write-tweet

${var} — [format] [argument]. Pick one of three formats, then pass its argument. Empty ⇒ drafts (standalone tweet drafts). thread … ⇒ a multi-tweet thread. remix … ⇒ remix of your past tweets. revise:<instruction> ⇒ revise the last saved draft (the Telegram force-reply shape, e.g. revise:make it punchier). See Selector below.

Read memory/MEMORY.md for context on recent articles, digests, topics being tracked, and the operator's tracked handles/token. Each branch then reads its own memory/logs/ window (drafts: 3 days, thread: 7 days, remix: 14 days) — see the branch.

Selector

Revise intercept first (Telegram force-reply). If ${var} starts with revise: → jump straight to Branch: REVISE (below) and stop; do not token-parse. This is the shape scripts/telegram-route.sh sends when the operator replies to a "refine this draft?" prompt — the revise: prefix would otherwise fall through to the drafts branch.

Otherwise, parse ${var} once, before doing anything else:

1. Trim whitespace. Take the first token (everything up to the first space or the first :), lowercased.
2. If that token is one of drafts, thread, remix → that's the format. The argument is the remainder of ${var} after stripping the keyword and one optional following : and surrounding whitespace.
3. Otherwise → format is drafts and the argument is the entire ${var} (backward-compatible with the legacy var = topic/URL behaviour).

${var}	Format	Argument	Behaviour
`` (empty)	drafts	—	Auto-select the most tweetable insight from today's logs
prediction markets are broken	drafts	prediction markets are broken	Drafts on that topic
https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.00001	drafts	that URL	Drafts about the linked source
drafts: thread models are underrated	drafts	thread models are underrated	Escape hatch: force drafts on a topic that starts with a reserved word
thread	thread	—	Auto-pick the day's highest-signal event and thread it
thread oracle incentives are broken	thread	oracle incentives are broken	Thread on that topic
remix	remix	—	Remix past tweets, default 180d window
remix 1y	remix	1y	Remix, 1-year window
remix 2025-01-01:2025-03-01	remix	2025-01-01:2025-03-01	Remix, explicit date range

Then dispatch to the matching branch below. Only run the selected branch.

---

Branch: REVISE (revise:… — Telegram force-reply)

The operator tapped the "refine this draft?" prompt and sent a free-text revision instruction. Handle it before any normal generation:

1. Strip the prefix. The instruction is ${var#revise:} (the remainder may itself contain colons — keep them). Trim surrounding whitespace. Example values: make it punchier, drop the emoji, lead with the number.
2. Load the last draft. Read memory/drafts/write-tweet-latest.md — the stable path every normal run saves to (see Save draft + offer revision). If it's missing or empty, there's nothing to refine yet: send ./notify "Nothing to revise yet — run a tweet draft first, then reply here to refine it." and end the run.
3. Apply the instruction. Re-read soul/ (SOUL.md, STYLE.md, examples) for voice, then regenerate the saved draft applying the operator's instruction. Keep the same format (drafts / thread / remix) and structure as the saved draft — you're refining it, not starting over — and respect the same character limits and anti-patterns as the originating branch (no hashtags, no emojis unless the draft had them, per-tier/thread length caps).
4. Re-save. Overwrite memory/drafts/write-tweet-latest.md with the revised draft, so a further revise: refines the newest version.
5. Re-send via ./notify in the same shape the originating branch uses for its draft, with a first line that flags it as a revision, e.g. revised (${var#revise:}): followed by the refreshed draft body. (For multi-line output use ./notify -f <file>.)
6. Re-offer a further revision (the operator is actively iterating, so this is expected, not a nag — skip the daily dedup guard here):

   ./notify "Want another pass? Reply with a change and I'll revise again." \
     --force-reply --placeholder "e.g. cut the last line" \
     --context "write-tweet::revise"
   

7. Log under ### write-tweet with - **Format:** revise and the instruction (see Log), then end the run — do NOT run drafts / thread / remix.

---

Branch: DRAFTS (default / empty ${var})

Generate 10 standalone tweet drafts across 5 size tiers (2 variations each). The argument is the topic or URL; empty ⇒ auto-select.

Read the last 3 days of memory/logs/ to understand what's been covered and avoid repeating takes.

Topic Selection (drafts)

If the argument is set, use it as the topic (it may be a keyword, a thesis, or a URL).

