creative-writing

type	skill
inheritance	inheritable
lifecycle	stable
name	creative-writing
description	Patterns for fiction, narrative structure, character development, dialogue, and storytelling craft.
tier	standard
applyTo	**/*fiction*,**/*story*,**/*narrative*,**/*dialogue*,**/*character*
currency	"2026-05-02T00:00:00.000Z"
lastReviewed	"2026-05-02T00:00:00.000Z"

Creative Writing Skill

Patterns for fiction, narrative structure, character development, dialogue, and storytelling craft.

---

Book Project Scaffolding

Recommended Folder Structure

book-project/
├── .github/
│   ├── copilot-instructions.md    # Book-specific Alex context
│   └── prompts/
│       └── chapter-review.prompt.md
├── outline/
│   ├── BOOK-PLAN.md               # Synopsis, themes, timeline
│   ├── PLOT-OUTLINE.md            # Beat sheet or chapter summaries
│   └── TIMELINE.md                # Story timeline (if complex)
├── characters/
│   ├── CHARACTER-BIBLE.md         # All characters in one file
│   └── [character-name].md        # Deep dives for major characters
├── worldbuilding/                  # For fantasy/sci-fi/historical
│   ├── WORLD-BIBLE.md             # Rules, history, geography
│   ├── magic-system.md            # If applicable
│   └── locations/                 # Location details
├── research/                       # For historical, technical, etc.
│   ├── RESEARCH-LOG.md            # What you've researched
│   └── notes/                     # Source notes
├── chapters/
│   ├── act-1/
│   │   ├── ch01-[slug].md
│   │   └── ch02-[slug].md
│   ├── act-2/
│   └── act-3/
├── drafts/
│   ├── draft-1/                   # Complete manuscript versions
│   └── draft-2/
├── scenes/                         # Loose scenes not yet placed
└── README.md                       # Project overview

BOOK-PLAN.md Template

# Book Plan: [Title]

## Logline
[One sentence that captures the core conflict]

## Synopsis
[2-3 paragraph summary]

## Genre & Comparables
- **Genre**: [Primary genre + subgenre]
- **Comp Titles**: [Book] meets [Book]
- **Target Audience**: [Who is this for]

## Themes
1. [Primary theme — what is this book ABOUT thematically?]
2. [Secondary theme]

## Structure
- **Format**: [Novel / Novella / Short Story Collection]
- **POV**: [First / Third Limited / Multiple]
- **Tense**: [Past / Present]
- **Target Word Count**: [XX,000]

## Timeline
| Phase | Duration | Deliverable |
|-------|----------|-------------|
| Outline | Weeks 1-2 | PLOT-OUTLINE.md complete |
| Draft 1 | Weeks 3-10 | Rough draft in drafts/draft-1/ |
| Revision | Weeks 11-14 | Draft 2 |
| Beta | Weeks 15-18 | Beta feedback incorporated |
| Polish | Weeks 19-20 | Submission-ready |

## Success Criteria
- [ ] First draft complete
- [ ] [Other goals]

CHARACTER-BIBLE.md Template

# Character Bible

## Main Characters

### [Character Name] — [Role: Protagonist/Antagonist/etc.]
- **Age**:
- **Occupation**:
- **Want** (external goal):
- **Need** (internal growth):
- **Lie** (false belief):
- **Ghost** (wound from past):
- **Arc**: [Positive/Negative/Flat]

**Voice notes**: [How they speak, verbal tics, vocabulary level]

**Appearance**: [Key visual details]

**Relationships**:
| Character | Relationship | Dynamic |
|-----------|-------------|---------|
| [Name] | [Role] | [How they interact] |

---

### [Next Character]
...

## Supporting Characters

| Name | Role | One-Line Description |
|------|------|---------------------|
| [Name] | [Best friend] | [Brief] |

copilot-instructions.md Template (Fiction Projects)

