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Crafting Your Direction

The direction you give DraftLift is the single biggest lever on output quality. Get this right and everything downstream improves. Get it wrong and no template or memory can save you.

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The #1 mistake

Writing platform-specific directions. DraftLift already knows the platform. The template handles format, length, tone, and structure. When you write “Create a LinkedIn post with a hook and 3 bullet points about content marketing,” you’re doing the template’s job — badly. You’re also limiting yourself. That same idea could become an X post, a blog article, and a newsletter segment. Platform-specific directions lock you into one vessel.

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What makes a great direction

A great direction is a thesis. It’s the raw idea — the argument, the insight, the stance — stripped of formatting instructions. Think of it this way: if you were explaining your idea to a smart colleague over coffee, what would you say? That’s your direction. Be specific about your angle, not the format.
“Write a LinkedIn post about content marketing.”This tells DraftLift nothing. What about content marketing? What’s your angle? Why should anyone care?

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The platform-agnostic rule

Your direction should answer three questions:
  1. What’s the idea? The core claim or insight.
  2. Why does it matter? The stakes — what the reader gains or loses.
  3. What’s your angle? Your unique perspective, experience, or evidence.
That’s it. The template handles everything else:
  • Format — character limits, section structure, paragraph length
  • Tone — professional for LinkedIn, punchy for X, comprehensive for blog
  • Conventions — hashtags, hooks, CTAs, subject lines
  • Voice — your memories supply this automatically
Direction = raw idea. Template = platforming. Memories = voice.

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When to break the rule

Sometimes platform context belongs in the direction. That’s fine — rules exist to be broken deliberately, not accidentally. Valid reasons to include platform-specific context:
  • Responding to someone’s post — “This is a reply to [person]‘s argument that AI content is always low quality”
  • Platform-specific CTAs — “End with a link to our latest case study”
  • Trend-jacking — “Reference the current discourse about [topic] happening on LinkedIn this week”
  • Series context — “This is part 3 of my weekly X thread series on pricing strategy”
The test: does the platform context add meaning that the template can’t infer? If yes, include it. If you’re just describing format, delete it.

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Practical tips

  • Lead with the contrarian take. “Most people think X. Here’s why Y” gives DraftLift a clear thesis to argue.
  • Include one specific data point. Numbers anchor abstract ideas. “80% of content budgets” is better than “most of the budget.”
  • Name the enemy. What conventional wisdom are you pushing back on? DraftLift writes stronger content when there’s tension.
  • Don’t overthink length. Two sentences can be enough if the idea is sharp. A paragraph is fine if the topic is nuanced. There’s no minimum.
Your memories handle the recurring stuff — your voice, your expertise, your standard opinions. Directions should focus on what’s new about this specific piece.