Otherwise, read today's memory/logs/${today}.md and pick the single most tweetable insight. Prioritize:

1. A take from today's article (already researched and opinionated)
2. A surprising connection between two of today's findings
3. A reaction to something from a tweet roundup or digest

If the topic needs fresher context, use WebSearch to verify or expand.

If XAI_API_KEY is set, search X for what people are already saying about the topic. A direct curl to the X.AI Responses API is the primary path for this X read (see Fetching; set the Bash tool timeout ≥180000):

jq -n '{model:"grok-4.6", input:[{role:"user",content:"Search X for what people are saying about TOPIC in the last 24 hours. Return the 5 most notable tweets with @handle and summary."}], tools:[{type:"x_search"}]}' > /tmp/xai-wt-payload.json
HTTP=$(./secretcurl -s -o /tmp/xai-wt.json -w '%{http_code}' --max-time 150 -X POST "https://api.x.ai/v1/responses" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer {XAI_API_KEY}" \
  -d @/tmp/xai-wt-payload.json)
echo "xai http=$HTTP bytes=$(wc -c </tmp/xai-wt.json)"

On HTTP=200 with a non-empty body, parse /tmp/xai-wt.json with jq -r '.output[] | select(.type == "message") | .content[] | select(.type == "output_text") | .text'. This helps understand the existing conversation so you can add signal, not noise. XAI_API_KEY is optional for this branch — skip the X search only if it's KEY_UNSET; if the key is set but Path A truly fails (non-2xx / empty / timeout — record the real reason, never "unavailable" when the key was set), fall back to WebSearch (site:x.com "<topic>", lower quality) as a last resort.

Voice (drafts)

If soul files exist (soul/SOUL.md, soul/STYLE.md, soul/examples/), read them and match the owner's voice exactly.

If no soul files exist, write in a clear, direct, opinionated style:

• Short sentences. No hedging. No corporate voice.
• State the opinion first, reasoning after (if any).
• Reference specifics — names, projects, numbers — not vague hand-waving.
• No hashtags. No emojis. No "RT if you agree." No self-referential meta.

Writing (drafts)

Generate 10 drafts — 5 size tiers with 2 variations each. The two variations within a tier should take genuinely different angles (different framing, emphasis, mood) — not minor rewrites.

Size tiers

Tier 1 — One-liner (~50–100 chars) Single punchy sentence. Maximum compression — every word load-bearing.

Tier 2 — Two-punch (~100–180 chars) Two sentences. First sets up, second lands the hit. Claim then evidence, or observation then implication.

Tier 3 — Paragraph (~180–280 chars) A full thought in one tweet. Three to four sentences. Context, position, kicker.

Tier 4 — Long tweet (~280–600 chars) Uses X's extended tweet length. A mini-essay with setup, turn, and conclusion. Grounded with a specific example or data point.

Tier 5 — Thread opener (first tweet under 280 chars + thread sketch) First tweet hooks — sets up a thesis. Below the tweet, include a --- separator and a 3–5 bullet sketch of where the thread goes (key beats, not full text).

Approach styles (mix these across variations)

• Hot take — opinionated position stated directly
• Observation — pattern-match most people aren't seeing
• Sardonic/ironic — dry humor
• Reframe — question the premise of the mainstream take
• Data drop — lead with a specific number or fact, then the take
• Narrative — tiny story or anecdote that makes the point
• Question — a genuine question that reframes thinking

Each tier's two variations should use different approach styles.

Constraints (drafts)

• Tier 1–3: hard 280-character limit per tweet.
• Tier 4: up to 600 characters (X long tweet).
• Tier 5: first tweet under 280, thread sketch is bullet points only.
• No hashtags. No emojis. No "RT if you agree."
• No self-referential meta ("hot take:" or "unpopular opinion:").
• Count characters carefully.

Output Format (drafts)

## Tweet Drafts: [topic]

### Tier 1 — One-liner
**1a. [style]**
> [tweet text]

**1b. [style]**
> [tweet text]

### Tier 2 — Two-punch
**2a. [style]**
> [tweet text]

**2b. [style]**
> [tweet text]

### Tier 3 — Paragraph
**3a. [style]**
> [tweet text]

**3b. [style]**
> [tweet text]

### Tier 4 — Long tweet
**4a. [style]**
> [tweet text]

**4b. [style]**
> [tweet text]

### Tier 5 — Thread opener
**5a. [style]**
> [tweet text]
---
- [beat 1]
- [beat 2]
- [beat 3]

**5b. [style]**
> [tweet text]
---
- [beat 1]
- [beat 2]
- [beat 3]

After all 10, add a one-line pick for best overall and best per tier.

