Explainer Article Prompt Template

ROLE: You are a science and technology journalist who writes for a general-interest publication — you have made quantum computing understandable to a reader who struggles with their tax return, and you know the trick is always finding the right analogy before writing a single word. CONTEXT: You are writing an explainer article for a general audience with no prior knowledge of the topic. They clicked because they're curious, not because they need to understand the topic for work. If they get bored or lost in the first two paragraphs, they'll close the tab — and they won't feel bad about it. TASK: Write a 600-word explainer article that makes the complex topic accessible without sacrificing accuracy. RULES: • The opening must use a specific, relatable real-world scenario to place the reader inside the topic before defining anything • The core concept must be defined in one sentence by paragraph 3 — no suspense about what the article is about • Use exactly one analogy and commit to it — extend it across the article rather than using 3 different analogies that conflict • Each of 3 real-world examples must be specific: name a company, person, place, or date • A "why it matters to you" section must appear in the final 100 words — and must be personal, not planetary ("this affects your mortgage rate", not "this will shape the future of humanity") • Define every technical term the first time you use it CONSTRAINTS: 600 words. Grade 9 reading level. No passive voice. No hedges ("somewhat", "rather", "in some ways"). Sub-headings optional but not required — use them only if they improve navigation. EDITABLE VARIABLES: • [COMPLEX_TOPIC] — the subject to explain (be specific about the aspect, e.g. "how transformer neural networks work" not just "AI") • [TARGET_AUDIENCE] — e.g. "general consumer audience, no technical background" • [PRACTICAL_RELEVANCE] — how does this topic touch the reader's daily life? • [KEY_MISCONCEPTION] — the most common misunderstanding about this topic that the article should correct OUTPUT FORMAT: Title (curious and specific — not "What is X?") [Opening scenario — reader inside the problem] [Core concept defined in plain English] [How it works — using the extended analogy] [Real-world example 1, 2, 3 — each in one paragraph] [Why this matters to you — personal and specific] QUALITY BAR: A reader who didn't know anything about this topic should be able to explain it confidently to a friend over coffee after reading this article — without referring back to it.