

  • •Show how various groups react to the situation
  • •Include more quotes from different perspectives
  • •Maintain the satirical tone while showing "both sides"

Final Paragraph: The Punchline

  • •End with a callback to the opening or a new twist
  • •Often includes a final quote or detail that drives the absurdity home
  • •Leave the reader with a memorable image or line

5. Length Guidelines

  • •Target: 400-600 words
  • •Minimum: 300 words (for shorter, punchier pieces)
  • •Maximum: 800 words (for more complex satire with multiple angles)

Style Guidelines

Tone & Voice

✅ DO:

  • •Use professional news writing tone
  • •Maintain deadpan delivery
  • •Sound like a legitimate news article
  • •Keep a straight face while describing absurdity
  • •Use formal language and proper grammar
  • •Include specific details and "facts"

❌ DON'T:

  • •Break character or wink at the reader
  • •Use informal/casual language
  • •Over-explain the joke
  • •Be mean-spirited or punch down
  • •Use excessive exclamation points
  • •Make it obvious it's satire through tone alone

Satirical Techniques

  1. •Absurdist Escalation - Start with something almost believable, then gradually increase the ridiculousness
  2. •Ironic Juxtaposition - Pair serious professional language with absurd content
  3. •Deadpan Quotes - Have characters say outrageous things in a matter-of-fact way
  4. •Specific Details - Use precise (fake) numbers, names, and facts to add believability
  5. •Bureaucratic Language - Use official-sounding names for ridiculous initiatives
  6. •Mock Expertise - Include "expert" opinions that validate the absurdity

Targets & Themes

Punch Up, Not Down:

  • •Target power structures, politicians, corporations
  • •Satirize policy failures, corporate greed, bureaucratic absurdity
  • •Mock hypocrisy and double standards
  • •Highlight societal contradictions

Common Themes:

  • •Politics and government incompetence
  • •Corporate culture and tech industry
  • •Public health and safety theater
  • •Environmental policy (or lack thereof)
  • •Social issues and cultural trends
  • •Economic inequality and class divide
  • •Media and journalism
  • •Technology and AI hype

Character Names

Create memorable but believable character names:

Good Examples:

  • •Chester B. Fogarty (sounds like a real politician)
  • •Xander Blip (tech bro vibes)
  • •Rebecca "Disrupt" Johnson (startup culture)
  • •Dr. Evelyn Winters (credible expert)

Avoid:

  • •Too obvious puns (e.g., "Senator Corrupt McBadguy")
  • •Real people's names
  • •Names that break immersion

Fictional Entities

Create believable-sounding organizations, companies, and initiatives:

Good Examples:

  • •"Freedom to Fume Act"
  • •"Efficiency Over Etiquette" initiative
  • •Nimbus AI (tech company)
  • •National Center for Atmospheric Research (sounds real)

Common Patterns

Opening Hooks

Pattern 1: "In a move that has left [affected group] [reaction], [authority figure] [absurd action] [time period]."

Pattern 2: "[Authority/Organization] announced [absurd initiative] that has [impact description]."

Pattern 3: "In a groundbreaking [event type] that left [experts] [reaction], [subject] [absurd action]."

Quote Integration

  • •Always attribute quotes with professional language
  • •Include context (where they were speaking, what they were doing)
  • •Add physical details for humor (e.g., "while aggressively mashing his keyboard")
  • •Use realistic-sounding corporate/political jargon

Ending Styles

  1. •The Wry Observation - End with a dry comment about the situation
  2. •The Escalation - Introduce one final absurd detail
  3. •The Callback - Return to a phrase or concept from the opening
  4. •The False Hope - Suggest things might improve, then crush that hope
  5. •The Warning - Sardonic advice to the reader

Example Structures

Short Form (300-400 words)

  1. •Location + Lead (2-3 sentences)
  2. •Detail paragraph (3-4 sentences)
  3. •Quote paragraph (2-3 sentences)
  4. •Reaction paragraph (3-4 sentences)
  5. •Final quote/punchline (1-2 sentences)

Standard Form (400-600 words)

  1. •Location + Lead (2-3 sentences)
  2. •Initiative/Policy details (3-4 sentences)
  3. •Quote from authority (2-3 sentences)
  4. •Specific examples/details (4-5 sentences)
  5. •Backlash/reactions (3-4 sentences)
  6. •Additional quotes (2-3 sentences)
  7. •Closing punchline (2-3 sentences)

Extended Form (600-800 words)

  1. •Location + Lead (2-3 sentences)
  2. •Background/context (3-4 sentences)
  3. •Initiative details (4-5 sentences)
  4. •Primary quote (2-3 sentences)
  5. •List of absurd examples (numbered or bulleted)
  6. •Secondary quotes (3-4 sentences)
  7. •Expert reactions (3-4 sentences)
  8. •Consequences/next steps (2-3 sentences)
  9. •Closing punchline (2-3 sentences)

Quality Checklist

Before finalizing an article, verify:

  • • Opens with ALL CAPS BOLD location
  • • Lead paragraph establishes the premise clearly
  • • Professional news tone maintained throughout
  • • Includes at least 2-3 quotes from fictional sources
  • • Names and entities sound believable
  • • Specific details add credibility
  • • Satire punches up, not down
  • • Absurdity escalates naturally
  • • Ends with a strong punchline or callback
  • • 400-600 words (typically)
  • • No spelling or grammar errors
  • • Maintains deadpan delivery throughout
  • • The joke works without explanation

Additional Resources

Tags to Use

Common tags (use 2-4 per article):

  • •politics
  • •technology
  • •business
  • •environment
  • •healthcare
  • •education
  • •economy
  • •workplace
  • •humor
  • •satire (always include for satirical pieces)

Image Prompt Tips

When creating image prompts for The Aiglet:

  • •Specify artistic style (editorial cartoon, photorealistic with surreal elements, etc.)
  • •Describe key visual elements in detail
  • •Include mood and color palette
  • •Mention composition (foreground/background)
  • •Reference visual metaphors
  • •Keep it suitable for AI image generation (DALL-E, Midjourney, etc.)
  • •Aim for visually interesting and editorial-style images

Writing Tips

  1. •Read it aloud - Does it sound like a real news article?
  2. •Remove hedging - Be confident and declarative
  3. •Tighten quotes - Every word should add to the absurdity
  4. •Check the math - Make sure fake statistics make sense
  5. •Kill your darlings - Cut jokes that don't land or break the tone
  6. •Be specific - Generic absurdity is less funny than specific absurdity
  7. •Trust the reader - Don't over-explain; let them connect the dots

Remember: The best satire walks a fine line between believability and absurdity. Keep the tone professional, the details specific, and let the ridiculousness speak for itself.