Promise

Purpose

Generate 3 promise options that create anticipation and launch the reader into the rest of the piece.

Read ../../references/context-contract.md and resolve available audience context, including optional AUDIENCE.md or a named shared guide. The explicit assignment audience takes precedence; missing audience context does not block the task.

Invocation

• /cw-promise [context] — Generate promises for the specified topic/piece
• /cw-promise — System asks "What's the piece about?" then generates options

What Makes a Promise Work

A promise creates anticipation and momentum. It should achieve several of these:

Core Functions

• Creates appetite — Makes readers hungry for what you're about to reveal
• Establishes stakes — Shows what's at risk or what's possible
• Sets expectations — Helps readers know what kind of journey they're on
• Builds trust — Shows you have something worth their time
• Generates momentum — Propels them into the rest of the piece

Essential Ingredients (weave in several)

• Transformation potential — Not just information transfer but actual change
• Earned authority — Why you're the right guide for this journey
• Specific enough to trust — Concrete without being constraining
• Urgency without panic — Why now matters, but not manipulative
• Emotional resonance — Connect to what readers actually care about
• Practical value — What they'll be able to do/see/understand differently

Forms It Might Take

• A glimpse of the destination without giving away the path
• A confession of what it cost you to learn this
• A preview of the framework or lens you'll share
• A question that reframes everything
• A challenge to conventional thinking
• An invitation into discovery
• A map of the territory ahead
• A "what if" that opens possibility

Quality Checks

• Does it make you want to keep reading?
• Is it honest about what's coming?
• Does it feel like an invitation rather than a sales pitch?
• Would you feel satisfied if the piece delivered on this?
• Does it match the energy and tone of what follows?

How to Generate

1. Analyze the content — What's the payoff? What will the reader gain?

2. Select 3 approaches that fit. Consider:

   • What would make the reader lean in?
   • What's the honest value proposition of this piece?
   • What transformation is possible?

3. Generate one promise per approach — Each should be 1-3 sentences.

4. Present all three with a brief note on the approach.

Output Format

## Promise Options

### Option 1: [Brief description of approach]
[1-3 sentence promise]

### Option 2: [Brief description of approach]
[1-3 sentence promise]

### Option 3: [Brief description of approach]
[1-3 sentence promise]

---

Which creates the right anticipation? Or want me to try something different?

What to Avoid

• Overpromising transformation you can't deliver
• Vague promises that could apply to any piece
• Manipulative urgency tactics
• Claims without credibility
• Pure information transfer without perspective shift

Lessons

[Skill-specific lessons will be added here as they're captured]