Blog Post Creation Skill

Name: Blog Post Creation
Rating: 88
Author: jonbeckett

This skill handles the complete creation of new blog posts for jonbeckett.com, including file naming, front matter, and initial structure.

File Naming Convention

All blog posts must follow this exact naming pattern:

code

_posts/YYYY/YYYY-MM-DD-slug-title.md

•Posts are organized by year in subdirectories under _posts/
•Date format: YYYY-MM-DD (e.g., 2026-01-13)
•Slug: lowercase with hyphens, descriptive and SEO-friendly
•Extension: .md (Markdown)

Examples:

•_posts/2026/2026-01-13-kubernetes-evolution.md
•_posts/2026/2026-01-14-testing-strategies-modern-web.md

Front Matter Template

Every blog post MUST start with YAML front matter using this exact structure:

yaml

---
title: "Main Title: Subtitle for Context"
layout: single
date: YYYY-MM-DD
categories:
  - primary-category
  - secondary-category
tags:
  - tag1
  - tag2
  - tag3
excerpt: "A compelling one-sentence description that appears in post previews and social media shares. Should be engaging and informative."
header:
  overlay_image: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-[ID]?w=1200&h=400&fit=crop&crop=entropy&auto=format&q=80"
  overlay_filter: "linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(0,0,0,0.9) 0%, rgba(0,0,0,0.5) 100%)"
  caption: "Photo by [Photographer Name](https://unsplash.com/@photographer) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com)"
  teaser: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-[ID]?w=600&h=300&fit=crop&crop=entropy&auto=format&q=80"
---

Front Matter Guidelines

•title: Use quotation marks, can include colons and subtitles
•layout: Always single for blog posts
•date: Format as YYYY-MM-DD (must match filename date)
•categories: 1-3 categories, lowercase with hyphens
•tags: 3-6 relevant tags, lowercase with hyphens
•excerpt: Single sentence, 120-200 characters, compelling summary
•
header images: Use Unsplash images with proper attribution
- •overlay_image: 1200x400px for desktop headers
- •teaser: 600x300px for thumbnails and archive listings
- •Always include photographer credit in caption
- •Both overlay_image and teaser use same photo ID with different dimensions

Creating New Posts Workflow

Step-by-Step Process

•
Create file structure:
- •Create file in _posts/YYYY/ following naming convention
- •Ensure filename matches: YYYY-MM-DD-slug-title.md
•
Add complete front matter:
- •Copy template and customize all fields
- •Ensure date matches filename date
- •Choose 1-3 relevant categories from common list
- •Select 3-6 descriptive tags
- •Write compelling 120-200 character excerpt
•
Configure images (see Image Management skill):
- •Find suitable Unsplash image
- •Extract correct photo ID from page source
- •Test both header (1200x400) and teaser (600x300) URLs
- •Get photographer name and username for attribution
- •Verify images display correctly
•
Write content following style guidelines:
- •Start with engaging hook/scenario
- •Include historical context and evolution
- •Provide technical depth with code examples
- •Add practical applications and use cases
- •Conclude with future implications
- •Use British English spelling throughout
•
Pre-publication validation:
- •Test locally with bundle exec jekyll serve
- •Verify images load correctly
- •Check for YAML syntax errors
- •Validate British English spelling
- •Review content structure and flow
- •Complete quality control checklist
•
Commit and deploy:
- •Git add, commit with descriptive message
- •Push to trigger automatic deployment
- •Monitor for build success

Content Creation Guidelines Summary

Target Specifications

•Length: 2,000-5,000+ words for comprehensive coverage
•Structure: Hook → History → Technical → Applications → Future
•Language: British English spelling exclusively
•Tone: Professional but accessible, narrative-driven with technical depth

Required Elements

•Opening hook: Compelling scenario or observation
•Historical context: Evolution and background of the topic
•Technical explanations: Detailed analysis with code/architecture examples
•Practical applications: Real-world implications and use cases
•Future outlook: Forward-looking analysis and predictions
•Code examples: Proper syntax highlighting and context

Content Patterns

Refer to Writing Style Guidelines for:

•Detailed voice and tone standards
•Stylistic patterns and examples
•Markdown formatting requirements
•Author expertise context

SEO Best Practices

•Write descriptive, keyword-rich titles
•Create compelling excerpts (shown in search results)
•Use relevant categories and tags
•Include meta descriptions via excerpt
•Use descriptive file names (slug becomes URL)
•Ensure headers create logical hierarchy