Guest post: A 7-step system to write Substack articles 5X faster (without losing your voice)

The exact workflow Timo Mason uses to publish more while sounding more human than ever

Mar 26, 2026

AI writing is one of those topics where everyone has strong opinions and nobody’s really wrong.

If you think AI-generated content is slowly killing the internet, you’re right. If you think refusing to use AI tools puts you at a disadvantage, you’re also right. It’s a complicated situation, and I don’t think anyone has it fully figured out yet.

Timo Mason🤠 believes that you can use AI to write without disengaging your brain or flooding the zone with slop.

His workflow is tight, disciplined, and includes a deep editing step designed to catch anything that AI gets wrong. And I thought it was worth sharing.

I’ll let Timo take it from here.

Howdy, Wealth Gang🤠

Everyone’s out here on Substack acting like AI is the enemy.

Like it’s gonna steal your soul through the keyboard.

Meanwhile, I use it to build my personal brand while others still worry about being “authentic.”

While they protect their “process“ AI-powered creators pump out 5 articles.

Substack rewards more volume, not your “creative integrity.”

Nicolas Cole, who built a writing education empire and taught thousands of creators, nailed it:

“If you’re posting twice a day, the next question should be: ‘How do I post three times a day?’ If you’re posting three times a day, the next question is: ‘How do I post four times a day?‘”

But here’s the twist:

The people copy-pasting ChatGPT output are dying too.

You spot their content from a mile (1.609km) away, and it feels completely soulless.

So now you’re split between 2 options…

Write everything manually and fall behind on speed, or use AI like a lazy idiot and publish content nobody reads.

Both paths end in irrelevance because manual writers drown in volume, and
Copy-pasters get ignored for sounding robotic.

How I dodge both in 2026?

I use AI as a tool, not a replacement.

I feed it my stories, my voice, my expertise, and let it handle the grunt work while I stay in control.

In this article, you’ll learn:

✓ My 5-step Claude workflow for writing Substack articles

✓ The 3-Layer Editing Method that kills the “AI voice” and injects your personality

✓ My 2 Bonus steps to interlink articles and add smooth product cta’s through Claude Skills

By the end, you’ll know how to use Claude to write faster without losing your voice in the process.

Let’s go! :D

I Started With AI (And Failed Miserably)

I started writing online when ChatGPT came straight out of the oven.

Perfect timing, right?

Little Timo invented a genius workflow…

Open ChatGPT.
Type “write an article about personal branding.”
Copy. Paste. Publish.

Ten minutes. Done.

I published 15 articles in my first month.

It felt too easy because… it was.

Guess how many people actually read my stuff?

Basically fucking nobody.

Maybe 30 views per article if my mom clicked twice.

The 0 likes gave me 100% proof nobody cared.

Deep down, I knew exactly what went wrong.

My content died on arrival.

Same robotic tone, same recycled wisdom as everyone else.

And here’s the part that really stung:

The people writing everything manually crushed me.

Their content got engagement, mine got tumbleweeds.

I thought I played 4D chess, turns out I just got lazy and called it “efficiency”.

My Learning:

AI isn’t a shortcut to success, it’s a shortcut to speed, and speed without substance is just spam.

So I had to set aside my ego and learn to use AI to speed up my creation process WITHOUT sacrificing the good “human stuff”. :)

Now I write 5x faster than old-school writers, while my content actually gets viewed, liked, and most importantly, converts into customers.

My 5-Step Claude Workflow

For this entire process, I use the Article Architect.

He was originally a CustomGPT, but since I switched my long-form writing to Claude, I use the Article Architect inside a Claude Project.

He is specifically built for writing Substack articles that don’t sound robotic and walks you through each step, asks the right questions to pull out your stories, and structures everything while keeping your voice intact.

BUT You can absolutely follow this process manually in a regular Claude chat, too. :)

Step 1: Brain Dump Your Raw Thoughts

Before I write anything, I empty my head.

I hit “voice mode” and start yapping like a 13-year-old girl.

I rant about what pisses me off about the topic.

I tell stories from my own experience.

I call out what people get wrong.

I throw in examples from my life.

Claude transcribes it all, and suddenly I have 500 words of raw material, the stuff it could never invent on its own.

The voice feature keeps this stupidly easy because you’re literally just talking like you would to a friend.

No need to think about structure, what comes first, what comes second, we take care of this in step 2. :)

Step 2: Build the Outline

Now the Article Architect turns my brain dump automatically into a matching outline.

To get a similar output in a vanilla Claude chat put in a prompt like

“Use my braindump (INSERT BRAIN DUMP) to create an article outline including:
An intro that grabs attention, explains the stakes, and shows the reader what’s in it for them
3-6 main sections with a clear purpose for each
A strong takeaway/CTA at the end”

Please don’t skip this step.

