novel-writer-workflow-guide

Novel Writer Systematic Creative Workflow

When the user says "I want to write a novel"

immediately activate this workflow guide.

Seven-Step Methodology Overview

1. /constitution  → 建立创作原则
2. /specify       → 定义故事规格
3. /clarify       → 澄清模糊点
4. /plan          → 制定创作计划
5. /tasks         → 分解执行任务
6. /write         → AI 辅助写作
7. /analyze       → 质量验证分析

Detailed Step Guidance

Step 1: Establish Creative Principles

"Let's start by using /constitution to define your creative principles. This establishes your core values, quality standards, and non-negotiable rules for this story."

Why this matters: Acts as your "creative constitution" - decisions will refer back to these principles.

What to include：

Core values (what ideas to convey)
Quality bottom line (what must never be compromised)
Style principles (language, pacing, atmosphere)
Content principles (characters, plot, worldbuilding norms)

Typical duration: 15-20 minutes

Step 2: Define Story Specifications

"Now use /specify to create a story document similar to a product spec. Think like a product manager: what is this story, who is it for, and what makes it unique?"

What to include：

One-sentence summary
Target readers
Core conflict
Main characters
Success criteria

Why this matters：

Clarifies "who it's for" and "what to write"
Sets measurable success criteria
Provides a clear goal for subsequent creation

Typical duration: 30-45 minutes

Special markers：

[需要澄清] - Mark points that need further clarification
[核心需求] - Non-negotiable requirements
[可选特性] - Nice-to-have content

Step 3: Clarify Key Decisions

"Run /clarify to resolve any unclear aspects through 5 precise questions. The AI will identify ambiguities in your spec and help you make clear decisions."

Why this matters: Ambiguity in planning = chaos in writing.

Process：

AI identifies ambiguities in the spec
Generates up to 5 key questions
Interactive answers, with answers directly updating the spec
Keeps decision history for traceability

Typical questions：

"Is the protagonist's core motivation revenge or justice?"
"Is the story's pacing fast and satisfying or slow-burn and refined?"
"Is the ending a happy reunion or one that leaves regret?"

Typical duration: 10-15 minutes

Step 4: Develop a Creative Plan

"Use /plan to create the chapter structure and technical approach. This is where you decide how to realize your spec."

What to design：

Chapter breakdown and active plotlines
Pacing and tension distribution
Foreshadowing plan
Character arc mapping

Why this matters：

Turns abstract requirements into concrete plans
Choose suitable writing methods and structures
Design concrete implementations of plot, characters, and worldbuilding

Technical decision examples：

"Use the seven-point structure to enhance suspense"
"Use multi-threaded narrative to show complexity"
"Increase mystery through a limited perspective"

Typical duration: 45-60 minutes

Step 5: Break down execution tasks

"Execution /tasks Generate an actionable task list with priorities, dependencies, and estimated effort."

Task type：

Chapter writing tasks
Character profile refinement
Worldbuilding setting supplementation
Revision and polishing tasks

Task markers：

[P] - Can be executed in parallel
[依赖:X] - Depends on task X being completed
[高优] - High-priority task

Why this is important：

Large goals become small steps, reducing the difficulty of creation
Clarify priorities and dependencies
Support parallel creation to improve efficiency

Typical duration: 20-30 minutes

Step 6: Start writing

"Now /write Use AI assistance chapter by chapter. The specification and plan guide each chapter to ensure consistency."

While writing：

Genre knowledge skills activate automatically
Consistency checker runs in the background
Pacing monitoring alerts when issues are detected

Execution principles：

Strictly follow the principles of the constitution
Refer to the technical approach in the plan
Complete the specific tasks in tasks
Maintain consistency with the specification

Recommended pace：

1-2 chapters per writing session
Stop every 3-5 chapters to review
Maintain forward momentum, don't over-edit

Step 7: Quality check

"Run every 5 chapters /analyze Maintain quality and discover issues early."

Two analysis modes：

Framework analysis(before writing): validate planning
Content analysis(after writing): validate execution

Validation dimensions：

Constitution compliance (whether it violates core principles)
Specification satisfaction (whether requirements are fulfilled)
Content consistency (plot, timeline, characters)
Quality standards (whether the set standards are met)

When to run：

After completing the first 3 chapters (early validation)
Every 5 chapters (regular check)
After completing the draft (comprehensive review)

Skills activate automatically

When following this workflow, relevant skills will activate based on context:

During /specify During：

If you mention "romance" → Romance skill activates
If you mention "mystery" → Mystery skill activates
If you mention "fantasy" → Fantasy skill activates

During /write During：

Writing dialogue → Dialogue Techniques activates
Writing scenes → Scene Structure activates
Any writing → Consistency Checker runs in the background

Throughout the entire process：

Workflow Guide (this skill) remains active
Ensure you don't skip key steps
Provide reminders when needed

When the user deviates

If the user tries to skip steps or start writing directly without a plan:

Gentle reminder：

"I notice you jumped straight to writing. Novel-writer's advantage lies in systematic upfront planning. Would you like to run /constitution and /specify to build a solid foundation? This will make the writing process smoother and help maintain consistency."

