---
name: ignition
description: |
  Viral content creation for X/Twitter using the Ignition method (Catalyst + Winning Format + Content Matrix).
  Adapted from The School of Hard Knocks' 140M views/month framework for text-based platforms.
  Use when: creating viral tweets, threads, or content series for X/Twitter.
  Transforms a topic into high-retention content by finding the right hook type, locking a winning format, and ensuring replicability at scale.
  NOT for: long-form articles, YouTube videos, or platforms where visual format dominates over text.
---

# Ignition 🔥

140 million views in one month. 1 million followers in 30 days. The method behind it is stupidly simple — and that's why it works.

Adapted from The School of Hard Knocks framework for X/Twitter text content.

## The Three Pillars

### 1. The Catalyst

Two components: **Constants** and **Hooks**.

**Constant** = your fixed audience. Pick one and never waver. Every piece of content speaks to that person.

On X/Twitter, the Constant is baked into your bio and reinforced by every tweet. If your audience is founders, every tweet assumes the reader is a founder. No explaining, no broadening. Narrowing is what makes hooks land.

**Hooks** = the first line of the tweet. Three types that work:

| Type | What it does | X/Twitter example |
|------|-------------|-------------------|
| **Strong claim** | Says something most people disagree with or find surprising | "Kubernetes é overkill pra 99% das startups. Eu uso pra 100% das minhas." |
| **Direct approach** | Addresses the reader's situation head-on | "Você tá rodando 3 agentes de IA em paralelo e o throughput caiu. Eu sei por quê." |
| **Simple question** | Triggers curiosity with a question they can't ignore | "Quantas horas por semana você gasta revisando código que um agente escreveu?" |

**The Catalyst rule:** Test all three. When one type consistently outperforms, repeat it relentlessly. Don't rotate for variety — rotate for data, then lock in the winner.

See [references/hooks.md](references/hooks.md) for hook formulas and examples.

### 2. Winning Format

The format that retains attention on X/Twitter threads:

**The Pullaway** — Start with something that feels like you're about to walk away from the topic. The reader stays because it seems like something important is about to drop.

On X/Twitter this translates to:
- T1: Hook + setup that creates tension (the pullaway)
- T2-Tn: Question → Answer → Question → Answer chain
- Each tweet answers the previous tension and opens a new one

**Question stacking** is the engine. Every answer births the next question. The reader never reaches a resting point.

Applied to threads:
```
T1: [Hook + pullaway — tension created]
T2: [Answers T1's tension, raises new question]
T3: [Answers T2, introduces complication]
T4: [Resolves complication, opens deeper layer]
...
Tn: [Payoff + CTA]
```

See [references/formats.md](references/formats.md) for format templates.

### 3. Content Matrix

Every piece of content must pass three gates simultaneously:

| Gate | Question | Fail = don't publish |
|------|----------|---------------------|
| **Easy to make** | Can I produce this in under 30 minutes? | If it takes 2 hours, it won't scale |
| **Replicable** | Can I make 10 more with the same structure? | If it's a one-off insight, it's not a format |
| **Engageable** | Will someone reply, quote, or save this? | If it only gets likes, it won't spread |

The matrix is a filter, not a goal. Content that passes all three gates gets published. Content that fails any gate gets reworked or killed.

**Replicability is the multiplier.** A format you can reuse 50 times with different topics beats a brilliant one-off every time.

## Process

### Input required
1. **Topic/niche** — What to create content about
2. **Constant** — Who is the fixed audience (default: from profile/bio)
3. **Hook type to test** — Strong claim, direct approach, or simple question (or test all three)
4. **Format** — Single tweet, thread, or series (default: thread)
5. **Language** — PT-BR or EN (default: PT-BR)

### Output

For each piece:
1. **Hook** (first tweet) — Must pass the 1-second test: would you stop scrolling?
2. **Body** — Question-answer chain with pullaway tension
3. **CTA** — Clear, specific, single action
4. **Matrix check** — Confirm all three gates pass
5. **Replication template** — The structure with blanks, ready for next topic

### Combining with other skills

- **Sherazade**: Use Ignition for individual thread optimization, Sherazade for multi-day series sequencing. Ignition handles the micro (each tweet retains), Sherazade handles the macro (each thread pulls to the next).
- **Humanizer**: Always run Humanizer as final pass. Ignition formats can drift toward formulaic if not humanized.

## Anti-patterns

- **Rotating hooks for variety** — Find what works, then repeat. Variety is the enemy of data.
- **Complex formats** — If you can't explain the format in one sentence, it's too complex to replicate.
- **Content that only you can make** — If it requires unique insider knowledge every time, it fails the replicability gate.
- **Optimizing before testing** — Publish 10 variations before optimizing 1.