Drafting Workflow

Use this workflow when creating a new guide or making major updates to an existing one. The goal is to help you spend time where it matters most and avoid writing a full draft before we align on direction.

You are always welcome to draft independently. But in most cases, collaborating through this process leads to stronger guides and fewer revision rounds.

At a glance

Exploration: confirm topic fit and contributor context
Outline: align on scope and structure before full drafting
Drafting: write in template, then iterate with review
Publishing: finalize, publish, and distribute

Phase 1: Exploration

What happens: You share the guide idea or update you have in mind.

What we ask for:

Your experience with the topic
Why this guide is useful for our audience right now
Examples of public writing where you explain complex ideas clearly

Goal of this phase: Confirm that the topic and framing fit what we can publish.

Phase 2: Outline

What happens: We send an outline template and collaborate on the intro and section flow.

Why this matters: It is much easier to adjust direction at outline stage than after a full draft is written.

Goal of this phase: Lock the scope and structure so your drafting time is well spent.

Phase 3: Drafting

What happens: We share a Proton Doc template that matches site formatting (checklist items, how-to sections, and alerts). You submit a first full draft, then we run expert review and feedback rounds.

Typical focus during revisions:

Accuracy and evidence
Clarity and plain-language framing
Recommendation strength and trade-offs
Consistency with our style and structure guides

Goal of this phase: Get to a publish-ready draft that is clear, practical, and trustworthy.

Phase 4: Publishing

What happens: We finalize copy, publish the guide on the site, and share it through our normal channels.

All guides are currently published anonymously.

What helps drafts move faster

Start with the risk and who it affects
Make your primary recommendation obvious
Name trade-offs directly
Keep language plain and actionable
Flag any areas where you want extra editor feedback