If the user insists on skipping：

"I understand - you can always create planning documents later. However, please note that without /specify and /plan, you will need to manually track consistency."

Adjustments for projects of different scales

Short story (10,000-30,000 words)

Simplified process：

/specify → /clarify → /write → /analyze

Focus: clarify the core conflict and turning points

Time: 1-2 days of intensive work

Novella (100,000-200,000 words)

Standard process：

完整七步

Focus: planning and task breakdown

Time: 2-6 months

Long-form serial (500,000 words+)

Enhanced process：

重复循环 plan → tasks → write → analyze

Focus: continuous consistency verification

Time: 6-18 months

Handling common questions

"I already have an outline"

"Great! Let's use /specify to convert it into novel-writer's format. This makes it machine-readable and enables all tracking features."

Process：

Import an existing outline
Format with /specify Format with
Fill in the gaps with /clarify Fill in the gaps with
Create a detailed technical plan with /plan Create a detailed technical plan with

"This looks like a lot of setup"

"Setup takes 30-60 minutes, but it saves hours of revision. You are essentially creating the 'source code' for your novel - modify the spec, regenerate the content. Without it, changes require manual rewriting of the entire text."

Benefits：

Consistency maintained automatically
Changes propagate automatically
Quality checks systematized
Revisions faster and easier

"Can I use only part of the workflow?"

"Yes, but some commands depend on each other:

/write requires /specify and /plan to work effectively

/analyze requires written chapters to evaluate

/track requires /track-init

Minimum viable workflow:/constitution → /specify → /write"

Completely optional：

/clarify - if your spec is already clear
/tasks - if you prefer free-form writing
/analyze - though strongly recommended

"Does this suit my writing style?"

Compatible writing styles：

Planner: will love the structure
Pantser(writing by feel): use lightweight specs, focus on /write
Hybrid: adjust as needed

Adjustment suggestions：

Planner: spend more time on /plan Pantser: keep
brief, allow for discovery /specify Pantser: keep
Hybrid: use the full process but stay flexible

Progress tracking

Visual Progress Indicator

As you work through the workflow, I'll show you where you are:

✅ /constitution  完成
✅ /specify       完成
✅ /clarify       完成
🔄 /plan          进行中...
⏸️ /tasks         待定
⏸️ /write         待定
⏸️ /analyze       待定

Milestones

Planning phase complete（steps 1-5）：

You have a complete story blueprint
Ready to start writing
All major decisions made

First draft complete(Step 6):

All chapters written
Ready for comprehensive analysis
Entering revision phase

Quality validation passed(Step 7):

Consistency validation
Meets quality standards
Ready to publish or further polish

Integration with Other Skills

Automatic triggering

When you mention a genre：

"Romance" → Romance skill provides conventions
"Mystery" → Mystery skill provides clue placement
"Fantasy" → Fantasy skill provides worldbuilding

When you encounter difficulties：

"Characters feel flat" → Suggest Character Development commands
"Scenes drag" → Scene Structure skill activates
"Dialogue is stiff" → Dialogue Techniques skill activates

Collaborative workflow

All Skills know the workflow：

They will reference your position in the workflow
Suggestions are appropriate based on the current stage
Remind you to complete earlier steps when needed

Success patterns

High-productivity pattern

周一：/constitution + /specify（2-3小时）
周二：/clarify + /plan（2-3小时）
周三：/tasks + 开始 /write（2-3小时）
周四-周日：/write 会话（每天1-2小时）
下周一：/analyze + 计划下一批

Exploratory pattern

第1周：/constitution + 轻量级 /specify
第2-3周：/write 探索性章节
第4周：基于学习更新 /specify 和 /plan
第5-8周：结构化 /write
第9周：/analyze 和修订

Sprint pattern (NaNoWriMo)

第1天：快速 /constitution + /specify + /plan（4小时）
第2-27天：密集 /write（每天2000字）
第28-30天：/analyze + 紧急修复

You are not alone