Drafting Chapters

Writes individual chapters that align with the theme and maintain voice consistency.

When to use this skill

• User says "draft chapter 3" or "write chapter X"
• User says "continue drafting" (draft next incomplete chapter)
• User says "write the introduction/conclusion"
• An outline.md exists in the working directory

What this skill does

1. Reads outline.md to understand theme and chapter purpose
2. Reads all completed chapters to maintain consistency
3. Loads voice-profile.md if it exists
4. Drafts the requested chapter
5. Flags research gaps inline
6. Updates chapter status in outline
7. Git commits the new chapter

Prerequisites

Must exist:

• outline.md file in current directory

If missing outline:

I don't see an outline.md file. Should I create one first? 
I can use the 'outline-book' skill to help structure your book.

Process

Step 1: Pre-draft checklist

Before writing:

1. Read outline.md - note theme, chapter purpose, key points
2. Read voice-profile.md if it exists
3. Read all files in /chapters/ directory to understand what's been written
4. Identify which chapter to draft (if user said "continue", pick next "not started" chapter)

Step 2: Draft structure

Every chapter needs:

Opening (1-3 paragraphs):

• Hook that connects to theme
• Why this chapter matters
• What's coming

Body:

• Deliver all key points from outline
• Match voice profile characteristics
• Target the word count guide (not strict - ±20% is fine)
• Use appropriate depth for audience
• Natural transitions between ideas

Closing (1-2 paragraphs):

• Tie back to theme
• Key takeaway
• Bridge to next chapter (if not final chapter)

Step 3: Handle research gaps

When you need information you don't have, insert:

[RESEARCH: description | severity: HIGH/MEDIUM/LOW]

HIGH severity: Significantly impacts credibility

• Example: [RESEARCH: Need 2022-2024 statistics on remote work adoption | severity: HIGH]

MEDIUM severity: Would strengthen but not critical

• Example: [RESEARCH: Case study of company successfully implementing this | severity: MEDIUM]

LOW severity: Nice-to-have verification

• Example: [RESEARCH: Verify this framework attribution | severity: LOW]

Continue drafting despite gaps. Don't let missing info block progress.

Step 4: Save chapter file

Create file as /chapters/[number]-[slug].md

Examples:

• /chapters/01-introduction.md
• /chapters/02-the-trust-framework.md
• /chapters/10-conclusion.md

Use two-digit numbers for proper sorting.

Step 5: Update outline status

In outline.md, change chapter status from "not started" to "complete":

### Chapter 3: Building Psychological Safety
- **Status**: complete

Step 6: Git commit

git add chapters/[number]-[title].md outline.md
git commit -m "Draft: Chapter [number] - [Title]"

Voice consistency

If voice-profile.md exists, match these characteristics:

Sentence structure:

• Mimic average length patterns
• Match complexity level
• Follow rhythm (staccato vs flowing)

Tone:

• Maintain formality level
• Use consistent perspective
• Match directness

Content techniques:

• Use examples at similar frequency
• Match metaphor usage
• Balance data/stories as in profile
• Use questions at similar rate

Technical approach:

• Match jargon usage
• Maintain depth level
• Follow explanation style

Word count guidance

Target is calculated as: total_book_length / number_of_chapters

This is a guide, not a rule:

• ±20% is completely fine
• Some chapters naturally run longer
• Introduction/conclusion often shorter
• Middle chapters often longer

If significantly over/under, note it but continue.

Examples

Example 1: Simple draft request

User: "Draft chapter 1"

Process:

1. Read outline.md → Chapter 1 is "Why Delegation Fails"
2. Read voice-profile.md → Conversational, uses examples
3. No other chapters exist yet
4. Draft chapter with opening hook, 3 key points from outline, closing
5. Save as /chapters/01-why-delegation-fails.md
6. Update outline status
7. Git commit

Example 2: Continue drafting

User: "Continue drafting"

Process:

1. Read outline.md
2. Check chapter statuses → Chapters 1-3 complete, 4 is "not started"
3. Read chapters 1-3 to understand flow and maintain consistency
4. Draft chapter 4
5. Git commit

Example 3: Research gap encountered

While drafting, you need statistics you don't have:

Recent studies show [RESEARCH: Need data on manager time spent in meetings 2022-2024 | severity: HIGH] that managers spend excessive time in meetings.

Continue writing the rest of the chapter.

Edge cases

User requests chapter that doesn't exist in outline:

I don't see a Chapter [X] in the outline. Current chapters are:
[list chapters from outline]

Did you mean one of these, or should I add a new chapter to the outline?

Outline shows chapter as "complete" but file doesn't exist:

The outline shows Chapter [X] as complete, but I don't see the file. 
Should I:
1. Draft it fresh (and update status)
2. Check if it's in a different location

Cross-reference to unwritten chapter: If chapter 5 should reference chapter 3, but chapter 3 isn't drafted yet:

• Use placeholder: [See Chapter 3 for details on X]
• Note: [TODO: Expand this reference once Chapter 3 is complete]

Significantly over word count: If draft is >30% over target, note it:

Note: This chapter came in at [X] words vs target of [Y]. 
This might be fine, or you could use 'revise-chapter' to condense it.

Quality checklist

Each draft should:

• ✓ Open with clear theme connection
• ✓ Deliver all key points from outline
• ✓ Match voice profile (if exists)
• ✓ Include natural transitions
• ✓ Flag gaps rather than include weak content
• ✓ Close with tie to theme
• ✓ Target word count as rough guide

Files created/modified

• /chapters/[number]-[title].md - New chapter file
• outline.md - Status updated to "complete"

Next steps

After drafting:

• Use track-research-gaps to extract and organize research needs
• Use check-theme-alignment to verify alignment (automatically after every 2nd chapter)
• Use revise-chapter if chapter needs improvement
• Continue with next chapter using this skill again