Recipe: columnist-candid-blog
A composition of Columnist voice, Candid tone, Classical Argument style, and Blog Post (Long Form) format. Used for opinion essays that take a position on a workplace or professional question.
When to use
Section titled “When to use”Use this recipe when the writer has a real, defensible opinion on a contested professional question and is willing to be on record for it. It fits newsletter columns, Substack posts, LinkedIn long-form, and company blog opinion pieces where the writer’s perspective is the product. The recipe assumes the reader is a peer who can handle disagreement, has heard the conventional wisdom already, and is showing up specifically to see what this particular writer thinks.
When to use something else
Section titled “When to use something else”If the goal is to explain how something works rather than to argue for a position, swap Classical Argument for Diataxis Explanation and Columnist for Technical Writer so the piece teaches rather than persuades. If the audience is internal stakeholders who need a recommendation rather than an opinion, use Pragmatic Architect voice with One-Pager or Product Requirements Document format so the decision context is clear. If the topic is too sensitive or the writer’s institutional position would make Candid read as aggression, reach for Diplomatic tone or Matter of Fact instead, and accept that the piece will be less memorable as a trade.
Composition
Section titled “Composition”| Axis | Entry | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Voice | Columnist | Puts the opinion in the first paragraph and treats the rest of the piece as the case for it. Owns the position personally rather than hiding behind “some would argue.” Assumes a returning reader who is here for this writer’s take, not a neutral survey of the question. |
| Tone | Candid | Names the uncomfortable truth the conventional wisdom is avoiding, and gives the reader credit for being able to handle it. Not blunt for its own sake - candid still cares how the truth lands - but unwilling to soften the claim into mush. |
| Style | Classical Argument | The position is contested, so the writer earns it: claim, grounds, warrant, response to the strongest counterargument. The explicit structure makes the argument auditable. A reader who disagrees can point to which premise they reject, rather than dismissing the whole piece as a vibe. |
| Format | Blog Post (Long Form) | Gives the argument 800 to 1,200 words to breathe, with headers for navigation. Long enough to do the rebuttal properly, short enough to respect a reader who already agrees with you on the easy half. |
Worked examples on this recipe
Section titled “Worked examples on this recipe”- Why I stopped using 1:1 meeting agendas
- The case against quarterly OKRs
- Engineering managers should write code