s4h-writing

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# Writing

Every writing problem has a name. Name it precisely, and the fix becomes obvious. The most common mistake is treating a structural problem as a prose problem, or a character problem as a plot problem — applying the wrong tool while the real issue goes unaddressed.

This routing skill reads your situation, identifies the problem type, and connects you to the right technique immediately.

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## Your Process

### Step 1: Read the Situation

If the user hasn't described their writing challenge yet, ask:

> What's the writing problem? Paste the relevant passage, describe the situation, or tell me what isn't working.

Wait for their response before diagnosing.

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### Step 2: Diagnose the Problem Type

**Framing check:** Confirm the specific writing challenge before continuing. State what you've identified — the content being worked on and its core problem type — in one sentence, then use `AskUserQuestion`:
- **Question:** "I'm reading this as: [your one-sentence framing of the specific writing challenge, content type, and what isn't working]. Is that right?"
- **Header:** "Framing"
- **Options:**
  - **Yes — proceed** — framing is correct
  - **Adjust** — one element is off; user will correct it before you continue
  - **Reframe** — different situation than read; incorporate the correction before proceeding

Read the situation and classify it against these problem clusters:

**Fiction craft** — The core problem is in the storytelling machinery: character psychology, plot architecture, scene structure, dialogue texture, world credibility, narrative arc, or point-of-view integrity.
→ Route to: `/s4h-writing-character-development`, `/s4h-writing-plot-structure`, `/s4h-writing-scene-construction`, `/s4h-writing-dialogue`, `/s4h-writing-worldbuilding`, `/s4h-writing-arc-design`, `/s4h-writing-pov`

**Continuity and consistency** — Something in the story contradicts itself: timeline errors, character knowledge violations, world-rule inconsistencies, physical continuity breaks.
→ Route to: `/s4h-writing-inconsistency-audit`

**Editing and revision** — The material exists but needs structural reordering, tonal coherence, sentence-level cleaning, prose quality elevation, or voice stabilisation.
→ Route to: `/s4h-writing-restructure`, `/s4h-writing-tone-alignment`, `/s4h-writing-line-editing`, `/s4h-writing-prose-elevation`, `/s4h-writing-voice-consistency`

**Professional and non-fiction** — A real-world document needs to be written or improved: a business report, marketing copy, technical documentation, analytical argument, or executive brief.
→ Route to: `/s4h-writing-report`, `/s4h-writing-copy`, `/s4h-writing-technical`, `/s4h-writing-argument`, `/s4h-writing-executive-summary`

**Rhetoric and audience** — The writing needs to be calibrated for a specific reader, or the rhetorical moves in a piece need to be surfaced and examined.
→ Route to: `/s4h-writing-audience-calibration`, `/s4h-writing-rhetoric`

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### Step 3: Identify 3–4 Best-Fit Skills

**Before narrowing:** Show the complete set of candidate skills for the diagnosed cluster to the user first. Use `AskUserQuestion`:
- **Question:** "I've identified [N] skills in the [cluster name] cluster. Before I select the best fits, are there any you'd flag as especially relevant, or any angle I've missed?"
- **Header:** "Prioritise"
- **Options:**
  - **Proceed with your selection** — the set looks right
  - **Flag one** — user will name a specific skill to include
  - **Add a missing angle** — user will describe it

Within the most relevant cluster, identify the 2–4 skills that best match the specific problem. Use the routing guide below.

Prioritize skills that match the **type of output** the user needs:
- They need a diagnosis → audit skills (`/s4h-writing-inconsistency-audit`, `/s4h-writing-pov`, `/s4h-writing-scene-construction`)
- They need a rebuild → design skills (`/s4h-writing-plot-structure`, `/s4h-writing-arc-design`, `/s4h-writing-character-development`)
- They need a revision → editing skills (`/s4h-writing-restructure`, `/s4h-writing-line-editing`, `/s4h-writing-tone-alignment`)
- They need a produced piece → production skills (`/s4h-writing-report`, `/s4h-writing-executive-summary`, `/s4h-writing-copy`)
- They need a rhetorical read → analysis skills (`/s4h-writing-rhetoric`, `/s4h-writing-argument`)

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### Step 4: Present Options

Use the `AskUserQuestion` tool to present your diagnosis. Construct options dynamically based on the 2–3 best-fit skills you identified:

- **Question:** "Here's what I think you need. Which fits your situation best?"
- **Header:** "Skill"
- **Options:** (build dynamically — 2–3 skill options plus a fallback)
  - Label: [skill command name], Description: [one sentence on why this fits and what it produces]
  - (repeat for each diagnosed skill, up to 3)
  - Label: "More options", Description: "Show all skills in the Writing category"

Proceed based on their selection.

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### Step 5: Execute

When the user picks an option:
- **A selected skill:** Run it immediately. Do not ask them to type another command. Use the context already gathered as the input.
- **More options:** Show the full skill table for the Writing category. Let them pick from the complete list, then execute.

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## Routing Guide

| Situation | Top skills to offer |
|---|---|
| "My character feels flat / doesn't feel real" | `/s4h-writing-character-development` |
| "The story isn't working / the plot sags" | `/s4h-writing-plot-structure`, `/s4h-writing-arc-design` |
| "This scene isn't working / feels flat" | `/s4h-writing-scene-construction`, `/s4h-writing-dialogue` |
| "The dialogue sounds wrong / on the nose" | `/s4h-writing-dialogue`, `/s4h-writing-character-development` |
| "The world feels thin / like a backdrop" | `/s4h-writing-worldbuilding` |
| "The arc feels unearned / the ending doesn't land" | `/s4h-writing-arc-design`, `/s4h-writing-plot-structure` |
| "POV problems / head-hopping / narration inconsistent" | `/s4h-writing-pov`, `/s4h-writing-inconsistency-audit` |
| "Contradictions / continuity errors" | `/s4h-writing-inconsistency-audit` |
| "The piece is in the wrong order / buries the lede" | `/s4h-writing-restructure`, `/s4h-writing-executive-summary` |
| "The tone keeps shifting / voice drift" | `/s4h-writing-tone-alignment`, `/s4h-writing-voice-consistency` |
| "The sentences are clunky / wordy / passive" | `/s4h-writing-line-editing` |
| "The prose is flat / competent but not compelling" | `/s4h-writing-prose-elevation` |
| "Different contributors / brand voice inconsistent" | `/s4h-writing-voice-consistency` |
| "Write or fix a report / briefing document" | `/s4h-writing-report`, `/s4h-writing-executive-summary` |
| "Marketing copy / landing page / ad copy" | `/s4h-writing-copy`, `/s4h-writing-audience-calibration` |
| "Technical documentation / API docs / user guide" | `/s4h-writing-technical`, `/s4h-writing-audience-calibration` |
| "Build an argument / op-ed / make the case" | `/s4h-writing-argument`, `/s4h-writing-rhetoric` |
| "Executive summary / 1-page brief for leadership" | `/s4h-writing-executive-summary`, `/s4h-writing-report` |
| "Write for a specific audience / calibrate" | `/s4h-writing-audience-calibration` |
| "Rhetorical analysis / what is this piece doing" | `/s4h-writing-rhetoric`, `/s4h-writing-argument` |

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From human-avatar/skills-for-humanity, MIT.

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