Raycast: Create Linear Issues & Sub-Issues Instantly

I've found myself struggling with a simple, repeatable task—creating a new issue in Linear and then creating a sub-issue for that issue.

I've tried solving this with some of my favorite AI tools, like Lindy or Gumloop, but with no success. Finally, I've discovered a straightforward way to automate this process.

The Problem with Creating Linear Sub-Issues

For teams using Linear, managing projects often requires creating parent issues and their related sub-tasks. Typically, this means:

1. Creating the main issue

2. Waiting for it to generate

3. Finding the issue again

4. Manually creating sub-issues

5. Linking them to the parent

This multi-step process is tedious and interrupts your flow state. But there's a better way.

The Solution: Raycast AI + Linear Extension

I discovered a powerful workflow that lets you create both a parent issue and its sub-issues in one fell swoop. Here's how it works:

1. Use Raycast's AI Chat feature with the Linear extension enabled

2. Create a snippet with your standard issue creation format

3. Execute the entire workflow with a single prompt

The magic happens when you combine Raycast's AI capabilities with structured prompts that tell it exactly what to do.

Step-by-Step Implementation

Let me walk you through exactly how I set this up:

1. Enable the Linear Extension in Raycast

First, make sure you have the Linear extension installed and configured in Raycast.

2. Create Your Snippet in Raycast

Create a snippet that contains your full prompt structure. This is what mine looks like:

@linear
 
Step 1: Create an issue in the Growth team,
assigned to Dillon,
title: Blog Post — {title},
description: Draft: {link},
Status: In Progress
 
Step 2: Create a sub-issue of [PARENT ISSUE REFERENCE],
assigned to Taso,
title: Create a featured image for the blog post.
Status: to do
 
Set the due date for both issues to {next Monday/Thursday}

Notice the structure:

• I start by tagging Linear with @linear

• I break down the workflow into clear steps

• I include placeholders like {title} and {link} that I can quickly fill in

• I reference the parent issue being created in Step 1

3. Execute the Workflow

When it's time to create a new blog post task:

1. Open Raycast's AI Chat

2. Insert your snippet

3. Fill in the placeholder values

4. Send the prompt

The AI will execute both steps in sequence, creating the parent issue first and then automatically creating the sub-issue linked to it.

Why This Works So Well

This approach is powerful for several reasons:

• Single-shot execution: Everything happens in one prompt, with no back-and-forth needed

• Consistent structure: Every issue and sub-issue follows your standard format

• Time savings: What used to take multiple steps now happens in seconds

• Reduced context switching: You stay in your flow instead of jumping between tasks

Beyond Blog Posts

While I've shown a specific example for blog post workflows, you can adapt this pattern for any type of recurring task structure in your team:

• Product feature development with design, development, and QA sub-tasks

• Marketing campaigns with content, design, and distribution sub-tasks

• Event planning with venue, speaker, and logistics sub-tasks

The key is crafting a clear, step-by-step prompt that Raycast's AI can follow.