--- name: ig-caption-writer description: Draft an Instagram caption with the hook in the first 125 characters, a skimmable body, and one clear CTA, using a 2026 hook formula chosen by goal (saves, shares, comments, follows). Runs the humanizer pass and, on approval, publishes with the image or video you supply via the Publora media flow. Use to caption a single image or a Reel. Not for slide-by-slide carousels (use ig-carousel-planner) or auditing a draft (use ig-humanizer --mode audit). ---

# Instagram Caption Writer

Write a caption that earns the tap and the save. Instagram hides everything after ~125 characters behind "more", so the hook does the entire job in the first line. This skill front-loads that hook, keeps the body skimmable, and lands one clear call to action.

## When to use

- User says "write me an Instagram caption about X" - User has a single image or a Reel and needs the caption around it - User wants a sharper hook for a draft they already have - User wants a caption that auto-publishes with their media on approval

## Formulas this skill uses (caption-first shapes)

| Code | Formula | Primary goal | Best for | |---|---|---|---| | IG1 | Number-First Result | saves | one odd-precision result + a "steal this" promise | | IG2 | Contrarian Truth | shares | a sharp, defensible against-the-grain claim | | IG3 | Relatable Cold-Open | comments | a specific shared moment, no setup | | IG4 | Mini-Story Confession | comments, follows | a real first-person story with a cost |

Full skeletons in `../../references/hook-formulas.md`. For carousels (IG5-IG8) use `ig-carousel-planner`; for Reels (IG9-IG10) the hook lives in the video, and this skill writes the supporting caption.

### Pick by goal first

| Goal | Reach for | |---|---| | Saves | IG1 | | Shares | IG2 | | Comments | IG3, IG4 | | Follows | IG4 |

## Steps

**Voice profile first (all drafts).** If `../../references/voice-profile.md` has `filled: yes`, load it and match the user's voice fingerprint, hard rules, and CTA/link style throughout. If it is not filled, mention once that `ig-humanizer --mode profile` can learn their voice from a few posts, then proceed with the generic voice rules.

1. **Gather inputs.** Topic, angle, the media (single image or Reel), target audience, and the goal (saves / shares / comments / follows). 2. **Pick the formula.** Use the goal table to shortlist, then suggest 2-3 that also fit the topic and let the user choose. 3. **Write the hook (first 125 chars).** It must land the payoff, tension, or number before the "more" fold and make sense on its own. 4. **Write the body.** Short lines, white space between beats, one idea. Teach or tell the story that the hook promised. Keep it under 2,200 chars. 5. **Write one CTA.** A specific save or send prompt ("save this for your next launch", "send to the friend who keeps doing #2"), a real question, or a single next step. Never "what do you think?". 6. **Add hashtags.** Hand off the topic to `ig-hashtag-strategist` or apply the 3-5 sized set yourself (see `../../references/hashtag-strategy.md`). Put them at the end or note they go in the first comment. 7. **Humanizer pass.** Strip em dashes, AI vocab, rule-of-three, generic openers. Add a specific number or named entity where the claim allows. 8. **Optional audit.** Invoke `ig-humanizer --mode audit` for a pass-fail check. 9. **Approval card.** Show: formula used, the hook (flag if over 125 chars), full caption, char count, hashtag set, primary goal, and the media the user must supply. 10. **On approval, publish with media.** Call `lib.publish(kind="post", draft_text=<approved caption>, target_url="https://www.instagram.com/", media=[<local file paths>], platforms=[<INSTAGRAM_PLATFORM_ID>], scheduled_time=<iso_or_None>)`. For a Reel pass `kind="reel"`. The wrapper runs the Publora draft then upload then schedule flow. With no media or no Publora key it returns a copy-paste block and a reminder to attach the media.

## Hard rules

Global voice rules: see root `SKILL.md` Voice rules. Additional skill-specific rules:

- The first 125 characters must stop the scroll on their own. Rewrite any hook that needs the second line to make sense. - One idea per caption. Two ideas means two posts. - One specific number where the claim allows it. - 3-5 sized hashtags, never 30. 0-3 emoji, placed with intent. - Media is required. Never present a caption as publishable without reminding the user to attach the image or video. - Do not hard-sell. One natural mention of the next step, max.

## Anti-patterns (skill will refuse)

- A hook that only makes sense after the fold. - Em dashes anywhere. - "Let's talk about.." or "Here's the thing.." openers. - 20-30 hashtags stuffed at the top. - Engagement bait ("double tap if you agree", "comment YES"). - Rule-of-three lists without specifics. - "leverage", "fundamentally", "game-changer", "level up", "dive in". - Padding a one-line idea to look substantial.

## Resources

- `../../references/hook-formulas.md` - all 10 Instagram formulas (IG1-IG4 are caption-first) - `../../references/algorithm-heuristics.md` - 2026 Instagram ranking rules - `../../references/hashtag-strategy.md` - the 3-5 sized hashtag recipe - `../../references/media-workflow.md` - the draft, upload, schedule flow - `references/caption-checklist.md` - the per-caption scrub and fit list

## Related skills

- `ig-carousel-planner` - when the idea is a slide-by-slide carousel - `ig-hashtag-strategist` - build the sized hashtag set - `ig-humanizer` - AI-tell scrubber, plus `--mode audit` for review - `ig-hook-extractor` - reverse-engineer a hook from a post you admire