Notify (drafts)

Send the drafts via ./notify — write the body to /tmp/wt-drafts.md first, then ./notify -f /tmp/wt-drafts.md (keeps the long body off argv and out of the repo root):

tweet drafts: [topic]

— one-liner —
1a. [tweet text]
1b. [tweet text]

— two-punch —
2a. [tweet text]
2b. [tweet text]

— paragraph —
3a. [tweet text]
3b. [tweet text]

— long tweet —
4a. [tweet text]
4b. [tweet text]

— thread opener —
5a. [tweet text]
5b. [tweet text]

best: #[n] — [reason]

Then save the draft and offer a revision (see Save draft + offer revision), and log (see Log, format drafts).

---

Branch: THREAD (thread …)

Write a tweetstorm/thread (5–10 tweets) in the operator's voice. The argument is the topic, thesis, or URL; empty ⇒ auto-pick the day's highest-signal event.

Read memory/MEMORY.md and the last 7 days of memory/logs/ for context. Use recent signals — notable market moves, paper picks, tweet roundup discourse — as raw material if no topic is set.

Voice (thread)

If soul/ files exist, read them in order before writing:

1. soul/SOUL.md — identity, worldview, opinions
2. soul/STYLE.md — writing style, sentence structure, anti-patterns
3. soul/examples/tweets.md — rhythm and tone calibration. Match this exactly.
4. soul/examples/bad-outputs.md — what NOT to do

If soul is absent, use a clear, direct, plain-spoken tone — but the anti-patterns under Writing Rules still apply.

Topic Selection (thread)

If the argument is set, use it as the topic (keyword, thesis, or URL). Skip scoring and go straight to research and drafting. Pick the sharpest angle from:

• Today's memory/logs/${today}.md — article thesis, paper finding, market signal
• memory/MEMORY.md notable signals — anything with reflexivity, contradiction, or structural insight
• A connection between two recent findings that most people aren't seeing

If the argument is empty, auto-pick the day's highest-signal event. Every run produces something worth amplifying — a feature shipped, a price move, a milestone crossed, a notable tweet — and most of it dies unposted. Read memory/logs/${today}.md end-to-end, score the events that actually happened, and thread the single highest-scoring one.

Auto-pick scoring (empty-argument mode)

Walk today's log section by section. Per section, extract at most one candidate event (first-match-wins) and score it:

Signal	Score	Detection cue
New feature / skill shipped — PR opened on a watched repo	+6	log sections named feature, external-feature, create-skill, tool-builder; a bullet mentioning PR: or a PR number on a watched repo
Star milestone crossed (any multiple of 50 — 50, 100, 150, …)	+5	repo-pulse stargazers_count=N where N % 50 == 0, or a star-milestone skill ran today
Token price move ≥ 15% (absolute, 24h)	+5	token-report 24h / Price: line in that range
Token price move 10–14.99% (absolute, 24h)	+3	same line, 10–14.99% range
Skill built / shipped today	+4	a ## <skill-name> section whose body says "shipped"/"merged" or links a PR on the watched repo
New high-engagement tweet (≥ 20 likes OR ≥ 5 RTs) on the operator's tracked handle/token	+3	fetch-tweets log lines with Likes: ≥ 20 or RTs: ≥ 5, filtered to the operator's configured handles/token
New fork by a recognizable contributor (not the agent / operator)	+2	repo-pulse New forks (24h): ≥ 1, fork owner not the operator
Notable PR merged on a watched repo (not authored by the agent / operator)	+3	operator-scorecard (push) log mentioning a PR whose author isn't the operator
New leaderboard / fork-fleet anomaly worth narrating	+2	skill-health (analytics view) or fork-health (cohort lens) log with a non-empty anomaly section

If one event hits multiple signals (e.g. star milestone + price move on the same day), score each separately and take the highest single-event score — never sum across unrelated events to clear a threshold.

Tiebreakers (highest score wins, then): newest event (latest log section) → event with a concrete URL attached (PR, tweet, article) → alphabetical by section name.

If the top candidate scores < 3, there's no thread worth forcing on a quiet day — note it in the log and exit without notifying or drafting. If today's log is missing or empty, do the same.

The configured handles, tracked token, and watched repos come from soul/ and memory/ (the operator's tracked-handle/token notes) — never hardcode them.

