Capture story brainstorming as minimal working notes that preserve creative freedom. The core principle: record what was stated, mark what was suggested, and don't fill gaps the author left open.
Report Structure
When producing a standalone brainstorm document, tag all generated content
as <AI> since none came from the author:
# [Topic]: [Angle]
## Approach
<AI>What direction you explored and why.</AI>
## Ideas
<AI>Concrete possibilities, organized logically.</AI>
Tradeoffs
What each option gains and gives up.
Connections
How this connects to existing story threads.
Open Questions
Questions the author should consider before committing.
## Source Tagging
**Default: untagged text = the author said it.** Most brainstorming content comes from the author, so untagged is the common case.
Three tags for special context:
**`<AI>...</AI>`**: AI suggestions and possibilities. Use when offering ideas the author didn't state. Keep brief: 2-3 options, not exhaustive lists.
**`<hidden>...</hidden>`**: Author-only information for planned reveals. Secret motivations, future twists, behind-the-scenes reasoning that readers and characters don't know yet.
**`<rejected>...</rejected>`**: Ideas explicitly considered and discarded. Recording why something was rejected prevents re-suggesting it and preserves the reasoning for later reconsideration.
## Minimal Capture
Record what the author stated. Don't elaborate, don't fill gaps, don't invent details they didn't mention.
AI suggestions are valuable: wrap them in `<AI>` tags and keep them brief.
- "Character A competes with B" → capture as stated. Optionally: `<AI>Tournament? Political? Trial?</AI>`
- "Maybe creates tension" → record as uncertain. Don't resolve the maybe.
- "Three kingdoms" → note three kingdoms. Don't name them.
## Preserve Vagueness
If the author left it vague, the notes stay vague. "Might," "maybe," "thinking about," "something like": all preserved as-is. Vagueness isn't a problem to solve; it's creative space the author is keeping open.
Multiple contradictory options coexist until the author chooses. Don't resolve them. Don't pick the "best" one.
## Output Format
Use whatever structure fits the discussion: bullet lists, topic sections, timeline format, question-driven, freeform. The goal is clarity, not template compliance.
Essential elements:
- Minimal capture of author's words
- Vagueness preserved
- AI suggestions wrapped in `<AI>` tags
- Author-only info wrapped in `<hidden>` tags
- Rejected ideas wrapped in `<rejected>` tags when relevant
## Brainstorming Types
All brainstorming types share the core principles above. See resources for specialized guidance:
- [`resources/chapter-planning.md`](resources/chapter-planning.md): beat and scene exploration, pacing thoughts, chapter structure
- [`resources/character-development.md`](resources/character-development.md): motivations, arcs, relationships, voice
- [`resources/worldbuilding.md`](resources/worldbuilding.md): systems, cultures, geography, lore
- [`resources/continuity-timeline.md`](resources/continuity-timeline.md): chronology, contradictions, knowledge propagation
Read the relevant resource when the brainstorming focuses on that area.
## Calibration
The success check: the author says "yes, that's what I said." Capture stated
facts, preserve uncertainty, add brief tagged options when useful, keep notes
minimal.
## File Placement
See the `writing-artifacts` skill for directory conventions and naming. Durable decisions get promoted to the kb decisions layer after the brainstorm completes.