skill-creator

name	skill-creator
description	Guides you through building new Claude skills with a structured Q&A process. Use when you want to create a new skill from scratch, improve an existing one, or turn a repeated workflow into a reusable skill. Produces a ready-to-upload SKILL.md file.

Skill Creator

An interactive skill-building process. You describe a workflow or pain point; I ask the right questions; together we produce a high-quality, ready-to-upload SKILL.md file.

When to Create a Skill

A good skill candidate is anything you:

• Explain to Claude the same way more than 3 times
• Wish Claude understood about your specific domain, format preferences, or workflow
• Have to re-prompt every session because Claude's default approach doesn't fit your context

The Build Process

Step 1 — Intake Interview

Answer these questions (or let me ask them one at a time):

1. What is the skill for? Describe the task in plain language.
2. When should it activate? What triggers this skill — specific words, task types, file types?
3. What does good output look like? Share an example of a past output you loved, or describe it.
4. What does bad output look like? What does Claude typically get wrong on this task?
5. Are there domain-specific rules? Terminology, formats, frameworks, constraints to always follow?
6. What context does Claude need? Background that every session should start with.
7. How long / what format? Length, structure, headings, tone.

Step 2 — Draft

Produce a SKILL.md with:

• YAML frontmatter (name + description)
• Clear task instructions
• Output format specification
• Concrete examples (good input → good output)
• Tips and edge case handling

Step 3 — Review

Test the draft by describing 2-3 real scenarios you'd use it for. Refine until the description triggers reliably and the instructions produce the right output.

SKILL.md Template

---
name: your-skill-name
description: [One sentence: what it does and when to use it. Be specific — this is what Claude reads to decide whether to activate the skill.]
---

# [Skill Name]

[1-2 sentences: what this skill is and what problem it solves]

## When to Use
[Explicit triggers and conditions]

## Instructions
[Step-by-step process or framework for Claude to follow]

## Output Format
[Structure, length, tone, any required sections]

## Examples
**Input**: [Example prompt]
**Output**: [Expected result or description of it]

## Tips
[Edge cases, common mistakes to avoid, expert notes]

Description Writing Guide

The description field is the most important part — it determines when Claude activates the skill. A good description:

✅ Names the specific task: "Use when writing SQL queries that need performance optimisation" ✅ Names the trigger: "Activates when user pastes a meeting transcript" ✅ Is specific enough to avoid false positives: "for Python async code" not "for code"

❌ Too vague: "Helps with writing" ❌ Too broad: "Use for any technical task" ❌ Missing trigger: only describes what it does, not when

Quality Checklist

Before uploading:

• Does the name use only lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens?
• Does the description tell Claude exactly when to activate?
• Are there at least 2 concrete examples?
• Does the output format section specify length, structure, and tone?
• Have you tested it against 3 different prompts?

Tips

• Start simple. A skill with clear instructions beats a skill with elaborate but vague instructions.
• Test the description by asking Claude: "When would you use this skill?" If the answer doesn't match your intent, rewrite the description.
• One skill per workflow. Don't combine "code review + architecture + documentation" — create three focused skills that compose better.