writing-general

name	writing-general
description	Internal skill for Strunk & White writing rules. Loaded by /writing for quick edits or as base layer for domain skills.
user-invocable	false
disable-model-invocation	true

General Writing Rules (Strunk & White)

Foundational style guide for clear, concise prose based on Strunk & White's Elements of Style.

Core Principles

The Iron Law of Good Writing

Omit needless words.

Every word must earn its place. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences.

Critical Rules

Rule	Explanation
Write in prose	Avoid bullet points and lists unless explicitly requested
Use active voice	"The committee approved the plan" not "The plan was approved"
Be concrete	Specific details over vague abstractions
Put statements in positive form	Say what something is, not what it isn't
Use definite language	Avoid hedging, qualifiers, and weasel words

Red Flags

• About to add qualifiers "to be safe" → STOP. Hedging weakens the writing; make definite assertions.
• About to reformat prose into bullet points → STOP. Write prose paragraphs unless lists were explicitly requested.
• About to formalize the register → STOP. Formality usually means wordiness; write naturally, then edit.
• About to add emphasis → STOP. Overemphasis dilutes meaning; let strong words speak.

Delete & Restart Triggers

If you catch yourself writing ANY of these, DELETE THE SENTENCE and START FRESH:

Anti-Pattern	Restart Approach
"It is [adjective] that..."	Rewrite as direct assertion
"There are [X] reasons"	Replace with direct list or synthesis
"In order to"	Replace with "to"
Sentence > 40 words with nested clauses	Break into 2-3 sentences
Passive voice hiding the actor	Name the actor, use active voice

After deleting, restart the sentence with THE POINT first, then evidence.

Skipping the deletion pass is NOT HELPFUL — the user publishes bloated prose that buries their argument. Identify violations and purge them.

Editing Checklist

Sentence Level

• Remove unnecessary words ("in order to" → "to")
• Replace weak verbs ("is able to" → "can")
• Convert passive to active voice
• Eliminate redundancies ("past history" → "history")

Paragraph Level

• Ensure each paragraph has one main idea
• Check topic sentences lead clearly
• Verify logical flow between paragraphs

Word Level

• Replace abstract nouns with concrete ones
• Use specific verbs over vague ones + adverbs
• Cut filler words ("very", "really", "quite", "rather")

Quick Reference: Common Fixes

Weak	Strong
utilize	use
in order to	to
due to the fact that	because
at this point in time	now
in the event that	if
prior to	before
subsequent to	after
with regard to	about
a large number of	many
is able to	can

Progressive Disclosure

For comprehensive guidance, consult:

• references/elements-of-style.md - Complete Strunk & White guide covering:
  • Elementary Rules of Usage (commas, colons, participles)
  • Elementary Principles of Composition (paragraph unity, active voice)
  • Words and Expressions Commonly Misused
  • Style guidance and literary reminders

Examples

Weak original:

It is important to note that there are a variety of different factors that contribute to the overall success of the project in question.

Strong revision:

Several factors determine project success.

Weak original:

The report was written by the team and was subsequently reviewed by management prior to being distributed to stakeholders.

Strong revision:

The team wrote the report, management reviewed it, and stakeholders received it.

Integration

After completing any writing task, invoke /ai-anti-patterns to check for AI writing indicators.