Claude Skill A Claude Skill that takes a filled brief and outputs a structural outline (H2 and H3 hierarchy targeting query clusters) before drafting starts.

A complete brief still leaves a writer with a blank page. This Skill takes a filled brief, maps the query cluster to a structural outline, and outputs H2 and H3 headings the writer can fill in. The outline names the primary query in the H1 and in at least one H2, sets up the FAQ section, and lists the internal links to land.

What it does

• Step 1, brief: The filled brief from the Brief Drafter, or any equivalent.
• Step 2, map: The primary query in the H1 and at least one H2. Supporting queries map to H2 or H3.
• Step 3, outline: H2 and H3 hierarchy, FAQ section sketched, internal link slots noted.
• Step 4, hand-off: A markdown skeleton with empty paragraphs under each heading, ready for a writer to fill.

Who is this Skill for?

• Heads of content who want this part of the workflow to stop being negotiated piece by piece.
• Production leads who need the step to be predictable.
• Solo content marketers using Claude Code as a second pair of hands.
• Any team trying to make the LLM part of the pipeline reliable instead of magical.

What’s in the bundle?

• SKILL.md (raw): the full Claude Code Skill file, ready to drop into ~/.claude/skills/brief-to-outline/.
• One-pager PDF: a printable summary covering the cover, the 4-step process, what the Skill returns, and install instructions.
• Google Doc (gated): a Drive-resident copy plus install notes. Submit your email to access; we also tag you for the Claude Skills for content operations email sequence so you hear when the next Skill lands.
• Card image: the same hero you can repost when you share it.

Install in three steps

1. Save the SKILL.md file to ~/.claude/skills/brief-to-outline/SKILL.md on your machine.
2. Open any supporting template the Skill references in your own Drive.
3. In Claude Code, invoke /brief-to-outline and answer the questions it asks. Output lands ready for review in seconds.

Why we built it

This Skill is part of Relato’s Claude Skills for content operations series, ten Skills that together cover the content lifecycle from brief through refresh. Brief-to-Outline is Skill 6 of 10.

It stops at the outline. Drafting the body is the writer’s job (human or model).

Frequently asked questions

What is a Claude Skill?

A Claude Skill is a reusable instruction set Claude Code loads on demand. It lives as a SKILL.md file with frontmatter and a body. You install once. Claude Code finds it next time you invoke it by name.

Do I need a paid Claude plan to use this?

You need Claude Code. The Skill itself is free.

Can I edit the Skill to match my team’s voice or workflow?

Yes, and we recommend it. Open the SKILL.md, edit the rules section, and the Skill enforces your edits going forward.

Will more Skills follow?

Yes. The full series is ten Skills covering brief drafting, SEO refresh, FAQ generation, humanizing, internal links, brief-to-outline, editor checklist, repurposing, calendar generation, and refresh queue ranking. Submit your email above to be told when each one lands.