How to Write an X Article
(Step-by-Step Guide)
X Articles are the platform's long-form format, up to around 100,000 characters with headings, a cover image, and embeds. This guide covers writing, formatting, and publishing one that people actually read.
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What is an X Article
An X Article is X's long-form publishing format, closer to a blog post than a tweet. It supports a headline, a cover image, headings, bold and italic text, lists, quotes, links, and embedded posts, up to roughly 100,000 characters. Publishing one requires an X Premium subscription on the account.
Articles earn dwell time. People spend minutes reading instead of seconds scrolling, they rank in search, and the algorithm rewards the attention they hold. The tradeoff is that they demand real structure, so the writing process matters more than it does for a quick post.
The steps below assume you are drafting in OpenTweet, where markdown is the source of truth and gets converted to X's Article format on publish. You can also draft for free first with the X Article writer.
Step-by-Step: How to Write an X Article
Confirm your account can publish Articles
Articles require X Premium on the publishing account. Any Premium tier works since January 2026 (they used to be Premium+ only). You can still draft for free and publish once your account qualifies.
Outline before you write
Decide the headline, the three to six sections, and the closing takeaway first. Articles are read start to finish, so a clear spine beats a wall of text. A thread that already did well is a proven outline.
Write in markdown
Use # for headings, ** for bold, lists, quotes, and links. Markdown keeps the draft clean and reusable, and OpenTweet converts it to X's Article format automatically. Paste an X post URL on its own line to embed it.
Add a cover image
The cover shows at the top of the Article and in timeline previews, so it is most of your first impression. Use a clear, on-topic image, not a stock placeholder.
Preview and tighten
Read the live preview as a reader would. Cut filler, shorten the intro, and make sure the first two lines earn the rest. End with a concrete next step.
Publish or schedule
Publish now, or schedule the Article to go live at a set time. Long-form performs well when your audience has time to read, so mornings and weekends are worth testing.
Pro Tips for Writing X Articles
Lead with the payoff
The headline and cover image are what show in the feed. Treat the headline like a tweet hook, not a book chapter title.
One idea per section
Give every H2 a single job. Readers skim headings first, so each one should promise something worth reading.
Repurpose your best thread
Expand a thread that landed into a full Article with headings and images, then link the Article back to the thread.
Keep markdown as the source
Draft in markdown so the same piece can become a thread, a newsletter, or a blog post later without a rewrite.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Publishing without X Premium
X rejects Article publishes from accounts without a Premium subscription. Check eligibility before you rely on it going out.
Writing a wall of text
Articles support headings, lists, and images for a reason. An unbroken block loses readers by the second paragraph.
Skipping the cover image
Without a cover, your Article looks like a plain link in the feed and gets far fewer opens.
Dumping a raw blog post
Copy-pasting from your blog ignores how people read on X. Tighten the intro, cut dead internal links, and end with a clear takeaway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need X Premium to write an Article?
You need X Premium to publish an Article. Any Premium tier works since January 2026. You can draft an Article for free in OpenTweet and publish once your account qualifies.
What formatting can an X Article include?
Headings (H1 to H3), bold, italic, strikethrough, links, bullet and numbered lists, quotes, inline images with captions, a cover image, and embedded X posts.
How long should an X Article be?
The limit is around 100,000 characters, about 15,000 words, but most strong Articles are a few hundred to a couple of thousand words. Write to the idea, not the ceiling.
Can I write the Article in markdown?
Yes. OpenTweet uses markdown as the source of truth and converts it to X's rich-text Article format on publish, so your draft stays reusable for threads and other formats.
Can I schedule the Article instead of publishing now?
Yes. X has no native scheduler for Articles, but OpenTweet lets you pick a date and time and publishes it automatically.
Can AI help me write it?
Yes. The free X Article writer drafts a full long-form Article from a title and key points, and OpenTweet's in-app AI can draft, continue, or improve an Article in your voice.
Related guides
More on writing, formatting, scheduling, and publishing long-form Articles on X.
Schedule X Articles
Write long-form X Articles in markdown and publish them at the perfect time, from the app, the API, or an AI agent.
Free X Article Writer
Turn a title and a few key points into a full long-form X Article draft in clean markdown. No login.
Blog to X Article
Paste a blog post or newsletter and get a long-form X Article draft, ready to refine and schedule.
How to schedule X Articles
Write in markdown, pick a time, and let OpenTweet publish your long-form article automatically.
Publish X Articles via API
Post long-form X Articles programmatically with one call, or let an MCP agent do it.
Can you schedule X Articles?
X has no native scheduler for Articles. Here is how to schedule one anyway.
X Articles character limit
How long an X Article can be, versus a long-form post and a standard tweet.
X Article vs long post vs thread
Which long-form format to use on X, and when each one wins.
X Articles feature
The full overview of writing, scheduling, and publishing long-form Articles with OpenTweet.
Write your first X Article
Draft it in markdown, format it cleanly, and publish or schedule it in a few clicks.