story-sense

SKILL.md

Story Sense: Diagnostic Skill

Identify what state a story is in and what it needs to move forward. This is not a linear process but a diagnostic model: Assess → Diagnose → Intervene → Reassess.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

Writer is stuck and doesn't know why

Story feels broken but root cause unclear

Need to evaluate story problems systematically

Someone asks "what's wrong with my story?"

Do NOT use this skill when:

Writer wants you to write the story (use story-collaborator)

Writer wants coaching questions only (use story-coach)

Publishing/marketing questions (use book-marketing)

Core Principle
Story Sense is the ability to know what any story needs, regardless of its current state or intended medium.

There's no such thing as "stuck." There's only:

Not yet having diagnosed the problem

Not yet applying the right intervention

The Story States

State 0: No Story (Blank Page)

Symptoms: Nothing exists yet
Interventions: story-idea-generator, elemental genres

State 1: Concept Without Foundation

Symptoms: Have idea but world/characters/plot feel thin
Interventions: cliche-transcendence, systemic-worldbuilding, key-moments

State 2: World Without Life

Symptoms: Setting exists but feels like backdrop
Interventions: worldbuilding skill suite (belief-systems, economic-systems, governance-systems)

State 3: Flat Non-Humans

Symptoms: Aliens/fantasy species feel like humans in costume
Interventions: conlang, species development frameworks

State 4: Characters Without Dimension

Symptoms: Characters serve plot rather than driving it
Interventions: character-arc, underdog-unit, positional-revelation

State 4.5: Plot Without Pacing

Symptoms: Scenes work individually but don't accumulate
Interventions: scene-sequencing

State 5: Plot Without Purpose

Symptoms: Events happen but don't accumulate meaning
Interventions: moral-parallax, key-moments

State 5.5: Dialogue Feels Flat

Symptoms: Characters sound alike, conversations lifeless
Interventions: dialogue

State 5.75: Ending Doesn't Land

Symptoms: Story builds well but resolution disappoints
Interventions: endings

State 5.85: Draft Not Progressing

Symptoms: Planning done but draft isn't happening
Interventions: drafting

State 5.9: Prose Feels Flat

Symptoms: Story works but sentences are functional not memorable
Interventions: prose-style

State 6: Draft Complete, Needs Revision

Symptoms: Draft exists but revision feels overwhelming
Interventions: revision

State 7: Ready for Evaluation

Symptoms: Story exists but quality uncertain
Interventions: sensitivity-check, story-analysis

Decision Tree

Is there anything on the page?
├── NO → story-idea-generator
└── YES → What's the problem?
    ├── Feels generic → cliche-transcendence
    ├── World feels thin → worldbuilding
    ├── Non-humans feel fake → conlang
    ├── Characters flat → character-arc
    ├── Pacing off → scene-sequencing
    ├── Dialogue wooden → dialogue
    ├── Ending weak → endings
    ├── Meaning unclear → moral-parallax
    ├── Draft not progressing → drafting
    ├── Prose flat → prose-style
    └── Draft needs revision → revision

Diagnostic Process

Listen for symptoms - What are they describing as the problem?

Ask clarifying questions - Get specific about where they're stuck

Identify the state - Match symptoms to state list

Name the diagnosis - Explain what you're seeing

Recommend intervention - Point to specific skill

Offer next steps - What should they try first?

Available Scripts

entropy.ts

Injects creative randomness from curated lists.

deno run --allow-read scripts/entropy.ts lies
deno run --allow-read scripts/entropy.ts disasters --count 3
deno run --allow-read scripts/entropy.ts --combo

Lists: lies, ghosts, disasters, dilemmas, professions, locations, collisions, openings

functions.ts

Generates characters from abstract story functions.

deno run --allow-read scripts/functions.ts
deno run --allow-read scripts/functions.ts --setting scifi
deno run --allow-read scripts/functions.ts healer --setting fantasy

Functions: healer, enforcer, keeper_of_secrets, maker, trader, guide, entertainer, death_worker, transgressor

Anti-Patterns

Prescribing Instead of Diagnosing

Fix: Always ask clarifying questions before diagnosing.

Framework Overload

Fix: Recommend one intervention. Expand after reassessment.

Ignoring Writer's Energy

Fix: Balance diagnostic accuracy with what energizes the writer.

Treating Structure as Story

Fix: Keep asking "Does this feel right?" alongside structural diagnosis.

Related Skills

Routes to all fiction skills based on diagnosed state.