diff --git a/skills/create-beads/SKILL.md b/skills/create-beads/SKILL.md
index ce75fcc..c43a0f4 100644
--- a/skills/create-beads/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/create-beads/SKILL.md
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@ bd create "Task 1" --parent <epic-id> -d "What to do, files to touch"
 bd create "Task title" -d "Description"
 ```
 
+**Epic or one bead?** When you have 2+ candidate items, ask if they're *independent* — no shared files, no sequential dependency:
+- **Independent** → sibling tasks under one epic. `bd ready` surfaces them in parallel, so an executor can dispatch them concurrently.
+- **Coupled** (shared files, or one needs another's outcome) → a single bead with steps. Splitting them just creates dependency edges you have to manage.
+
+Default to one bead when unsure — it's cheaper to split a bead later than to merge two.
+
 ## Task Guidelines
 
 - Bite-sized: 2-5 minutes each