Writers who go straight from brain dump to full draft end up with a mess disguised as a “solid article”.

The outline decides what you’re saying before you waste time writing.

Review the outline and adjust it until it could become your magnum opus.

Once we get the structure, then (and only then) we start writing. :)

Step 3: Write Section-by-Section

I start with the first section (intro) and then move forward from there.

Review and adjust each section before moving to the next one.

Especially in the first section, shape the content exactly how you want it, so Claude catches a feeling for the writing style you look for, that makes the following sections turn out better from the start.

The Article Architect does this automatically.

It won’t let you move forward until you approve the current section and it always gives you revision suggestions so you never wonder, “How could I improve this part?”

Step 4: The 3-Layer Editing Method (Kill the AI Voice)

Once I’ve written all the sections, I edit in three passes:

Layer 1: Kill the Fluff

I’m deleting every sentence that doesn’t push the article forward.

A simple question you can ask yourself:

“Is this sentence adding new insight or just repeating what I already said?”

Claude loves to say things twice and add filler sentences, so I’m ruthless here. :)

Layer 2: Inject Personality

Now I add “Timo Mason🤠” in there. :D

My slang
My weird metaphors
My grammar “mistakes“ (Yes, I’m talking about you Grammarly Chrome extension)

Here you break the rules.

Throw in a curse word if it fits your vibe. (We are not on LinkedIn, right?)

Write it like you’re texting a friend who asked for advice, not crafting a column for The Wall Street Journal.

Layer 3: Fact-Check Everything

AI hallucinates.

It will confidently tell you that some study from 2019 said XYZ when that study doesn’t even exist.

Always verify:

Quotes
Statistics
Any “studies show” claims
Any specific dates or events

Check the source and confirm it’s real.

Step 5: Final Rhythm Check

Read your article out loud.

If anything sounds stiff or awkward, rewrite it.

If you wouldn’t say it in a conversation, don’t write it in an article.

The Bonus Layer

Steps 1–5 are all you need.

That system alone puts you ahead of 95% of Substack creators, but at some point, you want to go deeper, and I don’t want to gatekeep the more advanced part of my workflow, so here it is. :D

There are two Claude Skills I run on every article, and both are insanely time-efficient compared to doing it manually.

They make the article more valuable in two specific ways:

Pulling the reader deeper into your content ecosystem through smart interlinking
Introducing the reader to your product ecosystem through smooth, tracked CTAs

Doing either of these manually is a real time sink. I figured out a way to make both fully AI-powered, and now it takes minutes instead of hours.

Bonus Step 6: The Interlinking Skill

Anfernee inspired me to do this one. :)

He uses Notion AI to interlink his articles automatically, all his content lives in Notion, so he just lets Notion AI scan everything and find the connections.

Smart as hell. :)

I do something similar with my content. I use Substack HQ (my Notion system) to manage all my articles, so they’re all sitting in Notion already.

The only difference?

I didn’t want to pay $20 a month for Notion AI.

So I figured, Claude can connect to Notion. Why not just build a Claude Skill that does the exact same thing?

So that’s what I did. :)

Once the article is done, I run it through the skill. It pulls up my full Notion database of published articles, scans the new draft, and finds natural spots to link back to something I’ve already written.

It helps pull the reader deeper into my content ecosystem and is also amazing for SEO.

Doing this manually takes 20–30 minutes. The skill does it in 30 seconds.

It’s a custom setup since it’s connected to my own Notion database, but if you want to try this workflow, copying my own Claude Skill is a good start. :)

name: substack-internal-linker
description: Analyzes draft articles and suggests internal links to previously published Substack articles. Use when the user is writing or editing a Substack article and wants to add internal links to their past content, or when they ask to “find linking opportunities”, “connect to previous articles”, or “add internal links” to their current draft.
---
 
# Substack Internal Linker
 
This skill helps you discover natural opportunities to link your current article draft to previously published Substack articles stored in your Notion Content Room.
 
## Workflow
 
Follow these steps in order:
 
### 1. Get the Current Article Draft
 
Ask the user to provide their current article draft if they haven’t already. This can be:
- The full article text
- A partial draft they’re working on
- Just a few paragraphs to analyze
 
### 2. Fetch Published Substack Articles
 
Search within the Published Substack Articles database:
 
```
Notion:notion-search with:
- query: “title”
- data_source_url: “collection://2d5d347f-d9d1-804d-b3d6-000bfc3b867d”
```
 
**IMPORTANT:** You MUST use the data_source_url parameter to search only within the Published Substack Articles database. Do NOT search across the entire workspace.
 
**Extract and clean titles:**
 
From the search results:
1. Each page has “title @” or “title” at the start of its name
2. For each page, remove “title @” or “title” from the beginning to get the clean article title
 
**You now have your list of published article titles to reference.**
 
### 3. Extract Article Information
 
From each published article, extract:
- **Title** - This is the ONLY context you have about what the article covers. The title contains the basic idea/theme. You do NOT have access to the full article content.
 
