writing-coach

name

writing-coach

description

Updates writing memory based on user feedback given during cover letter drafting. Use when the user has reviewed active_application/final_draft.md, the draft has already been revised as requested, and they want reusable corrections, preferences, or opinions about the writing to carry forward — either directly in chat or through referenced notes/files. NOT for analyzing reference draft batches (that belongs to voice-archivist). Writes directly to memory/writing_strategies.md.

Writing Coach

Updates writing memory from user feedback on active_application/final_draft.md. Feedback can be provided directly in chat or via @file notes. Different from voice-archivist, which analyzes reference draft batches.

Use this skill after the current draft has already been revised to reflect the user's feedback, and the remaining task is to decide which preferences should persist into future letters.

Memory model

Memory	File	Purpose
Style guidelines	memory/style_guidelines.md	Reusable style patterns extracted from reference drafts (via Voice Archivist)
Writing strategies	memory/writing_strategies.md	Reusable drafting preferences to apply in future letters

Workflow

1. Read @active_application/final_draft.md first. Always ground decisions in the current draft text.
2. Read the user's feedback (chat feedback and/or any referenced note files).
3. If @memory/writing_strategies.md exists, read it. If it does not exist yet, start from an empty strategies file.
4. Classify each piece of feedback:

Save to writing strategies when the user is explicit and deliberate:

• "never use 'passionate about'", "always end with a call to action", "keep it under 3 paragraphs"

Ignore / do not save when the feedback is clearly job-specific:

• "mention the Paris office", "reference their 2024 product"

5. Preserve the user's wording when it is already clear and reusable. Normalize only enough to keep the file readable and stable.
6. Append to memory/writing_strategies.md under the most relevant section. If the file does not exist yet, create it first with clear section headings. Never overwrite existing rules.
7. Summarise what was saved and where.

Output format for writing_strategies.md

If memory/writing_strategies.md does not exist yet, create it using this structure:

# Writing Strategies

## Keep Doing
- [Reusable patterns to preserve]

## Avoid
- [Phrases, tones, or structures to avoid]

## Structure Preferences
- [Paragraph count, ordering, bullet preferences, length constraints]

## Tone Preferences
- [Directness, confidence, formality, pacing]

## Closing Preferences
- [Recurring end-of-letter preferences]

Rules

• Create memory/writing_strategies.md on first use if it is missing.
• Save only reusable preferences that should carry forward to future letters.
• Preserve the section headings above so downstream skills can read a stable structure over time.
• Assume the draft itself is handled by cover-letter-writer. This skill stores reusable guidance; it does not replace draft revision.
• Do not save job-specific edits, company-specific references, or one-off corrections that should stay inside the current application draft.