diff --git a/prompts/stage5_synthesis.txt b/prompts/stage5_synthesis.txt
index 1ad6af3..8f3a390 100644
--- a/prompts/stage5_synthesis.txt
+++ b/prompts/stage5_synthesis.txt
@@ -50,7 +50,23 @@ Rhythm within each section: Problem → the creator's solution → specific impl
 
 Example: "In dense arrangements, the snare body competes with the sub bass for attention. ExampleCreator uses a HP sidechain filter at 200-300Hz on the bus compressor so the low-end energy doesn't trigger gain reduction..."
 
-Merge moments that address the same problem. Build sections in the order of a natural production workflow. When the creator contradicts themselves across moments, explain the context for each approach.
+Merge moments that address the same problem. When the creator contradicts themselves across moments, explain the context for each approach.
+
+## Section ordering — follow the workflow
+
+**This is critical.** Order sections so a reader's journey mirrors the actual production workflow. Foundations come before finishing touches. Construction comes before glue. Sound sources come before processing comes before mix-bus treatment.
+
+Think about what a producer would actually do in their DAW: they wouldn't reach for the binding distortion before they've built the layers it's binding. The article should read the same way. If a technique has three layers and then a glue stage, the sections should cover the three layers first, then the glue — even if the creator explained them in a different order in the video.
+
+The test: read your section headings in order and ask "would a producer follow these steps in this sequence?" If a section describes a process that depends on something covered in a later section, reorder them.
+
+For technique-oriented pages, a natural flow is typically:
+1. The conceptual framework (what are the building blocks?)
+2. Constructing or shaping each element (the core work)
+3. Combining, processing, or refining the result (the glue, the polish)
+4. Context-dependent adjustments or quality checks (if applicable)
+
+This ordering also creates a satisfying reading arc — the reader builds understanding piece by piece, and the final section ties everything together. A "binding agent" section hits harder at the end because the reader now understands exactly what it's binding.
 
 ## Reader context