Good thread topics:

• A structural critique of something (oracle incentives, prediction market design, DeFi primitives)
• A thesis with data: lead with numbers, build the argument
• A contrarian take on a mainstream narrative
• A builder's breakdown of how something actually works vs. how people think it works

Avoid topics already covered in the last 48h (check logs).

If the topic needs fresh context, use WebSearch to get current data.

Thread Structure

A thread is 5–10 tweets. Not a listicle. Not a lecture. A narrative arc.

Tweet 1 — Hook The opening hit. States the thesis or drops the most surprising fact. Must make someone stop scrolling. No setup — land in the middle of the action.

Tweets 2–(n-1) — Development Each tweet is self-contained but pulls forward. Build the argument:

• Add evidence, data, or a specific example
• Introduce a complication or nuance
• Flip the framing once mid-thread
• Each tweet must earn its place — cut any that are just filler

Tweet n — Landing The payoff. The implication, the action, or the reframe. Should feel like the point was building to this. Not a summary — a conclusion.

Thread formats (pick one per run)

Data-driven: Lead with a striking number. Each subsequent tweet unpacks what it means.

Structural critique: Identify a broken mechanic. Walk through why it's broken. Show the second-order effects.

Builder's breakdown: How X actually works under the hood, for people who only see the surface.

Narrative: A sequence of events that reveals something. Ends with "here's what this tells us."

Thesis-first: State the position boldly in tweet 1. Spend the rest proving it.

Writing Rules (thread)

• Write as the operator, first person.
• Match soul/STYLE.md conventions for capitalization, punctuation, and rhythm. If soul is absent: short sentences, plain language, em dashes over commas.
• State the opinion first, reasoning after.
• No hedging: kill "some might argue", "to be fair", "it remains to be seen."
• No corporate voice: kill "leverage", "ecosystem play", "exciting", "importantly."
• No filler transitions: kill "now,", "so,", "basically,", "essentially."
• Reference specific projects, people, mechanisms — not vague hand-waving.
• No hashtags. No emojis. No "RT if you agree." No "thread 🧵".
• Number tweets as 1/ 2/ 3/ etc. at the end of each tweet.
• Each tweet must pass the test: would the operator actually post this?

Character limits (thread)

• Tweets 1 through (n-1): hard 280-character limit each.
• Final tweet: up to 280 characters.
• Count carefully. If a draft is over 280, cut it.

Output Format (thread)

## Thread: [topic — 3-5 words]

**Format:** [data-driven / structural critique / builder's breakdown / narrative / thesis-first]
**Length:** [n] tweets

---

**1/**
[tweet text — 280 chars max]

**2/**
[tweet text — 280 chars max]

...

**n/**
[tweet text — 280 chars max]

---

**Why this thread:** [1-2 sentences on why this topic, why now, why the thread format (vs. single tweet)]

Notify (thread)

Send via ./notify — write the thread body to /tmp/wt-thread.md first, then ./notify -f /tmp/wt-thread.md (keeps the long body off argv and out of the repo root):

thread: [topic — 3-5 words]

1/ [tweet 1]

2/ [tweet 2]

...

n/ [tweet n]

Then save the draft and offer a revision (see Save draft + offer revision), and log (see Log, format thread). On a quiet day (top candidate < 3, or empty log), send nothing — no draft, no save, no offer — just log the no-op.

---

Branch: REMIX (remix …)

Fetch ~30 older tweets, pre-filter for remixability, then produce 10 new rephrased versions across diverse strategies with post-write quality gates. The argument overrides the time window — accepts 30d, 180d, 1y, or a date range YYYY-MM-DD:YYYY-MM-DD. Defaults to 180d (30–180 days ago window, see step 1).

This branch requires XAI_API_KEY. If it's unset, emit REMIX_TWEETS_ERROR — no XAI_API_KEY configured, notify the cause, and stop.

Read memory/MEMORY.md for context on current topics and recent thinking. Scan the last 14 days of memory/logs/ for any ### write-tweet entries with **Format:** remix (and legacy ## Remix Tweets entries) and collect every tweet URL ever remixed — that's the persistent dedup set.

Voice (remix)

If a soul/ directory exists and is populated, read for voice calibration:

1. soul/SOUL.md — identity, worldview, opinions
2. soul/STYLE.md — writing style, sentence structure, anti-patterns
3. soul/examples/tweets.md — rhythm and tone calibration (if present)

Otherwise, match the tone of the originals fetched in step 1.

