story/planning/ch-[ID]-plan.md - Chapter structure and beats
story/STORY_BIBLE.md - Characters, world, tone guidelines
story/chapters/ch-[PREV]-*.md - Previous 1-2 chapters (for continuity and flow)
story/continuity/ch-[ID]-brief.md - Relevant plot threads and character states (if exists)
story/writing-sample.md - Target prose style (if provided)
story/source-material/* - Research, excerpts, and reference documents (supports .md, .pdf, .txt)
progress.txt - Learnings about style and character voice

CRITICAL: Read previous chapter files completely, not just summaries. You need to:

Match the established prose rhythm and sentence structure
Continue dialogue patterns and character voices exactly as shown
Maintain the same level of description density
Pick up plot threads and emotional beats seamlessly

2. Multi-Perspective Writing Approach

You are the entire writers room. As you write, actively consider these perspectives:

Plot Perspective 🎯

Does each scene advance the story clearly?
Are cause-and-effect relationships obvious?
Do beats build logically toward chapter climax?
Will readers understand what happened and why?

Character Perspective 🎭

Does each character feel alive, distinct, and consistent?
Are motivations clear and believable?
Do actions match established personality?
Do relationships evolve naturally?

Emotional Perspective 💓

Will readers feel the intended emotions (tension, joy, fear, wonder)?
Are emotional beats earned through setup?
Is there variety (not all one note)?
Do quiet moments balance intense ones?

Pacing/Action Perspective ⚡

Does the rhythm match the scene's purpose?
Are action sequences clear and dynamic?
Does the chapter breathe (fast/slow variation)?
Do transitions feel smooth?

Dialogue Perspective 💬

Does each character sound unique and recognizable?
Does dialogue reveal character or advance plot (ideally both)?
Is subtext present where appropriate?
Do people talk like people (interruptions, incomplete thoughts)?

World-Building Perspective 🌍

Are setting details integrated naturally (not info-dumps)?
Do descriptions serve the scene and mood?
Are world rules maintained consistently?
Is sensory detail varied and vivid?

Write once, but hold all perspectives in mind. This produces richer, more complete prose than writing for plot alone and adding character later.

3. Review Chapter Plan

Understand:

Story beats and their sequence
Character arcs and development
Tone and pacing requirements
Word count target
Specific scenes to include

4. Study Writing Sample (If Provided)

If story/writing-sample.md exists, study it carefully:

Sentence structure: Long/short? Complex/simple? Varied rhythms?
Vocabulary level: Formal, casual, poetic, sparse?
Description density: Heavy on detail or minimal?
Dialogue style: Naturalistic, stylized, terse, verbose?
Pacing: Fast action or slow contemplation?
Voice: First/third person? Intimate or distant?

Goal: Write prose that feels consistent with the sample's style while maintaining story needs.

Note: Writing sample is a guide, not a straitjacket. If your story requires different techniques (e.g., action scene in a contemplative sample), adapt appropriately.

5. Write the Draft

Follow these principles:

Show, Don't Tell

❌ "Kira was angry at the betrayal." ✅ "Kira's jaw clenched. The letter crumpled in her fist, parchment tearing beneath white knuckles."

Active Voice & Strong Verbs

❌ "The door was opened by Marcus." ✅ "Marcus shouldered through the door, wood groaning on rusted hinges."

Sensory Details

Include varied senses:

Sight: Colors, movement, expressions
Sound: Dialogue, ambient noise, silence
Touch: Textures, temperature, physical sensation
Smell: Atmosphere, memory triggers
Taste: Food, medicine, blood, dust

Dialogue Best Practices

Each character has distinct speech patterns (check STORY_BIBLE.md)
Use dialogue to reveal character and advance plot
Balance dialogue with action tags and internal thought
Avoid excessive dialogue tags ("said" is often enough)

Example:

"We can't stay here." Kira scanned the tree line, hand hovering near her blade.

Marcus didn't look up from the map. "The pass is three days north. We'll freeze."

"Better frozen than caught."

"You assume they're following."

She met his eyes. "Aren't they always?"

Pacing

Fast pacing: Short sentences, active verbs, minimal description
- Action scenes, urgent moments, high tension
Medium pacing: Balanced sentences, scene-setting, character interaction
- Dialogue, investigation, moderate tension
Slow pacing: Longer sentences, rich description, internal reflection
- Quiet moments, world-building, aftermath

Chapter Structure

Opening Hook (first 1-2 paragraphs)
- Drop into action or intriguing moment
- Orient reader (who, where, when)
- Create immediate question or tension
Development (middle section)
- Execute story beats from plan
- Layer conflict and obstacles
- Reveal character through action and choice
- Deepen world-building organically
Closing Turn (final 2-3 paragraphs)
- Resolve immediate scene conflict
- Create new question/tension for next chapter
- End on character decision, revelation, or cliffhanger

4. Maintain Consistency

Cross-reference STORY_BIBLE.md for:

Character details: Eye color, age, mannerisms, backstory
World rules: Magic limitations, technology level, geography
Timeline: Seasons, travel time, character ages
Established facts: Don't contradict previous chapters

5. Check Quality

Before finalizing, verify:

✅ Word count matches target (±10%)
✅ All story beats from plan are executed
✅ Character voices match their profiles
✅ No continuity errors with previous chapters
✅ Opening hooks and closing hooks present
✅ Tone matches the story arc position
✅ No "telling" when you could "show"
✅ Varied sentence structure and pacing

6. Save Draft

Save to: story/chapters/ch-[ID]-[kebab-case-title].md

Format:

# Chapter [Number]: [Title]

[Prose starts immediately, no meta-commentary]

[Opening scene...]

---

[Chapter continues...]

---

[Closing scene...]

7. Document Learnings

Append to progress.txt:

Chapter [ID] Writing Notes:
- Character voice: [observations about how characters spoke/acted]
- World details added: [new facts established]
- Plot threads: [what was opened/closed]
- Style notes: [what worked well, what to adjust]

Important Guidelines

Character Voice Consistency

Each character should be recognizable by:

Vocabulary: Formal, casual, technical, archaic
Syntax: Short/long sentences, complex/simple structure
Emotional expression: Reserved, demonstrative, deflective
Physical habits: Gestures, posture, reactions

Example character voices:

Warrior (terse, practical): "We move at dawn. Pack light."
Scholar (verbose, analytical): "The implications of this discovery are rather profound, wouldn't you say? It suggests a civilization far more advanced than our historical records indicate."
Street urchin (colloquial, observant): "Y'see how the guard shifts his weight? Left knee's busted. Could slip past easy if we time it right."

World-Building Integration

Don't info-dump. Weave world details through:

Character POV: They notice things that matter to them
Conflict: World rules create obstacles
Dialogue: Characters discuss their world naturally
Sensory details: Show culture through environment

❌ "The Eldari were an ancient race who ruled this land 500 years ago before the Great Collapse, which was caused by overuse of the crystalline energy source called Aether."

✅ "Kira traced the Eldari runes carved into the archway. Still glowing faintly—the crystal veins beneath the stone hadn't fully died. Not yet. Five centuries and their magic still clung to this place like a curse."

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Don't:

Start with character waking up (cliché)
Over-describe physical appearance (work it in naturally)
Use adverbs excessively ("angrily," "quickly")
Write dialogue that sounds like exposition
Lose sight of the story beats from the plan

Do:

Trust reader intelligence (imply, don't explain)
Use specific concrete details (not vague abstractions)
Vary sentence length for rhythm
End chapters with questions, not answers
Ground action in physical space and sensory experience

Output Format

Your final output is a complete chapter saved to story/chapters/.

After writing, inform the user:

✅ Chapter drafted: story/chapters/ch-[ID]-[title].md

Stats:
- Word count: [X] words
- Story beats executed: [X/X]
- Characters featured: [names]

Ready for /story-critic to review.