grey-haven-creative-writing
Creative Writing
Professional writing assistance across genres: blogs, research, fiction, essays, and marketing copy.
Writing Philosophy
Great writing follows universal principles regardless of genre:
- Clarity - Every sentence serves a purpose
- Voice - Consistent tone appropriate to audience
- Structure - Logical flow that guides readers
- Engagement - Hooks, tension, and payoff
- Polish - Refined through editing
Genre Selection
Choose your writing type to load genre-specific guidance:
| Genre | Reference | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Blog posts | references/blog-writing.md |
SEO content, thought leadership, tutorials |
| Research articles | references/research-writing.md |
Academic papers, whitepapers, reports |
| Fiction | references/fiction-writing.md |
Novels, short stories, creative narratives |
| Essays | references/essay-writing.md |
Arguments, analysis, personal reflection |
| Marketing copy | references/marketing-writing.md |
Landing pages, emails, ads |
Universal Writing Process
Phase 1: Understand
Before writing, clarify:
- Audience - Who reads this? What do they know?
- Purpose - Inform, persuade, entertain, or inspire?
- Constraints - Word count, tone, format requirements?
- Success criteria - What makes this piece successful?
Phase 2: Structure
Create an outline before drafting:
1. Hook/Opening - Grab attention
2. Context - Set the stage
3. Main content - Deliver value
- Point A with support
- Point B with support
- Point C with support
4. Conclusion - Synthesize and call to action
Phase 3: Draft
Write freely without self-editing:
- First draft is discovery - Find what you're really saying
- Momentum over perfection - Keep moving forward
- Mark uncertainties - Use [TODO] or [CHECK] placeholders
- Write the easy parts first - Build confidence
Phase 4: Revise
Systematic revision passes:
- Structure pass - Does the logic flow?
- Clarity pass - Is each sentence clear?
- Voice pass - Is the tone consistent?
- Trim pass - Cut unnecessary words
- Polish pass - Refine word choices
Phase 5: Finalize
Pre-publish checklist in checklists/pre-publish-checklist.md.
Templates
Ready-to-use structures:
| Template | Use Case |
|---|---|
templates/blog-post.md |
Standard blog structure |
templates/research-article.md |
Academic/professional paper |
templates/fiction-chapter.md |
Novel chapter structure |
templates/essay.md |
Argumentative essay |
templates/landing-page.md |
Marketing landing page |
Writing Techniques
Hook Patterns
Question hook: "Have you ever wondered why...?" Statistic hook: "73% of developers struggle with..." Story hook: "Last Tuesday, everything changed when..." Contrarian hook: "Everything you know about X is wrong." Promise hook: "By the end of this article, you'll be able to..."
Transition Patterns
Additive: Furthermore, Additionally, Moreover Contrasting: However, On the other hand, Nevertheless Causal: Therefore, As a result, Consequently Sequential: First, Next, Finally Exemplifying: For example, Specifically, Consider
Ending Patterns
Summary: Recap key points Call to action: Direct next step Question: Provoke continued thought Vision: Paint future picture Circle back: Return to opening
Readability Guidelines
| Audience | Reading Level | Sentence Length |
|---|---|---|
| General public | 8th grade | 15-20 words |
| Professional | 10th grade | 20-25 words |
| Academic | 12th+ grade | 25-30 words |
| Technical | Varies | Match documentation style |
Readability Techniques
- Short paragraphs - 3-4 sentences max
- Active voice - "The team built" not "It was built by"
- Concrete nouns - "hammer" not "implement"
- Strong verbs - "sprint" not "move quickly"
- No jargon - Unless audience expects it
Checklists
Quality assurance tools:
| Checklist | Purpose |
|---|---|
checklists/pre-publish-checklist.md |
Final review before publishing |
checklists/revision-checklist.md |
Systematic revision passes |
checklists/prose-revision-checkpoint.md |
Inter-phase quality gate for revision pipeline |
checklists/novel-development-checkpoint.md |
Inter-phase quality gate for novel development pipeline |
checklists/manuscript-audit-checkpoint.md |
Audit completion gate for manuscript audit pipeline |
checklists/content-production-checkpoint.md |
Inter-phase quality gate for content production pipeline |
checklists/review-synthesis-checkpoint.md |
Synthesis gate for review synthesis pipeline |
Prose Revision Pipeline
A 6-phase systematic revision pipeline for manuscripts, using SVQ scoring as the quality metric. Designed for multi-book series but works on single manuscripts.
Reference Documents
| Reference | Path | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Master SOP | references/prose-revision/prose-revision-sop.md |
Framework overview, operational rules, config template |
| Phase 1 | references/prose-revision/phase-1-surface-cleanup.md |
Verbal tics, closing spirals, voice differentiation |
| Phase 2 | references/prose-revision/phase-2-prose-craft.md |
Perception verbs, over-explanation, sentence variety |
| Phase 3 | references/prose-revision/phase-3-svq-polish.md |
Targeted over-explanation, counterpoint injection |
| Phase 4 | references/prose-revision/phase-4-sentence-architecture.md |
Em-dash density, sentence shapes, character metaphors |
| Phase 5 | references/prose-revision/phase-5-enrichment.md |
Sensory anchoring, body moments, dialogue beats |
| Phase 6 | references/prose-revision/phase-6-final-audit.md |
SVQ scoring, consistency verification, final report |
Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
/prose-revision |
Run the full 6-phase pipeline with quality gates |
/revision-phase |
Run a single phase for targeted reruns or recovery |
Pipeline Flow
Phase 1 (cuts) -> Phase 2 (cuts) -> Phase 3 (cuts) -> Phase 4 (refine) -> Phase 5 (adds) -> Phase 6 (audit)
| | | | | |
checkpoint checkpoint checkpoint checkpoint checkpoint checkpoint
+ SVQ score + SVQ score + SVQ score
Novel Development Pipeline
A 5-phase pre-production pipeline for novels, using NRS scoring (Narrative Readiness Score) as the quality metric. Produces a Novel Foundation Package ready for drafting.
