---
title: "Start article generation"
method: POST
path: "/v3/generate-article/start/"
tags: ["Generate Article"]
---

# Start article generation

`POST /v3/generate-article/start/`

Start generating content for an existing draft article (one created by `create_article`) — the wizard's final step. CONSUMES CREDITS: always ask the user for permission before calling this (the earlier wizard steps — titles, outline, keywords, prompts — are free). Generation runs in the background — poll `generation_status` with the same slug until it is no longer generating, then read the result with `get_article`. Calling this again while a run is already in progress is safe and will not start a duplicate.

## Request body

- object
  - `teamId` string — Team id (falls back to the session's active project).
  - `slug` string, required — Slug of the draft article to generate.
  - `customInstructions` string — Optional free-text writing instructions for this article, layered on top of the team's default content guidelines. Persists onto the article for future regenerations. Omit to leave the stored value unchanged; send an empty string to clear it.
  - `customInstructionsUseWithBrand` boolean — When true (default), the article's custom instructions are applied together with the brand's content guidelines. When false, they replace the brand guidelines for this article. Persists onto the article.

## Response `200`

Success: `{ success:true, generating:true, slug }` (+ `alreadyRunning:true` when a run was already in flight). Insufficient credits: `{ success:false, generating:false, requiredCredits, message }`.

- object — Success: `{ success:true, generating:true, slug }` (+ `alreadyRunning:true` when a run was already in flight). Insufficient credits: `{ success:false, generating:false, requiredCredits, message }`.
  - `success` boolean
  - `generating` boolean
  - `slug` string
  - `requiredCredits` number
  - `message` string
  - `alreadyRunning` boolean

---

[API](https://skmtc.net/snowseo/apis/snowseo-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.net/snowseo/apis/snowseo-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-staging.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/snowseo/snowseo-api/versions/6e50f4761eea/schema)