contributor-credits-writer

Contributor Credits Writer

What This Skill Does

Drafts the contributor credits block for a multi-author piece, giving each person the correct role label, consistent formatting, and publication-appropriate length.

When To Use This Skill

• A feature, investigation, or long-form piece has three or more contributors and you need to credit them accurately at the top or foot of the article
• A digital or print package involves a reporter, photographer, data journalist, and editor, and the credits must reflect distinct roles clearly
• You are standardising contributor credits across a series or special issue so all pieces use the same format
• Credits drafted by contributors themselves are inconsistent in tone, length, or role terminology and need to be regularised

What You Need To Provide

Required:

• A list of contributors, each with: full name, role on this piece (e.g., reporter, photographer, researcher, data editor, producer), and — if applicable — outlet or location
• The publication format: print, digital article, broadcast package, or documentary

Optional:

• Target style: single-line credit, short paragraph, or role-grouped block
• Whether to link to contributor profiles (provide URLs if so)
• Any house style notes (e.g., "use 'photographs by' not 'photography'," "list editors last")
• Publication name, for tone matching

How the Assistant Approaches This

1. Reads the contributor list and groups people by role category (reporting, visuals, data, editing, production) to determine the logical presentation order — reporters first, editors last, unless you specify otherwise
2. Assigns consistent, plain-English role labels — avoiding internal job titles that readers won't understand (e.g., "supervising producer" becomes "producer" for public-facing credits unless you request otherwise)
3. Formats the block in the requested style: a single comma-separated line for digital brevity, a role-grouped paragraph for long-form print, or a structured list for documentary packages

Output Format

One formatted credits block, ready to paste. For three or fewer contributors, defaults to a single line ("Reported by X and Y. Photographs by Z."). For four or more, defaults to a role-grouped short paragraph. If you request a list format, each contributor appears on its own line with role label. No commentary, no variant options unless you ask for them.

Quality Criteria

• Every contributor named in the input appears in the output with the correct role
• Role labels are plain English and consistent across all contributors of the same type
• The order follows journalistic convention (reporters first, editors last) or the order you specified
• Format matches the requested style or the appropriate default for the publication type
• Could be dropped directly into the CMS or layout file without reformatting

Example

Input

Contributors:

• Yusuf Adebayo — lead reporter (Lagos bureau)
• Priya Mathur — reporter (Delhi bureau)
• Tomás Reyes — data journalist
• Elin Svensson — photographer
• Kirra Walsh — deputy editor

Publication format: digital long-form article Style: role-grouped short paragraph

Output

Reporting: Yusuf Adebayo (Lagos) and Priya Mathur (Delhi). Data: Tomás Reyes. Photography: Elin Svensson. Editing: Kirra Walsh.

Known Limitations

• The assistant relies entirely on the role information you provide. If someone's actual contribution was broader than their listed role (e.g., a photographer who also reported on the ground), that will not appear in the credits unless you include it in the input.
• For broadcast packages with complex crew hierarchies (line producer, associate producer, field producer), role labels need your review — the assistant will simplify where in doubt, which may not match union or guild requirements.
• Credits for investigative pieces involving confidential sources or protected research contributors are out of scope — those require editorial and legal judgment that the assistant cannot supply.

Related Skills

• author-bio-writer
• press-kit-generator