8.5 KiB
QUESTION_CONTENT_GUIDE.md
Closer Question Writing Guide v4
Mission
Closer is not a questionnaire.
Closer is not therapy homework.
Closer is not a personality quiz.
Closer should feel like a conversation game couples voluntarily keep playing because they are having fun.
Every question should move the couple toward at least one of these:
- laughing
- flirting
- learning something new
- remembering something
- planning something together
- feeling understood
- feeling appreciated
- creating a future memory
If a question does none of those things, delete it.
Consumer First
Every question must pass this test:
Would a real couple willingly answer this on a Friday night?
If not, rewrite it.
Never write for psychologists.
Write for normal couples.
Product Standard
Closer should feel premium.
Every category should feel like it was handwritten by an experienced relationship coach and game designer, not generated by AI.
If a user can predict the next question, the category fails.
Question Mix
Standard 250 question packs should use this mix:
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| multi_choice | 140 |
| single_choice | 50 |
| scale | 35 |
| this_or_that | 15 |
| written | 10 |
At least 76 percent must be choice based.
Typing should feel rare and meaningful.
Special packs may override this mix only when the override is documented in the pack metadata and in QUESTION_REWRITE_PLAN.md.
Emotional Mix
Each standard category should roughly contain:
- 35 percent playful
- 25 percent everyday relationship
- 20 percent meaningful
- 10 percent future focused
- 10 percent deeper vulnerability
Never stack several heavy questions together.
Alternate emotional intensity naturally.
Conversation Goals
Every question should create at least one of these reactions:
- "I didn't know that."
- "That's adorable."
- "We should actually do that."
- "I can't believe you picked that."
- "I've never thought about that."
- "That's a really good point."
If none apply, rewrite it.
Daily Single Choice Voice Standard
Daily questions are different from normal category packs.
They should feel like two people deciding what to do, say, eat, watch, laugh about, try, or enjoy together today.
Daily questions should be:
- quick
- warm
- concrete
- playful
- easy to answer
- relationship focused
- doable in normal life
Daily questions should not sound like:
- therapy homework
- self-help worksheets
- HR wellness surveys
- abstract emotional processing
- generic AI relationship advice
If the question sounds like a couples counselor wrote it, rewrite it.
Banned Daily Tone Words
Avoid these in daily questions:
- reset
- process
- mental load
- emotional load
- autopilot
- pressure
- soft landing
- relationship dynamic
- name the mood
- emotional processing
- communication style
- conflict framework
These are not banned from every serious category forever, but they should almost never appear in daily questions.
Daily Good vs Bad
Good daily question:
Long day. What would actually help tonight?
Good options:
- A hug before chores
- Dinner without overthinking it
- Ten quiet minutes together
- One tiny task done
Bad daily question:
Which reset would help us avoid autopilot?
Why it fails:
- therapy coded
- abstract
- not concrete
- sounds generated
Daily Single Choice Weekday Lineup
This is a special daily pack, not a standard 250 question category pack. Target counts are 500 total, 75 free, 425 premium, and 500 single_choice.
Monday: Mood Check Monday
Purpose: pick what kind of day the relationship needs.
Vibe: gentle, simple, start of week, low pressure.
Example:
What would help us start the week feeling closer?
Required tag:
daily_monday_mood_check
Tuesday: Tiny Win Tuesday
Purpose: pick one small thing to do together.
Vibe: low effort, practical, cute, doable.
Example:
Which tiny win should we aim for tonight?
Required tag:
daily_tuesday_tiny_win
Wednesday: Real One Wednesday
Purpose: pick the most honest answer.
Vibe: present, grounded, lightly meaningful, not heavy.
Example:
What would make us feel more present with each other tonight?
Required tag:
daily_wednesday_real_one
Thursday: Laugh It Off Thursday
Purpose: pick something silly or low pressure.
Vibe: weird, funny, tired week energy.
Example:
What ridiculous little thing would improve our night?
Required tag:
daily_thursday_laugh
Friday: Flirty Friday
Purpose: pick something playful, sweet, attractive, or date like.
Vibe: compliments, attraction, flirting, fun.
Example:
What kind of flirting from me still works best?
Required tag:
daily_friday_flirty
Saturday: Side Quest Saturday
Purpose: pick a tiny adventure or date idea.
Vibe: playful, outside the routine, doable.
Example:
What kind of mini adventure sounds most like us today?
Required tag:
daily_saturday_side_quest
Sunday: Slow Burn Sunday
Purpose: pick a warm intimacy or closeness answer.
Vibe: affectionate, cozy, optionally spicy, never pushy.
Example:
What kind of closeness would feel best tonight?
Required tag:
daily_sunday_slow_burn
Variety
Never repeat sentence openings.
Mix structures constantly.
Examples:
- Imagine...
- Suppose...
- If we suddenly...
- Pretend...
- Pick every answer...
- Finish this thought...
- What's one thing...
- Which tiny habit...
- If we only had one hour...
- What would make...
- When do you feel...
- Which sounds most like us...
No opening should dominate a category.
No AI Writing
Reject questions that sound like:
- Describe...
- Reflect on...
- Discuss...
- Evaluate...
- In what ways...
- How satisfied are you...
- What boundary around...
- Explore your feelings...
- Identify...
- Rate the effectiveness...
These sound like surveys.
Not conversations.
Multiple Choice
Should make people pause because several answers feel right.
Use 4 to 6 options.
Avoid obvious answers.
Avoid filler.
Whenever realistic, allow multiple selections.
Single Choice
There should never be one obvious answer.
Every option should feel believable.
Every option must directly answer the prompt.
Use 4 to 6 options.
Scale
Use scales only when measuring intensity genuinely improves the conversation.
Never use a scale because it is easier than writing good options.
This Or That
Keep them:
- fast
- funny
- memorable
- shareable
Most should take under three seconds.
Written Questions
Written questions must earn the keyboard.
Only use them when typing creates something choices cannot.
Good written questions create:
- stories
- memories
- appreciation
- future plans
Never ask users to write essays.
Fun Rule
Every category should include:
- inside jokes
- tiny challenges
- food debates
- traditions
- bucket lists
- silly scenarios
- future adventures
- friendly competitions
- low pressure date ideas
- unexpected situations
Even serious categories need moments to smile.
Relationship First
Anchor every question to:
- us
- we
- you
- your partner
- our memories
- our future
Avoid generic questions that could belong in any survey.
Duplicate Prevention
Never repeat:
- sentence openings
- concepts
- option lists
- conversation goals
- emotional outcome
If two questions feel similar, delete one.
Readability Test
After completing a category, randomly read 30 questions.
Reject the category if:
- the writing feels repetitive
- the openings repeat too often
- the tone feels robotic
- the next question becomes predictable
- multiple questions blend together
- it sounds AI generated
- it sounds clinical
- it sounds like a wellness worksheet
This test is mandatory.
Premium Test
Before approving every question ask:
- Would I pay for this?
- Would this start a real conversation?
- Would this create a memory?
- Would I screenshot this?
- Would I send this to my partner?
- Would I smile while answering it?
If any answer is no, rewrite it.
Final Approval
A category is complete only if:
- schema validation passes
- duplicate checks pass
- readability test passes
- category identity is obvious
- emotional mix feels balanced
- consumer test passes
- premium test passes
- it does not sound AI generated
Final Rule
Conversation quality always beats quantity.
One unforgettable question is worth more than twenty average ones.
Never optimize for finishing faster.
Optimize for creating conversations couples will remember.