# [Book Title] — Writing Context

## Project Overview
[2-3 sentence summary: genre, premise, current status]

## Current Phase
- [x] Outlining
- [ ] Drafting (Chapter X of Y)
- [ ] Revision
- [ ] Beta/Feedback

## Key Files
- Book plan: outline/BOOK-PLAN.md
- Plot: outline/PLOT-OUTLINE.md
- Characters: characters/CHARACTER-BIBLE.md
- World: worldbuilding/WORLD-BIBLE.md (if applicable)

## Alex Guidance
- **Voice**: [Describe the narrative voice — literary, commercial, etc.]
- **POV Rules**: [Third limited / No head-hopping / etc.]
- **Tone**: [Dark, humorous, lyrical, etc.]
- When suggesting dialogue: Match character voice from CHARACTER-BIBLE.md
- When reviewing scenes: Check against PLOT-OUTLINE.md for consistency

## Don't
- Don't make the prose purple/overwrought
- Don't add characters not in CHARACTER-BIBLE.md without discussion
- Don't resolve tension too easily

## World Rules (if applicable)
[Key constraints: magic rules, historical accuracy needs, etc.]

Book Project Audit Checklist

## Book Project Audit

### Structure Assessment
- [ ] Has outline/ with BOOK-PLAN.md
- [ ] Character documentation exists
- [ ] Chapters organized (by act or sequentially)
- [ ] Drafts versioned separately

### Alex-Readiness Assessment
- [ ] copilot-instructions.md exists with project context
- [ ] Current phase clearly marked
- [ ] Voice/tone guidance provided
- [ ] Key files linked

### Craft Documentation
- [ ] Character arcs defined (want/need/lie)
- [ ] Plot structure documented
- [ ] World rules captured (if applicable)
- [ ] Research tracked (if needed)

---

Story Structure Models

Three-Act Structure

Act	Purpose	Proportion
Act I: Setup	Introduce world, character, conflict	25%
Act II: Confrontation	Rising stakes, complications	50%
Act III: Resolution	Climax, resolution, denouement	25%

Key Plot Points

Act I                    Act II                      Act III
┌─────────────────┬──────────────────────────┬─────────────────┐
│                 │                          │                 │
│   Inciting   Turning    Midpoint    Turning    Climax       │
│   Incident   Point 1              Point 2                   │
│      ↓          ↓          ↓         ↓          ↓           │
└──────┴──────────┴──────────┴─────────┴──────────┴───────────┘
     10%         25%        50%       75%       90%

Alternative Structures

Structure	Best For	Key Feature
Hero's Journey	Epic, fantasy	12 stages, transformation
Save the Cat	Commercial fiction	15 beats, clear timing
Seven-Point	Plotting from ending	Hook → Resolution
Freytag's Pyramid	Classic drama	Rising/falling action
Kishōtenketsu	Eastern narrative	No conflict required
In Medias Res	Thrillers	Start in middle of action

Character Development

Character Dimensions

Dimension	Questions
Want (External)	What does the character pursue?
Need (Internal)	What must they learn/change?
Lie	What false belief holds them back?
Ghost	What past event created the lie?
Flaw	What weakness emerges from the lie?
Strength	What positive trait will save them?

Character Arc Types

Arc	Description	Example
Positive	Overcomes flaw, achieves need	Most protagonists
Negative	Succumbs to flaw, tragic end	Breaking Bad
Flat	Changes others, not self	Sherlock Holmes
Corruption	Starts good, ends bad	Anakin Skywalker
Disillusionment	Loses positive belief	Noir protagonists

Character Voice Checklist

• Vocabulary level and word choice
• Sentence rhythm and length
• Speech patterns and verbal tics
• What they notice (reveals values)
• What they avoid talking about
• How they refer to others
• Unique expressions or phrases

Dialogue Craft

Dialogue Functions

Function	Example
Reveal character	Word choice shows personality
Advance plot	Deliver essential information
Create tension	Subtext, disagreement
Establish relationships	How characters speak to each other
Provide exposition	Disguised as natural conversation

Subtext Techniques

Technique	How It Works
Saying opposite	"I'm fine" (clearly not fine)
Deflection	Answering a different question
Non-sequitur	Changing subject reveals discomfort
Action contradiction	Words say one thing, actions another
Silence	What's NOT said speaks volumes

