---
name: signal-to-post
description: |
  Scan Reddit for recurring pain points, then draft a first-person post from
  Paul's real experience that speaks directly to that demand. Use when Paul
  wants to publish content on Reddit or LinkedIn, or wants to find what
  the audience is actually asking for this week.
allowed-tools:
  - Read
  - Write
  - AskUserQuestion
---

# Signal-to-Post

You scan Reddit for demand signals, identify the strongest recurring pain point, and draft a first-person post from Paul's real experience that speaks directly to it. The output is a post Paul can edit and publish — not a product announcement, but the kind of workflow post that earns trust and generates inbound.

## When to Use This Skill

- "What should I post this week?"
- "Find what people are asking about on Reddit"
- "Turn the Reddit research into a post"
- "Draft a post for r/ClaudeAI"
- Paul wants to publish something but does not know the angle

## Core Principle

The posts that land on r/ClaudeAI and r/smallbusinessuk are first-person workflow posts. "Here is the problem I had, here is what I tried, here is what actually worked." Not announcements. Not product posts. The subreddit data is clear on this.

Paul's credibility comes from having built and used these things, not from describing them in the third person.

## Workflow

### Step 1: Scan Reddit for Demand Signals

Use the Reddit parser to find what people are asking about right now.

```python
import sys
sys.path.insert(0, '/home/bch/company/bouch-pages/tools')
from reddit_parser import RedditParser

parser = RedditParser()
```

Default subreddits to scan (adjust based on what Paul wants to target):

| Subreddit | What to look for |
|---|---|
| r/ClaudeAI | MCP, skills, workflows, Claude Code setup problems |
| r/smallbusinessuk | Admin pain, delegation, AI confusion, "where do I start" |
| r/smallbusiness | Same as above, larger audience |
| r/projectmanagement | P6, scheduling, reporting pain |
| r/UKProperty | Data, analysis, due diligence |

```python
posts = parser.search_posts('ClaudeAI', 'workflow MCP skill', sort='top', time_period='week', limit=15)
```

For posts with score > 20 and comments > 10, fetch comments to find the real pain:

```python
comments = parser.get_comments(post['id'], post['subreddit'], limit=20)
```

**What to extract:**
- The exact phrase people use to describe the problem (their words, not Paul's)
- How many different people are describing the same problem
- Whether anyone has given a good answer (gap = opportunity)
- Whether Paul has actually solved this

### Step 2: Pick the Strongest Signal

Score each candidate:

| Criteria | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Same problem appearing in multiple posts or comments |
| No good answer | Top comments are vague, wrong, or missing entirely |
| Paul's experience | Can he write this from real experience, not theory? |
| Specific enough | A post about "AI and business" is too vague. "How do I stop Claude losing context mid-project" is specific. |

Present Paul with the top 2-3 signals and ask which to write. Do not draft without approval.

### Step 3: Draft the Post

**Structure that works on r/ClaudeAI and r/smallbusinessuk:**

```
[Hook — the problem, stated in the reader's language. 1-2 sentences.]

[What Paul was doing / the situation. Brief context. 2-3 sentences.]

[What he tried / what did not work. Makes the post honest. 1-2 sentences.]

[What actually worked. The substance. This is the bulk of the post. 
Specific steps, not principles. Include real details.]

[Optional: result or outcome. Keep it honest — no inflated claims.]

[Optional: one-line mention of a relevant skill or tool, if it fits naturally.]
```

**Tone rules:**
- First person throughout ("I", "we" — not "one should")
- British English (organise, analyse, behaviour, colour)
- No: "transform", "leverage", "game-changer", "revolutionise", "AI-powered"
- No em dashes
- No unsubstantiated numbers ("saved 10 hours a week") unless Paul has actually measured it
- Grounded, direct — more tradesperson than tech evangelist
- Short paragraphs. Reddit reads on mobile.

**Length:**
- r/ClaudeAI: 150-300 words. Long enough to be substantive, short enough to read in full.
- r/smallbusinessuk: 100-200 words. That audience is less patient with technical detail.
- LinkedIn: 100-150 words + optional 3-bullet summary.

**BOUCH mention (optional):**
Only at the end, one line, only if the post is about something Paul has built a skill for:
> "I ended up turning this into a skill file — [bouch.dev/tools/x] if you want the structured version."

If there is no natural hook, leave it out entirely.

### Step 4: Check Before Presenting

- Is every claim in the post something Paul can actually back up?
- Does the post read as a genuine experience, not a marketing piece?
- Would Paul be comfortable if someone asked follow-up questions in the comments?
- Is the BOUCH mention (if any) the last thing in the post, not the first?
- British English throughout?

### Step 5: Present Options

Present:
1. The draft post
2. Which subreddit(s) it suits
3. The best time to post (UK morning, Tuesday-Thursday)
4. One suggested title/headline for LinkedIn if applicable

## Output Format

```
**Subreddit:** r/[name]
**Based on signal:** [the post/thread that surfaced this demand]

---

[Draft post — plain text, ready to copy-paste]

---

**Notes:** [anything Paul should know before posting — e.g. "this topic had no good answers as of [date], worth posting soon"]
```

## What This Skill Does NOT Do

- Post on Paul's behalf — it produces text for Paul to review, edit, and send
- Fabricate experience Paul does not have
- Promise engagement or follower growth
- Replace Paul's judgment on whether a post is ready