**Important:** Base all linking decisions purely on matching the article title to topics in the current draft. You’re making educated guesses based on title relevance only.
 
### 4. Analyze Linking Opportunities
 
For each published article, analyze the current draft to find:
 
**Natural connection points** where the article title suggests topic overlap, including:
- Direct topic matches (title directly relates to a topic discussed)
- Related concepts (title suggests complementary ideas)
- Supporting examples (title indicates it provides evidence or case study)
- Deeper dives (title suggests it explores a concept in detail)
- Prerequisites (title indicates foundational knowledge)
 
### 5. Generate Linking Suggestions
 
For each opportunity found, provide:
 
1. **Section/Heading**: Name the section or heading where this link belongs (e.g., “Introduction”, “Section: How to Use AI”, “Under heading: My Process”)
2. **Location**: Quote 10-15 words from the draft showing EXACTLY where the link goes
3. **Link type**: Direct link only — link existing text without adding any new sentences
4. **Suggested text/approach**: Show exactly which existing text to hyperlink
5. **Article to link**: Title only (user will find the URL themselves)
 
**CRITICAL for location clarity:**
- Always include the section/heading name first
- Then quote the exact text surrounding the link spot (10-15 words)
- Make it easy to CMD+F find the exact location
 
**Format example:**
 
```
📍 SECTION: “How I Write Faster”
   EXACT LOCATION: “...developing a strong content strategy that resonates with...”
 
🔗 Direct link:
Link the existing phrase “content strategy” 
 
→ Link to: “My 90-Day Content Strategy”
```
 
### 6. Prioritize and Order Suggestions
 
**CRITICAL: Order suggestions by their position in the article** - from beginning to end, exactly as they appear in the article flow.
 
Within that order, prioritize:
1. **Strongest connections first** - Direct topic matches
2. **Natural flow** - Links that don’t interrupt reading
3. **Value to reader** - Links that genuinely add context or depth
 
Aim for 3-5 strong linking opportunities rather than forcing weak connections.
 
## Key Principles
 
- **Direct links only** - Only suggest links where existing text can be hyperlinked as-is, never add new sentences
- **Natural over forced** - Only suggest links that genuinely add value
- **Smooth integration** - Links should feel organic to the reading experience  
- **Reader-first** - Ask “Would this link help the reader?” not “Can I fit this link in?”
- **Specific placement** - Always indicate exactly where the link goes
- **Actionable** - Make it easy for the user to implement your suggestions
 
## Output Format
 
Always structure your response as:
 
1. **Summary** - Brief overview of articles analyzed and opportunities found
2. **Top linking opportunities** - 3-5 specific, actionable suggestions
3. **Quick reference** - List of all published article titles analyzed

Bonus Step 7: The Product CTA Skill

Same idea as step 6, but for my products.

I have a second Claude Skill connected to a Notion database of everything I’m actively promoting.

It scans for natural spots to mention a product, places where it actually makes sense without sounding salesy.

It also auto-generates a UTM tracking link for that specific article.

So when someone buys, I know exactly which article sent them.

I know Article A drives sales. Article B doesn’t. Now I write more of Article A.

That’s the difference between publishing and building a business.

Here’s my own Claude Skill, use it as a base and then configure it to your setup. :)

---
name: product-cta-linker
description: Analyzes draft articles and suggests natural places to add product CTAs and links. Use when the user is writing or editing an article and wants to find opportunities to promote their products, or when they ask to “add product links”, “find CTA spots”, or “promote my products” in their content.
---
 
# Product CTA Linker
 
This skill helps you discover natural opportunities to link your article content to your products with authentic CTAs that don’t feel forced.
 
## Workflow
 
Follow these steps in order:
 
### 1. Get the Current Article Draft
 
Ask the user to provide their current article draft if they haven’t already. This can be:
- The full article text
- A partial draft they’re working on
- Just a few paragraphs to analyze
 
### 2. Fetch Active Products
 
Search within the Active Products database:
 
```
Notion:notion-search with:
- query: “AP:”
- data_source_url: “collection://2d6d347f-d9d1-8074-a067-d7397d5583aa”
```
 
**IMPORTANT:** You MUST use the data_source_url parameter to search only within the Active Products database. Do NOT search across the entire workspace.
 
**Extract product information:**
 
From the search results:
1. Each product has “AP:” at the start of its name/title
2. For each product, extract:
   - Product name and description from the title (format: “AP: Product Name - Description”)
   - Remove the “AP:” prefix to get the clean product name and description
   - The **URL** property — this is the base product link you will use to build the UTM link
 
**You now have your list of active products with their names, descriptions, and URLs.**
 
### 2b. Build UTM Links
 
For each product, construct the UTM link using this structure:
 
```
{URL}?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=article&utm_content={article-slug}
```
 
Where `{article-slug}` is the working title of the article, lowercased and with spaces replaced by hyphens.
 
