Diagnose what any story needs regardless of its current state. This skill should be used when a writer is stuck, evaluating story problems, when narrative…
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.don't have the plugin yet? install it then click "run inline in claude" again.