drafting-chapters

name	Drafting chapters
description	Drafts individual chapters for books and long articles. Use when user says 'draft chapter X', 'write chapter [number/title]', 'continue drafting', or 'write the next chapter'. Reads outline and maintains consistency with prior chapters.

Drafting Chapters

Writes individual chapters that align with the theme and maintain voice consistency.

When to use this skill

• User says "draft chapter 3" or "write chapter X"
• User says "continue drafting" (draft next incomplete chapter)
• User says "write the introduction/conclusion"
• An outline.md exists in the working directory

What this skill does

1. Reads outline.md to understand theme and chapter purpose
2. Reads all completed chapters to maintain consistency
3. Loads voice-profile.md if it exists
4. Drafts the requested chapter
5. Flags research gaps inline
6. Updates chapter status in outline
7. Git commits the new chapter

Prerequisites

Must exist:

• outline.md file in current directory

If missing outline:

I don't see an outline.md file. Should I create one first? 
I can use the 'outline-book' skill to help structure your book.

Process

Step 1: Pre-draft checklist

Before writing:

1. Read outline.md - note theme, chapter purpose, key points
2. Read voice-profile.md if it exists
3. Read all files in /chapters/ directory to understand what's been written
4. Identify which chapter to draft (if user said "continue", pick next "not started" chapter)

Step 2: Draft structure

Every chapter needs:

Opening (1-3 paragraphs):

• Hook that connects to theme
• Why this chapter matters
• What's coming

Body:

• Deliver all key points from outline
• Match voice profile characteristics
• Target the word count guide (not strict - ±20% is fine)
• Use appropriate depth for audience
• Natural transitions between ideas

Closing (1-2 paragraphs):

• Tie back to theme
• Key takeaway
• Bridge to next chapter (if not final chapter)

Step 3: Handle research gaps

When you need information you don't have, insert:

[RESEARCH: description | severity: HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW]

HIGH severity: Significantly impacts credibility

• Example: [RESEARCH: Need 2022-2024 statistics on remote work adoption | severity: HIGH]

MEDIUM severity: Would strengthen but not critical

• Example: [RESEARCH: Case study of company successfully implementing this | severity: MEDIUM]

LOW severity: Nice-to-have verification

• Example: [RESEARCH: Verify this framework attribution | severity: LOW]

Continue drafting despite gaps. Don't let missing info block progress.

Step 4: Save chapter file

Create file as /chapters/[number]-[slug].md

Examples:

• /chapters/01-introduction.md
• /chapters/02-the-trust-framework.md
• /chapters/10-conclusion.md

Use two-digit numbers for proper sorting.

Step 5: Update outline status

In outline.md, change chapter status from "not started" to "complete":

### Chapter 3: Building Psychological Safety
- **Status**: complete

Step 6: Git commit

git add chapters/[number]-[title].md outline.md
git commit -m "Draft: Chapter [number] - [Title]"

Voice consistency

If voice-profile.md exists, match these characteristics:

Sentence structure:

• Mimic average length patterns
• Match complexity level
• Follow rhythm (staccato vs flowing)

Tone:

• Maintain formality level
• Use consistent perspective
• Match directness

Content techniques:

• Use examples at similar frequency
• Match metaphor usage
• Balance data/stories as in profile
• Use questions at similar rate

Technical approach:

• Match jargon usage
• Maintain depth level
• Follow explanation style

Word count guidance

Target is calculated as: total_book_length / number_of_chapters

This is a guide, not a rule:

• ±20% is completely fine
• Some chapters naturally run longer
• Introduction/conclusion often shorter
• Middle chapters often longer

If significantly over/under, note it but continue.

Examples

Example 1: Simple draft request

User: "Draft chapter 1"

Process:

1. Read outline.md → Chapter 1 is "Why Delegation Fails"
2. Read voice-profile.md → Conversational, uses examples
3. No other chapters exist yet
4. Draft chapter with opening hook, 3 key points from outline, closing
5. Save as /chapters/01-why-delegation-fails.md
6. Update outline status
7. Git commit

Example 2: Continue drafting

User: "Continue drafting"

Process:

1. Read outline.md
2. Check chapter statuses → Chapters 1-3 complete, 4 is "not started"
3. Read chapters 1-3 to understand flow and maintain consistency
4. Draft chapter 4
5. Git commit

Example 3: Research gap encountered

While drafting, you need statistics you don't have:

Recent studies show [RESEARCH: Need data on manager time spent in meetings 2022-2024 | severity: HIGH] that managers spend excessive time in meetings.

Continue writing the rest of the chapter.

Edge cases

User requests chapter that doesn't exist in outline:

I don't see a Chapter [X] in the outline. Current chapters are:
[list chapters from outline]

Did you mean one of these, or should I add a new chapter to the outline?

Outline shows chapter as "complete" but file doesn't exist:

The outline shows Chapter [X] as complete, but I don't see the file. 
Should I:
1. Draft it fresh (and update status)
2. Check if it's in a different location

Cross-reference to unwritten chapter: If chapter 5 should reference chapter 3, but chapter 3 isn't drafted yet:

• Use placeholder: [See Chapter 3 for details on X]
• Note: [TODO: Expand this reference once Chapter 3 is complete]

Significantly over word count: If draft is >30% over target, note it:

Note: This chapter came in at [X] words vs target of [Y]. 
This might be fine, or you could use 'revise-chapter' to condense it.

Quality checklist

Each draft should:

• ✓ Open with clear theme connection
• ✓ Deliver all key points from outline
• ✓ Match voice profile (if exists)
• ✓ Include natural transitions
• ✓ Flag gaps rather than include weak content
• ✓ Close with tie to theme
• ✓ Target word count as rough guide

Files created/modified

• /chapters/[number]-[title].md - New chapter file
• outline.md - Status updated to "complete"

Next steps

After drafting:

• Use track-research-gaps to extract and organize research needs
• Use check-theme-alignment to verify alignment (automatically after every 2nd chapter)
• Use revise-chapter if chapter needs improvement
• Continue with next chapter using this skill again