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name: writing description: This skill should be used when the user asks to "write an article", "draft a blog post", "edit prose", "review my writing", "check style", "improve clarity", or needs general writing guidance. Provides Strunk & White's Elements of Style for foundational grammar, usage, and composition principles.

Writing and Editing

Foundational style guide for clear, concise prose based on Strunk & White's Elements of Style.

When to Use

Invoke this skill for:

• Writing articles, blog posts, or general prose
• Editing text for clarity, conciseness, or style
• Reviewing grammar and usage
• Improving sentence structure and word choice

For specialized domains:

• Legal writing (law review articles): Use /writing-legal skill (Volokh)
• Economics/Finance: Use /writing-econ skill (McCloskey)

Core Principles

The Iron Law of Good Writing

Omit needless words.

Every word must earn its place. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences.

Critical Rules

Red Flags - Stop If You Think

How to Use This Skill

Before Writing

1. Identify the main point or thesis
2. Plan the structure: introduction, development, conclusion
3. Gather concrete examples to support claims

During Drafting

1. Write complete sentences in paragraphs
2. Use active voice and strong verbs
3. Be specific: "three hours" not "a long time"
4. Avoid starting with "There is" or "It is"

During Editing

Apply these checks in order:

Sentence Level:

• Remove unnecessary words ("in order to" → "to")
• Replace weak verbs ("is able to" → "can")
• Convert passive to active voice
• Eliminate redundancies ("past history" → "history")

Paragraph Level:

• Ensure each paragraph has one main idea
• Check topic sentences lead clearly
• Verify logical flow between paragraphs

Word Level:

• Replace abstract nouns with concrete ones
• Use specific verbs over vague ones + adverbs
• Cut filler words ("very", "really", "quite", "rather")

Quick Reference: Common Fixes

Progressive Disclosure

For comprehensive guidance, consult:

Reference Files

• references/elements-of-style.md - Complete Strunk & White guide covering:
  • Elementary Rules of Usage (commas, colons, participles)
  • Elementary Principles of Composition (paragraph unity, active voice)
  • Words and Expressions Commonly Misused
  • Style guidance and literary reminders

When to Load References

Load the full reference when:

• Encountering specific grammar questions (comma usage, possessives)
• Needing detailed guidance on composition principles
• Checking whether specific words/expressions are commonly misused
• Working on substantial editing tasks

Integration with AI Anti-Patterns

After completing any writing task, invoke /ai-anti-patterns to check for AI writing indicators. This plugin includes PostToolUse hooks that automatically warn on common anti-patterns in Write/Edit output.

Examples

Weak original:

It is important to note that there are a variety of different factors that contribute to the overall success of the project in question.

Strong revision:

Several factors determine project success.

Weak original:

The report was written by the team and was subsequently reviewed by management prior to being distributed to stakeholders.

Strong revision:

The team wrote the report, management reviewed it, and stakeholders received it.

Typography Tools

Smart Quotes

Convert straight quotes (") to typographic curly quotes (""):

Copypython ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/smartquotes.py file.md
python ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/smartquotes.py file.md --check  # dry-run

Converts quotes and apostrophes while preserving em dashes and other formatting. Requires pip install smartypants.

Related Skills

• /ai-anti-patterns - Detect and revise AI writing patterns
• /writing-legal - Academic legal writing (Volokh)
• /writing-econ - Economics and finance writing (McCloskey)
• /docx - Word document creation, editing, tracked changes
• /pdf - PDF extraction, creation, form filling
• /pptx - Presentation creation and editing
• /xlsx - Spreadsheet creation and analysis