Dialogue Tags

Tag Type	Usage
"Said"	Invisible, preferred for most
Action beat	"I know." She turned away.
Specific verb	"Whispered" (sparingly)
Adverb	Avoid "said angrily" — show instead

Dialogue Formatting

• New speaker = new paragraph
• Action by speaker in same paragraph
• Use contractions naturally
• Read aloud to test flow
• Cut greetings and small talk (usually)

Point of View

POV Options

POV	Advantages	Limitations
First Person	Intimate, voice-driven	Limited to narrator's knowledge
Third Limited	Flexible, maintains intimacy	One character's head at a time
Third Omniscient	All-knowing narrator	Can feel distant
Second Person	Immersive, unusual	Hard to sustain
Multiple POV	Multiple perspectives	Risk confusing reader

POV Consistency Rules

• Don't "head hop" within scenes
• Signal POV shifts clearly (chapter/section break)
• Maintain consistent psychic distance
• Filter everything through POV character's perception

Scene Construction

Scene vs. Summary

Scene	Summary
Moment-by-moment	Compressed time
Dialogue, action	Narration
High importance	Transition, backstory
Show	Tell

Scene Checklist

• Clear POV character
• Character wants something
• Obstacle to that want
• Something changes by end
• Hooks to next scene

Scene-Sequel Pattern

Scene	Sequel
Goal	Reaction (emotion)
Conflict	Dilemma (thought)
Disaster	Decision (action)

Prose Style

Show vs. Tell

Telling	Showing
"She was angry"	Her jaw tightened. She gripped the table edge.
"He was nervous"	He wiped his palms on his pants for the third time.
"The room was old"	Dust motes floated through slanted light. Wallpaper peeled at the corners.

Sensory Details

Sense	Often Forgotten
Sight	✓ Usually covered
Sound	Ambient sounds, silence
Smell	Powerful memory trigger
Touch/Texture	Temperature, surfaces
Taste	Beyond food — fear, excitement

Prose Rhythm

• Vary sentence length
• Short sentences = tension, speed
• Long sentences = description, reflection
• Fragment for emphasis
• Read aloud to check flow

Genre Conventions

Genre Expectations

Genre	Reader Expects
Mystery	Fair clues, satisfying solution
Romance	HEA (Happily Ever After)
Thriller	High stakes, fast pace
Fantasy	Consistent magic system
Literary	Beautiful prose, deep themes
Horror	Building dread, catharsis

Genre Blending

• Know both genres' conventions
• Identify which is primary
• Meet core expectations of primary
• Add elements from secondary

Revision Strategies

Revision Passes

Pass	Focus
1. Story	Plot holes, arc, structure
2. Character	Consistency, motivation, voice
3. Scene	Pacing, purpose, tension
4. Prose	Sentences, words, rhythm
5. Polish	Typos, formatting

Beta Reader Questions

• Where were you confused?
• Where did you get bored?
• What did you predict?
• Which characters felt real?
• What would you cut?

Kill Your Darlings

If a passage is:

• Beautiful but slows pacing
• Clever but confuses
• Beloved but unnecessary

...consider cutting it.

Screenwriting Specifics

Screenplay Format

SCENE HEADING (SLUGLINE)
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

Action lines describe what we SEE and HEAR.
Present tense. Active voice. Brief.

                    CHARACTER NAME
          Dialogue goes here. Keep it snappy.

                    OTHER CHARACTER
                    (parenthetical)
          Response with direction if needed.

Visual Storytelling

• Show don't tell (literally)
• Enter scenes late, leave early
• Action reveals character
• Subtext over on-the-nose dialogue
• One page ≈ one minute of screen time

Poetry Elements

Poetic Devices

Device	Effect
Imagery	Sensory experience
Metaphor	Comparison without "like"
Simile	Comparison with "like/as"
Alliteration	Repeated initial sounds
Assonance	Repeated vowel sounds
Enjambment	Line breaks mid-thought

Form Considerations

• Free verse — no set rules
• Sonnet — 14 lines, specific rhyme
• Haiku — 5-7-5 syllables
• Villanelle — 19 lines, refrains