| name | book-writer |
| description | Sequential book production pipeline using Claude sub-agents. Enforces orthogonality (no repeated stories/ideas across chapters), quality gates, and voice consistency. Replaces gemini-writer for book projects. Use when drafting or rewriting book manuscripts. |
Book Writer — Sequential Production Pipeline
Produces book manuscripts through a multi-phase pipeline that enforces orthogonality, quality, and voice consistency. Each chapter is drafted sequentially with full awareness of all prior chapters, preventing redundancy.
When to Use
- Drafting a new book from outline + source material
- Rewriting an existing manuscript with quality enforcement
- Any multi-chapter project requiring cross-chapter coordination
Architecture
PHASE 0: STRUCTURAL PLAN (single agent, full context)
├── Content audit — what material exists, what's strong
├── Orthogonality map — each idea lives in ONE chapter only
├── Hook catalog — unique angle per chapter
├── Threading map — recurring motifs: intro → reference → resolve
└── Chapter-by-chapter execution notes
PHASE 1: CHAPTER BRIEFS (single agent)
├── Self-contained brief per chapter (~8-12K tokens each)
├── Includes: assigned blocks, forbidden blocks, voice card, anti-AI card
└── Hook approved before drafting begins
PHASE 2: SEQUENTIAL DRAFTING (sub-agents, one at a time)
├── Each agent sees: brief + ALL previously-written chapters
├── Accumulating context prevents redundancy
├── Quality loop runs after each chapter (blocking)
└── Failed chapters get rewritten before pipeline advances
PHASE 3: ASSEMBLY REVIEW (single agent, full manuscript)
├── Read all chapters sequentially
├── Bridge document (chapter-to-chapter transitions)
├── Redundancy report (anything that slipped through)
└── Voice consistency check
Phase 0: Structural Plan
The most important phase. This is where orthogonality is designed, not enforced after the fact.
Required Inputs
- Book outline with chapter descriptions
- All source material (blocks, transcripts, quotes, research)
- Voice guide or voice card
- Anti-AI rules
Structural Plan Contents
1. Content Inventory
For each piece of source material, decide:
- Which chapter OWNS it (told in full, PRIMARY)
- Which chapters may REFERENCE it (one-sentence callback, max 2)
- Which chapters it's FORBIDDEN from (must not appear even in passing)
2. Orthogonality Matrix
Table showing every story, framework, quote, and evidence block mapped to exactly one chapter. The one-primary rule: if a story appears in full in Ch 4, it cannot appear in full in any other chapter.
3. Hook Catalog
Each chapter gets a structurally different hook approach:
- Personal anecdote opening
- Startling statistic
- Counterintuitive claim
- Scene-setting (time, place, sensory detail)
- Question that creates tension
- Quote that challenges assumptions
Track which approach is used per chapter — no two adjacent chapters should use the same hook type.
4. Threading Map
For recurring motifs that span multiple chapters:
- Chapter where INTRODUCED (full treatment)
- Chapters where REFERENCED (brief callback: "as we saw in Chapter N...")
- Chapter where RESOLVED (payoff)
5. Chapter Execution Notes
For each chapter, specific instructions:
- Word target
- Tone/energy (opening energy vs. closing energy)
- What the reader should FEEL at the end
- Bridge to next chapter (last paragraph sets up the next)
- Specific blocks to use and how
Phase 1: Chapter Briefs
Each brief is a self-contained document that gives a sub-agent everything it needs:
# Brief: Chapter N — [Title]
## Position
- Previous chapter ends with: [last paragraph summary]
- Next chapter opens with: [first paragraph summary]
## Goal
[1-2 sentences: what this chapter accomplishes]
## Word Target
[X,XXX - X,XXX words]
## Hook
[Approved hook with opening line]
## PRIMARY Blocks (use in full)
[Full text of assigned blocks]
## REFERENCE ONLY (one-sentence callback)
[Block ID — one-line summary, chapter where told in full]
## FORBIDDEN (do not mention)
[Block IDs that belong to other chapters]
## Voice Card
[Condensed voice rules]
## Anti-AI Card
[Kill list + patterns to avoid]
## Structure
Use the Lisec 5-part pattern:
1. Story Part I (hook, end on tension)
2. The Point (why this matters to the reader)
3. The Step (the methodology/technique/insight)
4. The Action (something to do TODAY)
5. Story Part II (resolution, transformation)
Phase 2: Sequential Drafting
Critical: Chapters are drafted ONE AT A TIME, in order. Each sub-agent receives:
- Its chapter brief
- ALL previously-written chapters (accumulating context)
- The structural plan
The prompt to each sub-agent includes:
You are writing Chapter N of [Book Title].
CRITICAL RULES:
- Follow your brief exactly
- Do NOT repeat any idea, story, quote, or anecdote from the
previously-written chapters below
- If you need to reference something from a prior chapter,
use a brief callback ("as we explored in Chapter N...")
- Use ONLY the blocks assigned to you in the brief
- Do NOT use any FORBIDDEN blocks
- Match the voice card exactly
- Zero tolerance for AI tells (see Anti-AI card)
- Output the complete chapter as markdown
Quality Gate (After Each Chapter)
Run the book-quality-loop (5 judges) before advancing:
- Human Detector — Zero AI tells
- Accuracy Checker — All claims sourced from blocks
- Voice Judge — Matches voice card
- Redundancy Judge — Nothing repeated from prior chapters
- Reader Advocate — Engaging, proper structure
If ANY blocking judge fails → rewrite and re-check before moving to next chapter.
Phase 3: Assembly Review
Single agent reads the full manuscript sequentially:
- Bridge quality (do chapters flow into each other?)
- Redundancy report (did anything slip through?)
- Voice consistency (does chapter 10 sound like chapter 1?)
- Fact-check (do all citations match source material?)
- Word count per chapter
- Overall pacing assessment
Running the Pipeline
Option A: Manual (recommended for first book)
Option B: Script (for subsequent books)
python3 .claude/skills/book-writer/scripts/book-writer.py \
--outline outline.md \
--sources blocks/ \
--voice voice-card.md \
--anti-ai anti-ai-card.md \
--output chapters/ \
--sequential
Lessons from Big and Fat (What NOT to Do)
- Never draft chapters in parallel — sub-agents with isolated briefs produce redundant content
- Never skip the structural plan — orthogonality must be designed, not fixed after
- Never dump the full corpus into a brief — extract blocks first, give only relevant blocks
- Never skip the quality gate — every chapter must pass before the next one starts
- Never use a voice card without samples — include 3-5 paragraphs of the author's BEST writing
- Never tell the same story twice — the one-primary rule is sacred