**Example:**
- Base URL: `https://timo-mason.thrivecart.com/substack-hq/`
- Working title: “Turn Your Articles Into a Product”
- Result: `https://timo-mason.thrivecart.com/substack-hq/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=article&utm_content=turn-your-articles-into-a-product`
 
**Rules:**
- `utm_source` is ALWAYS `substack`
- `utm_medium` is ALWAYS `article`
- `utm_content` is derived from the article’s working title — slugified (lowercase, spaces → hyphens, remove special characters)
- If the base URL already contains a `?`, append with `&` instead of `?`
 
### 3. Extract Article Information
 
From the article draft, identify:
- **Main topics** discussed
- **Section headings** and structure
- **Pain points or problems** mentioned
- **Solutions or advice** offered
- **Examples or case studies** referenced
 
### 4. Analyze CTA Opportunities
 
For each product, analyze the article to find:
 
**Natural connection points** where the product solves a problem or enhances advice in the article:
- Direct solution matches (article discusses problem, product solves it)
- Enhancement opportunities (product helps implement advice given)
- Example spots (product could serve as a concrete example)
- Resource mentions (product provides tools/templates for what’s discussed)
- Next steps (product is logical follow-up action)
 
### 5. Generate CTA Suggestions
 
For each opportunity found, provide:
 
1. **Section/Heading**: Name the section or heading where this CTA belongs
2. **Location**: Quote 10-15 words from the draft showing EXACTLY where the CTA goes
3. **CTA type**: Choose one:
   - **Direct link** - Link existing text without adding anything
   - **Add CTA sentence** - Suggest a natural product mention to add
4. **Suggested text/approach**: Show exactly how to implement
5. **Full UTM link**: The complete URL with UTM parameters ready to paste
 
**CRITICAL for location clarity:**
- Always include the section/heading name first
- Then quote the exact text surrounding the CTA spot (10-15 words)
- Make it easy to CMD+F find the exact location
 
**Format example:**
 
```
📍 SECTION: “How to Write Faster”
   EXACT LOCATION: “...which is why I now write articles in half the time...”
 
🔗 Add CTA sentence after “half the time”:
“I built Article Architect to help you do the same using proven frameworks.”
 
→ Link to: Article Architect
   URL: https://timo-mason.thrivecart.com/article-architect/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=article&utm_content=how-to-write-faster
 
---
 
📍 SECTION: “Tools I Use”
   EXACT LOCATION: “...you need a system for turning ideas into polished content...”
 
🔗 Direct link:
Link the existing phrase “system for turning ideas into polished content” 
 
→ Link to: Content Creator HQ
   URL: https://timo-mason.thrivecart.com/content-creator-hq/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=article&utm_content=how-to-write-faster
```
 
### 6. Prioritize and Order Suggestions
 
**CRITICAL: Order suggestions by their position in the article** - from beginning to end, exactly as they appear in the article flow.
 
Within that order, prioritize:
1. **Most relevant connections** - Product directly solves mentioned problem
2. **Natural flow** - CTAs that enhance rather than interrupt
3. **Value to reader** - Product genuinely helps with article topic
 
Aim for 2-3 strong CTA opportunities rather than forcing multiple weak pitches. Quality over quantity - readers hate over-promotion.
 
## Key Principles
 
- **Natural over forced** - Only suggest CTAs where the product genuinely fits
- **Smooth integration** - CTAs should feel like helpful resources, not sales pitches
- **Reader-first** - Ask “Does this product actually help the reader?” not “Can I fit this product in?”
- **Specific placement** - Always indicate exactly where the CTA goes
- **Actionable** - Make it easy for the user to implement your suggestions
 
## Output Format
 
Always structure your response as:
 
1. **Summary** - Brief overview of products analyzed and opportunities found
2. **Top CTA opportunities** - 2-3 specific, actionable suggestions (ordered by article flow)
3. **Quick reference** - List of all products analyzed (name + description)

Summary

You now have the exact 7-step workflow:

Brain dump
Outline
Section-by-section writing
3-Layer editing
Rhythm check
Article interlinking
Product CTAs

That’s the system that lets you write faster without sounding like a bot.

Use it manually, or Get the Article Architect and let him guide you through the system.

Either way, I hope this article was helpful for you, and you crush it on Substack. :D

If you want my full Substack business system (not just the writing workflow), I put together a free 5-day masterclass called the Substack Side-Hustle Sprint, it takes you from Substack newbie to having the foundation in place to turn your writing into a $2K/month business that replaces your 9-5.

Subscribe to Write Your Way To Wealth and get the Substack Side-Hustle Sprint completely free

See ya soon

Timo Mason🤠