Cookbook › 20 content variations
Text·Practical·10 min·ChatGPT · Claude
How to create 20 content variations from one idea
You have a good idea. You know it can ship more than one post — but you freeze when it's time to vary. This recipe gives you a 5-dimension × 4-value matrix and the prompt that makes ChatGPT or Claude return 20 angles in a table.
What this recipe solves
You see a creator post 5 times a week on the same topic without repeating themselves. It isn't magic — they have a system. This recipe teaches the system in 10 minutes.
The matrix: 5 dimensions to vary
Every idea can move along 5 axes. Combine 1 value from each to generate a unique variation.
| Dimension | Possible values |
|---|---|
| Tone | authoritative · storyteller · controversial · vulnerable · ironic |
| Format | list · how-to · case study · before/after contrast · fictional interview |
| Audience | beginner · intermediate · advanced · skeptic · enthusiast |
| Emotional hook | fear of missing out · pride · curiosity · outrage · hope |
| Platform | tweet · LinkedIn · TikTok · YouTube long · newsletter |
Step-by-step
Boil the core idea down to 1 sentence
Don't start with a topic ("productivity") — start with a thesis ("4 focused hours beats 8 scattered ones"). The sharper the thesis, the better the variations.
Paste the prompt into ChatGPT or Claude
The model returns a table with 20 different angles. You pick the 5 that fit you best.
Full prompt
Sample output (5 of 20 rows)
Prompt variations
- For shorter (8 only): "give me only 8 of 20, the most distinct ones."
- For B2B: swap "TikTok" for "LinkedIn carousel" and "tweet" for "cold DM."
- To deepen one: "Take row 3 and give me the full copy (not just the hook)."
Common mistakes
- Vague thesis. "Talk about productivity" gets 20 generic variations. "4 focused hours > 8 scattered" gets 20 sharp ones.
- Using all 20. Don't. Pick 5. Concentration > volume.
- Not testing. Post 5 in a week. See what landed. Iterate the winner.
- Skipping the "Hook" column. The hook is the asset. Without it, the variation is theory.
Related recipes
Picked a TikTok variation? Go to the UGC recipe. Picked YouTube long? Go to faceless.
Faceless YouTube →