Reference Documents
| Reference | Path | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Master SOP | references/novel-development/novel-development-sop.md |
NRS framework, operational rules, config template |
| Phase 1 | references/novel-development/phase-1-research.md |
Genre conventions, setting research, thematic context |
| Phase 2 | references/novel-development/phase-2-foundation.md |
Character profiles, world bible, beat sheet (3 agents parallel) |
| Phase 3 | references/novel-development/phase-3-structure.md |
Chapter-by-chapter outline with scene breakdowns |
| Phase 4 | references/novel-development/phase-4-dialogue.md |
Voice guides, sample dialogue, scene dialogue notes |
| Phase 5 | references/novel-development/phase-5-integration.md |
Consistency check, NRS scoring, Novel Foundation Package |
Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
/writing-team |
Run the full 5-phase novel development pipeline |
/novel-phase |
Run a single phase for targeted reruns or recovery |
Pipeline Flow
Phase 1 (research) -> Phase 2 (foundation: 3 agents parallel) -> Phase 3 (structure) -> Phase 4 (dialogue) -> Phase 5 (integration)
| | | | |
checkpoint checkpoint checkpoint checkpoint checkpoint
+ NRS score + NRS score
Manuscript Audit Pipeline
A parallel-dispatch audit pipeline for manuscripts, using SVQ, Believability, and World Consistency scores with acceptance thresholds.
Reference Documents
| Reference | Path | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Master SOP | references/manuscript-audit/manuscript-audit-sop.md |
Acceptance thresholds, synthesis protocol, config template |
| Believability | references/manuscript-audit/audit-believability.md |
Verisimilitude, consistency, plausibility (0-100 score) |
| Prose Quality | references/manuscript-audit/audit-prose-quality.md |
SVQ scoring in audit mode (1-10 per dimension) |
| World Consistency | references/manuscript-audit/audit-world-consistency.md |
Rule verification, timeline, system coherence |
Acceptance Thresholds
| Decision | SVQ Composite | Believability | World Issues |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACCEPT | >= 7.0 | >= 80/100 | No critical issues |
| REVISE | 5.0 - 6.9 | 60 - 79 | Major issues |
| REWORK | < 5.0 | < 60 | Critical issues |
Command
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
/writing-audit |
Run the parallel 3-agent manuscript audit with synthesis |
Content Production Pipeline
A 4-phase sequential pipeline for non-fiction content, using CRS scoring (Content Readiness Score) as the quality metric. Produces a Content Production Package ready for writing.
Reference Documents
| Reference | Path | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Master SOP | references/content-production/content-production-sop.md |
CRS framework, operational rules, config template |
| Phase 1 | references/content-production/phase-1-strategy.md |
Audience analysis, keyword research, content calendar |
| Phase 2 | references/content-production/phase-2-research.md |
Factual research per content piece |
| Phase 3 | references/content-production/phase-3-outline.md |
Production-ready outlines mapped to keywords |
| Phase 4 | references/content-production/phase-4-production-readiness.md |
Lead synthesis, CRS scoring, Content Production Package |
Command
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
/content-team |
Run the full 4-phase content production pipeline |
Pipeline Flow
Phase 1 (strategy) -> Phase 2 (research) -> Phase 3 (outline) -> Phase 4 (readiness)
| | | |
checkpoint checkpoint checkpoint checkpoint
+ CRS score + CRS score
Review Synthesis Pipeline
A parallel-dispatch review pipeline with structured synthesis protocol for resolving reviewer disagreements.
Reference Documents
| Reference | Path | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Master SOP | references/review-synthesis/review-synthesis-sop.md |
Synthesis protocol, review focus mapping, config template |
| Editorial | references/review-synthesis/review-editorial.md |
Developmental feedback, line editing, copy editing |
| Prose Quality | references/review-synthesis/review-prose-quality.md |
SVQ scoring, style analysis, voice profiling |
| Dialogue | references/review-synthesis/review-dialogue.md |
Voice differentiation, subtext, authenticity |
Synthesis Protocol
| Agreement Level | Rule | Action |
|---|---|---|
| All 3 agree | High confidence | Highest priority in revision list |
| 2 of 3 agree | Majority | Include with dissenting note |
| All 3 disagree | Author decides | Present all perspectives |
| Severity conflict | Highest wins | If one says critical, it is critical |
Command
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
/writing-review |
Run the parallel 3-agent review with synthesis |
Use This Skill When
- Writing any form of content from scratch
- Improving existing drafts
- Learning writing techniques
- Structuring complex pieces
- Overcoming writer's block
- Editing for clarity and impact
- Running systematic manuscript revision pipelines
- Developing novel foundations with structured pre-production
- Auditing manuscripts for quality and consistency
- Producing content with strategy-first workflows
- Synthesizing multi-reviewer feedback into actionable revision lists
Related Skills
prompt-engineering- Crafting effective promptsdocumentation-alignment- Technical documentation
Skill Version: 1.2 Genres Covered: Blog, Research, Fiction, Essay, Marketing Pipelines: Prose Revision, Novel Development, Manuscript Audit, Content Production, Review Synthesis Last Updated: 2026-02-06