Write Tbp

Write technical blog post

This skill covers how to write technical blog posts about tldraw's implementation details.

Process

1. Create the workspace

Create an assets folder for this topic in this skill directory:

assets/<topic>/
├── research.md   # Gathered context and notes
└── draft.md      # The blog post draft

Use a short, kebab-case name for the topic (e.g., scribbles, arrow-routing, dash-patterns).

2. Research the topic

Use an Explore subagent to gather all relevant information:

Task (subagent_type: Explore, thoroughness: very thorough)

Find all code, documentation, and context related to [TOPIC] in the tldraw codebase.

Look for:
- Implementation files in packages/editor and packages/tldraw
- Type definitions in packages/tlschema
- Related examples in apps/examples
- Any existing documentation in apps/docs/content
- Tests that reveal behavior
- Comments explaining why things work the way they do

For each relevant file, note:
- What it does
- Key functions/classes
- Interesting implementation details
- Any "why" comments or non-obvious decisions

Output a comprehensive summary of how [TOPIC] works. This document will be read by another agent. No need to over-optimize for human readability.

Save the research output to assets/<topic>/research.md.

3. Identify the interesting angle

Before writing, answer these questions from the research:

• What problem does this solve? Not "what does it do" but "what would go wrong without it?"
• What's surprising or unintuitive? The obvious approach that doesn't work, or the hidden complexity.
• What's the key insight? The "aha" that makes the solution work.
• What did we try first? Any journey or iteration visible in the code or comments.

If you can't find an interesting angle, the topic may not be suitable for a technical blog post.

4. Write the draft

Create assets/<topic>/draft.md following the blog-guide structure:

• Frame the problem — Hook the reader with context and tension
• Show the insight — The key idea that makes it work
• Walk through the implementation — Code and explanation, building complexity
• Wrap up — Where it lives, tradeoffs, links to files

Target 800-1500 words.

5. Self-evaluate

Check the draft against the blog-guide checklist:

• [ ] Opening — Does it frame a problem before diving into solution?
• [ ] Insight — Is there a clear "aha" moment or key idea?
• [ ] Specificity — Is this grounded in tldraw's actual implementation?
• [ ] Code — Do examples build understanding, not just show syntax?
• [ ] Tone — Warm and personal, but not rambling?
• [ ] Links — Points to actual code in the repo?
• [ ] Length — Appropriate depth for the topic?

Revise the draft to address any gaps.

6. Output

Present the final draft to the user for review. The draft remains in assets/<topic>/draft.md until the user is satisfied, at which point they can move it to the appropriate location.

References

• Style guide: See ../shared/blog-guide.md for voice, tone, and structure.
• Writing guide: See ../shared/writing-guide.md for general writing conventions.