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CMS Blog Template

Use this guide when creating a post in the CMS at:

https://docs.bookcicle.com/admin/

The CMS saves posts as Markdown files under blog/YYYY/YYYY-MM-DD-slug.md. You do not need to write front matter in the CMS; the CMS fields create it for you.

CMS Fields

Title

The title is the public post title. It appears on the blog page, the post page, and in search/social previews when no more specific metadata is set.

Example:

Iteration with AI: The Real Path to Publication Readiness

URL Slug

A slug is the short, lowercase URL name for the post. Use words separated by hyphens. Do not include the date, spaces, punctuation, or /.

Example:

iteration-with-ai-for-publication-readiness

Public URL:

https://docs.bookcicle.com/blog/iteration-with-ai-for-publication-readiness/

Avoid changing a slug after a post is published unless engineering reviews redirects and search impact.

Author

Choose the person or assisted-by-AI author label for the post.

Current options:

Krysta
Andrew
Krysta AI
Andy AI

These map to Docusaurus author IDs:

krysta
andy
krystaai
andyai

Tags

Tags group posts and create tag archive pages. Use a few specific topic tags plus one broad category tag when it fits.

Good examples:

AI writing
revision
publishing
Craft & Editing

Common category tags:

Craft & Editing
Publishing & Launch
Marketing & Growth
Monetization & Expansion

Avoid near-duplicates like SEO, seo, author SEO, and author-seo on different posts. Pick one spelling and reuse it.

Cluster

Cluster is an optional internal SEO/content-planning field. Use it to group related posts under the same topic family.

Example:

craft--editing

Other examples:

marketing--growth
publishing--launch
monetization--expansion
ai--writing

Use lowercase words and hyphens. Use -- between the broad area and subtopic.

Pillar Post

Turn this on only for a major, evergreen post that anchors a cluster. Most posts should leave this off.

Example pillar:

The Indie Author's Complete Guide to Revision

Example supporting cluster post:

How to Fix Pacing Before Your Final Edit

Body

The body is the Markdown article. Start with a # title that matches the CMS title. Use ## for main sections.

Media Support

Images

Images are supported directly through the CMS media picker.

Uploaded files are stored in:

static/uploads

Use this Markdown format in the body:

![Alt text that describes the image](/uploads/example-image.webp)

Use descriptive lowercase filenames:

ai-revision-workflow.webp
book-launch-checklist.png

Preferred image types:

.webp
.png
.jpg
.jpeg

YouTube and Video

YouTube is not uploaded through the CMS media library. Use a normal link by default:

[Watch the walkthrough on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID)

If an embedded video is needed, use an iframe only after previewing the post and confirming the build renders it:

<iframe
width="560"
height="315"
src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VIDEO_ID"
title="YouTube video player"
frameborder="0"
allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share"
allowfullscreen>
</iframe>

Keep embedded videos rare. A link is usually safer for Markdown posts.

Example Body

Copy this into the CMS body field and replace the placeholder copy.

# Iteration with AI: The Real Path to Publication Readiness

AI can help you draft faster, but the first draft is not the finish line. Long-form writing gets stronger when you treat AI as part of an editorial loop: draft, evaluate, revise, and repeat with a clear standard.

The real advantage is not one-shot generation. It is the ability to test structure, pacing, clarity, and reader promise more often before the manuscript reaches an editor or audience.

<!-- truncate -->

## Start with a draft, not a verdict

A first AI-assisted draft gives you material to evaluate. It should not decide the final shape of the chapter, the offer, or the argument. Read it like an editor: what is clear, what is repeated, what is missing, and what does not yet earn the reader's trust?

Use **bold** only when a phrase needs emphasis. Too much bold text makes the article harder to scan.

## What iteration should improve

Good iteration changes the substance of the piece, not just the surface. Each pass should solve a specific problem.

- Clarify the promise of the opening.
- Remove repeated explanations.
- Strengthen the order of ideas.
- Add examples where the advice feels abstract.
- Make the ending useful instead of generic.

After the list, return to normal paragraphs. Explain why the list matters and how the reader should apply it.

## Add images when they help the reader

Use images for diagrams, screenshots, workflows, or examples that make the post easier to understand.

![AI revision workflow](/uploads/ai-revision-workflow.webp)

Do not add decorative images just to fill space.

## Link videos instead of forcing embeds

If there is a related YouTube walkthrough, link it in the section where it is useful:

[Watch the revision workflow walkthrough](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID)

## Know when the draft is ready

A post is ready when the reader can explain the main idea, understand the next step, and see why the advice matters. AI can help produce options, but publication readiness comes from judgment and revision.

Formatting Quick Reference

# One post title

## Main section heading

### Subsection heading

Normal paragraph with **bold emphasis** and [a useful link](https://bookcicle.com).

- Bullet item
- Bullet item
- Bullet item

![Image alt text](/uploads/image-file.webp)

<!-- truncate -->

Final Check Before Publishing

  • The title is specific and reader-facing.
  • The slug is lowercase and hyphenated.
  • The author is correct.
  • Tags are consistent with existing tag names.
  • Cluster is filled in if the post belongs to a planned topic family.
  • <!-- truncate --> appears after the opening section.
  • Images have descriptive alt text.
  • YouTube videos are linked unless an embed has been previewed.