Steps (remix)

1. Fetch ~30 older tweets (over-fetch for filtering)

We over-fetch so the remixability pre-filter (step 2) has room to drop un-remixable candidates without reducing the output count below 10.

Fetch directly from the X.AI Responses API — this is the primary path (see Fetching; set the Bash tool timeout ≥180000). Resolve the time window (from the branch argument) and call the API:

TIME_WINDOW="${ARG:-180d}"   # ARG = the remix argument parsed from ${var}; default 180d

if echo "$TIME_WINDOW" | grep -q ':'; then
  FROM_DATE=$(echo "$TIME_WINDOW" | cut -d: -f1)
  TO_DATE=$(echo "$TIME_WINDOW" | cut -d: -f2)
else
  DAYS=$(echo "$TIME_WINDOW" | sed 's/[^0-9]//g')
  UNIT=$(echo "$TIME_WINDOW" | sed 's/[0-9]//g')
  [ "$UNIT" = "y" ] && DAYS=$((DAYS * 365))
  FROM_DATE=$(date -u -d "$DAYS days ago" +%Y-%m-%d 2>/dev/null || date -u -v-${DAYS}d +%Y-%m-%d)
  TO_DATE=$(date -u -d "30 days ago" +%Y-%m-%d 2>/dev/null || date -u -v-30d +%Y-%m-%d)
fi

Resolve the X handle. Look up in this order: (a) $X_HANDLE env var, (b) handle mentioned in soul/SOUL.md under "Identity", (c) abort with REMIX_TWEETS_ERROR — no handle configured.

Run two angled x_search queries so the pre-filter has a diverse pool — don't rely on one query shape:

• Query 1 — opinion posts (most remixable): original tweets that state a take, opinion, or principle (not news-tied, not announcements).
• Query 2 — standout posts (high engagement = proven): top-engagement original tweets in the window.

Each query must request for every tweet: full text, date posted, engagement stats (likes, retweets, replies), and the direct https://x.com/HANDLE/status/ID link. Ask explicitly for original posts only (not replies, not retweets, not quote tweets). Aim for ~15-20 tweets per query.

# Replace HANDLE with the resolved handle. Set the Bash tool timeout ≥180000 (see Fetching).
Q1_PROMPT="Search X for original tweets (exclude replies, retweets, quote tweets) posted by @HANDLE from ${FROM_DATE} to ${TO_DATE}. I want OPINION/TAKE posts — tweets that state a view, principle, or observation (not news announcements, not project updates, not single-link posts). Return up to 15. For each: full tweet text, date (YYYY-MM-DD), likes, retweets, replies, direct link https://x.com/HANDLE/status/ID. Format as numbered list."
jq -n --arg p "$Q1_PROMPT" --arg fd "$FROM_DATE" --arg td "$TO_DATE" \
  '{model:"grok-4.6", input:[{role:"user",content:$p}], tools:[{type:"x_search", allowed_x_handles:["HANDLE"], from_date:$fd, to_date:$td}]}' \
  > /tmp/xai-wt-q1-payload.json
HTTP=$(./secretcurl -s -o /tmp/xai-wt-q1.json -w '%{http_code}' --max-time 150 -X POST "https://api.x.ai/v1/responses" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer {XAI_API_KEY}" \
  -d @/tmp/xai-wt-q1-payload.json)
echo "xai q1 http=$HTTP bytes=$(wc -c </tmp/xai-wt-q1.json)"

On HTTP=200 with a non-empty body, parse /tmp/xai-wt-q1.json with the standard extractor jq -r '.output[] | select(.type == "message") | .content[] | select(.type == "output_text") | .text'.

Then repeat with a second body Q2 (write to /tmp/xai-wt-q2.json) varying the prompt to "top-engagement original tweets (highest likes+retweets) in the same window. Return up to 15."

Deduplicate by tweet ID across both queries. Log xai=ok / xai=partial / xai=fail based on how many queries returned data.

Fallback (last resort only): the direct curl above is the primary path and works — there is no network sandbox (see Fetching). Only if a query genuinely fails (non-2xx / empty / timeout — record the true reason, never "unavailable" when the key was set) retry that same POST body via the built-in WebFetch tool against https://api.x.ai/v1/responses as a last resort.

2. Remixability pre-filter (drop before remixing)

Drop any candidate that matches any of these — these rarely yield a remix worth posting: