| name | novel-writer-english |
| description | Use when user starts a novel project, asks how to organize their writing, or wants help with any aspect of fiction writing. Provides the eight-step methodology for systematic novel creation, project file conventions, and knowledge of how the sub-skills, templates, and tracking systems fit together. |
Novel Writer — Eight-Step Methodology Reference
This skill contains the core knowledge of a proven eight-step methodology for writing novels with AI assistance. It covers the workflow structure, project file conventions, and how the companion sub-skills relate to each step.
The Eight Steps
| Step | Name | Purpose | Output File |
|---|
| 1 | Constitution | Define creative principles and non-negotiables | memory/constitution.md |
| 2 | Specify | Build a lean story specification and knowledge map | stories/[name]/specification.md or split specification/ |
| 3 | Clarify | Resolve ambiguities in the specification | Updated spec file or shard |
| 4 | Plan | Design chapter structure, pacing, foreshadowing, arcs | stories/[name]/creative-plan.md or split creative-plan/ |
| 5 | Tasks | Break the plan into prioritized, dependency-tracked tasks | stories/[name]/tasks.md or split tasks/ |
| 6 | Write | Draft chapters using the pre-write checklist | stories/[name]/content/chapter-XX.md |
| 7 | Edit | Review one chapter, propose line-level fixes, approve/skip items, apply approved edits after confirmation | Updated chapter |
| 8 | Review | Run broad QA on framework, cross-chapter continuity, tracking, knowledge, and final readiness | Review report |
Project File Structure
A novel project using this methodology usually maintains these files:
project-root/
├── stories/
│ └── [novel-name]/
│ ├── specification.md ← Step 2 output
│ ├── creative-plan.md ← Step 4 output
│ ├── tasks.md ← Step 5 output (checkbox checklist)
│ ├── comics-plan.md ← optional comics adaptation plan
│ ├── comics-task.md ← optional comics prompt checklist
│ ├── meta.json ← optional `/utility-meta` output
│ ├── knowledge/ ← Created by Step 2
│ │ ├── character-profiles.md
│ │ ├── character-voices.md
│ │ ├── glossary.md
│ │ ├── locations.md
│ │ ├── strategic-reversals.md
│ │ └── world-setting.md
│ ├── tracking/ ← Created by Step 4
│ │ ├── character-state.json
│ │ ├── plot-tracker.json
│ │ ├── relationships.json
│ │ ├── timeline.json
│ │ └── validation-rules.json
│ ├── content/
│ │ ├── chapter_00001.md ← Step 6 output
│ │ └── chapter_00001.notes.md ← optional draft deviation notes
│ ├── comic/ ← optional comics page prompts
│ │ └── chapter_0001/
│ │ └── ch_0001_page_001.md
│ └── sheets/ ← optional visual reference sheet prompts
│ ├── characters/
│ ├── place/
│ ├── object/
│ └── npc/
├── draft/ ← optional user-provided drafts
│ └── chapters/
│ └── 0001.md
├── memory/
│ ├── constitution.md ← Step 1 output
│ └── personal-voice.md ← optional voice reference
├── templates/ ← bundled templates for tracking and knowledge
└── knowledge-base/ ← genre, style, and requirement references
Large Document Split Mode
When specification.md, creative-plan.md, or tasks.md grows past about 500 lines, keep the root .md as a short index and move details into a matching folder:
specification.md -> specification/_main.md plus shards such as core.md, cast.md, world.md, and plot.md.creative-plan.md -> creative-plan/_main.md plus shards such as saga_0001.md, saga_0001_arc_0001.md, and ch_00001-00005.md.tasks.md -> tasks/_main.md plus task shards and optional tasks/review-editing-log.md.
Read _main.md first, then only relevant shard(s). Keep every active file or shard below about 500 lines; split again by saga, arc, batch, or chapter range when needed.
Step Details
Step 1: Constitution
Establishes the creative rules all subsequent work must follow.
Covers: core values (theme/message), quality baseline (non-negotiables), style principles (language, pacing, atmosphere), content principles (character, plot, worldbuilding norms). Note: This step now also captures pacing preference and character psychology depth.
Why it matters: Prevents creative drift over long projects. Every decision references this document.
Step 2: Specify
Creates a lean story specification using progressive detail levels. The specification captures core purpose, premise, story promise, and a knowledge map; detailed canon lives in stories/[novel-name]/knowledge/. If the specification grows too large, use split mode: specification.md stays a short index, specification/_main.md maps shards, and details live in focused shard files.
Levels: Logline (one sentence) -> Core Premise (paragraph: protagonist, goal, conflict, stakes) -> Story Promise (core purpose, conflict, themes, audience, success criteria) -> Knowledge Map (pointers to character profiles, voices, locations, world-setting, glossary, and strategic reversals). Note: Major characters keep only snapshots in the specification; full details go in stories/[novel-name]/knowledge/.
Markers: [Needs Clarification] for vague points, [Core Requirement] for non-negotiables, [Optional Feature] for nice-to-haves.
Step 3: Clarify
Identifies up to 5 ambiguities in the specification and resolves them through targeted questions. Resolved markers are removed from the specification. Note: Clarification now reads the knowledge/ folder for additional context.
Step 4: Plan
Turns the specification into a concrete implementation plan: chapter breakdown, pacing/tension distribution, foreshadowing setup, and character arc mapping. Large plans use split mode: creative-plan.md stays a short index, creative-plan/_main.md maps saga/arc/batch shards, and chapter details live in focused files. Note: Every chapter gets a pacing tag based on the constitution's pacing strategy. This step initializes stories/[novel-name]/tracking/ from templates.
Step 5: Tasks
Breaks the plan into actionable one-line chapter tasks with markers: [P] (parallel), [Dep:X] (depends on task X), [High Priority]. Large task ledgers use split mode: tasks.md stays a short dashboard, tasks/_main.md tracks progress and shard map, and chapter tasks live in saga/arc/batch shards. Note: Tasks mirror the planner's saga/arc/chapter hierarchy and do not repeat planner details or word-count estimates.
Step 6: Write
Drafts chapters one at a time. The pre-write checklist must be followed before every chapter — this is the key mechanism that prevents AI context degradation over long manuscripts. The expanded 13-item checklist reloads the constitution, specification, plan, character context, and previous chapter before generating new text, ensuring emotional goals, pacing verification, and internal reactions are covered. Note: Features write mode selection, draft detection, draft tags, and chapter output format with a mini summary.
Step 7: Edit
Runs after /writer and before /reviewer. The editor checks one chapter at a time, shows a selectable reference checklist, outputs a numbered list of line-specific suggested changes, and tracks each item as approve, skip, or for_discussion. It applies nothing until all items are resolved and the user confirms.
Run frequency: After each chapter that needs refinement, or whenever the user wants to double-check a specific chapter.
Step 8: Review
Runs broad project QA after chapter-level edits. Two main modes: Framework Analysis (validates planning documents before writing) and Content/Final Analysis (validates written chapters against constitution, specification, plan, tracking, knowledge, and internal consistency). It can recommend /editor Chapter [N] for line-level fixes, but it does not rewrite prose.
Run frequency: After chapter edits, after the first 3 chapters, every 5 chapters, and after completing the full draft.
Utility: Meta
Records the novel's bibliographic metadata. /utility-meta creates or updates stories/[novel-name]/meta.json with title, author, description, allowed genre values, Royal Road-style tags, work-type, status (ongoing/completed/hiatus), language, and publication dates.
Utility: Drafter
Creates, extends, redoes, or lightly revises loose draft material under draft/ from a user's idea. Drafts are editable idea dumps, not canon. Use /utility-drafter before /planner, /task-manager, or /writer when the user wants to explore intent first.
Bonus: Comics Prompt Workflow
After novel chapters exist, /comics-planner can adapt them into manga, manhwa, manhua, or webtoon chapter/page plans. /comics-task creates page checklist tracking. /comics-chapter-pages-prompt creates clean page prompt files. /comics-revise-prompt revises page or sheet prompts. Sheet utilities create character, setting/place, object, and NPC/general reference sheet prompts.
Companion Sub-Skills
These skills activate automatically based on context when installed:
| Skill | Activates when... |
|---|
pre-write-checklist | Writing a chapter — ensures context is loaded |
consistency-checker | Reviewing or analyzing text — catches contradictions |
forgotten-elements | Analyzing chapters — finds dropped plot threads |
style-detector | User specifies a prose style — enforces style rules |
setting-detector | User describes a setting — loads location knowledge |
requirement-detector | User states preferences — maps to requirement guides |
getting-started | User is stuck or facing blank-page syndrome |
workflow-guide | User asks about the process or which step to do next |
genre-knowledge/* | User mentions a genre — loads tropes, conventions, pitfalls |
dialogue-techniques | Writing dialogue — provides subtext, voice, pacing rules |
comedic-banter-rhythm | Writing, editing, or reviewing witty banter, comedic escalation, argument exposition, or humor under pressure |
comics-prompting | Adapting novel chapters into manga, manhwa, manhua, webtoon, comic page prompts, revision prompts, or visual reference sheets |
namecraft | Naming characters, factions, places, titles, abilities, systems, artifacts, arcs, concepts, or unresolved TBD proper nouns |
punctuation-emotional-effect | Writing, editing, or reviewing emotional punctuation — controls punctuation intensity, silence, hesitation, interruption, and emphasis |
scene-structure | Writing a scene — provides beat structure and pacing guidance |
strategic-reversal | Planning, writing, editing, or reviewing contests, tactics, bluffs, hidden rules, clever wins, or fair reversals |
Sub-Skill Locations
Quality Assurance (skills/quality-assurance/):
| File | Skill Name | Description |
|---|
skills/quality-assurance/pre-write-checklist/SKILL.md | pre-write-checklist | Ensures the AI loads constitution, spec, plan, and character context before every chapter |
skills/quality-assurance/consistency-checker/SKILL.md | consistency-checker | Checks for plot holes, character inconsistencies, timeline errors, constitution violations |
skills/quality-assurance/forgotten-elements/SKILL.md | forgotten-elements | Identifies dropped plot threads and forgotten characters or items |
skills/quality-assurance/style-detector/SKILL.md | style-detector | Detects the requested writing style and enforces it |
skills/quality-assurance/setting-detector/SKILL.md | setting-detector | Detects the genre setting and loads the appropriate knowledge base |
skills/quality-assurance/requirement-detector/SKILL.md | requirement-detector | Detects and enforces specific plot or content requirements (e.g., fast-paced, high emotion) |
skills/quality-assurance/getting-started/SKILL.md | getting-started | Helps users overcome blank page syndrome with prompts and hooks |
skills/quality-assurance/workflow-guide/SKILL.md | workflow-guide | Provides the eight-step methodology overview and step navigation |
Genre Knowledge (skills/genre-knowledge/):
| File | Skill Name | Description |
|---|
skills/genre-knowledge/fantasy/SKILL.md | genre-knowledge-fantasy | Magic systems, worldbuilding, fantasy tropes and conventions |
skills/genre-knowledge/romance/SKILL.md | genre-knowledge-romance | Romance arcs, tropes, emotional beats, HEA/HFN structures |
skills/genre-knowledge/thriller/SKILL.md | genre-knowledge-thriller | Suspense mechanics, pacing, stakes escalation, misdirection |
skills/genre-knowledge/horror/SKILL.md | genre-knowledge-horror | Dread, atmosphere, fear mechanics, horror subgenres |
skills/genre-knowledge/mystery/SKILL.md | genre-knowledge-mystery | Clue planting, red herrings, fair-play rules, reveal structure |
skills/genre-knowledge/scifi/SKILL.md | genre-knowledge-scifi | Speculative worldbuilding, technology consistency, hard vs soft sci-fi |
Writing Techniques (skills/writing-techniques/):
| File | Skill Name | Description |
|---|
skills/writing-techniques/dialogue-techniques/SKILL.md | dialogue-techniques | Subtext-heavy, distinctive, character-driven dialogue |
skills/writing-techniques/comedic-banter-rhythm/SKILL.md | comedic-banter-rhythm | Witty banter, comedic escalation, argument-driven exposition, and humor under pressure |
skills/writing-techniques/comics-prompting/SKILL.md | comics-prompting | Manga, manhwa, manhua, webtoon, comic page, revision, and visual reference sheet prompting |
skills/writing-techniques/namecraft/SKILL.md | namecraft | Names for characters, factions, places, titles, abilities, systems, artifacts, arcs, and concepts |
skills/writing-techniques/scene-structure/SKILL.md | scene-structure | Scene/sequel framework (Goal, Conflict, Disaster, Reaction, Dilemma, Decision) |
skills/writing-techniques/character-depth/SKILL.md | character-depth | Psychological backstory, Wound/Ghost, internal contradictions, defense mechanisms |
skills/writing-techniques/emotional-interiority/SKILL.md | emotional-interiority | Internal reactions, sensory-emotional responses, flags report-style narration |
skills/writing-techniques/pacing-rhythm/SKILL.md | pacing-rhythm | Pacing archetypes, sentence-level pacing, fragment detection, chapter pacing tags |
skills/writing-techniques/punctuation-emotional-effect/SKILL.md | punctuation-emotional-effect | Punctuation for emotion, rhythm, silence, hesitation, interruption, intensity, and emphasis |
skills/writing-techniques/strategic-reversal/SKILL.md | strategic-reversal | Contest, tactic, bluff, hidden-rule, clever-win, and strategic reversal scene design |
Specification Markers Reference
| Marker | Meaning |
|---|
[Needs Clarification] | Vague or ambiguous — resolve before writing |
[Core Requirement] | Non-negotiable — must be present in the final work |
[Optional Feature] | Nice-to-have — can be dropped without harming the story |
Task Markers Reference
| Marker | Meaning |
|---|
[P] | Can be done in parallel with other tasks |
[Dep:X] | Depends on task X being completed first |
[High Priority] | Critical path — do this before lower-priority items |
Project Size Guidelines
| Project Size | Recommended Flow | Focus |
|---|
| Short Story (10k–30k) | Specify → Clarify → Write → Edit → Review | Clear core conflict and turning points |
| Novel (50k–100k) | Full eight steps | Planning, editing, and broad QA |
| Web Serial (200k+) | Repeat Plan → Tasks → Write → Edit → Review per arc | Continuous consistency verification |
Minimum Viable Workflow
If the user wants a lighter process, the minimum that still works is:
Constitution → Specify → Write
Writing without at least a specification means consistency must be tracked manually, which becomes impractical beyond ~30k words.
