Use when writing self-help books, memoirs, or prescriptive guides with story elements. Trigger on: 'self-help book', 'transformation arc', 'metaphor consistency', 'reader journey', 'exercise design', or narrative nonfiction projects.

Narrative Nonfiction Workshop Workflow for self help and prescriptive nonfiction using narrative elements and metaphors to guide reader transformation. Core concept: Reader is protagonist; book is map and method; transformation is the contract. Session Continuity Book projects span weeks or months. Claude has no memory between sessions, so the project's blueprint document is your persistent state. At session start: Read book blueprint.md (or whatever the project calls its blueprint) before doing any other work. Skim recent files in sessions/ for unresolved threads. At session end: Write a brief note at sessions/YYYY MM DD topic slug.md summarizing what was done, decisions made, and the stopping point. Two to five sentences is enough. When foundations shift: Update the blueprint immediately when promise, central metaphor, reader arc stages, or reveal structure change. The blueprint is the source of truth, not a one time template. Surface unresolved questions: At the start of new work, list questions left open from prior sessions and ask the user which to address before continuing. When to Use This skill is for: ✅ Self help and prescriptive nonfiction books ✅ Memoirs with lessons or transformation arcs ✅ Books using extended metaphors or narrative framing ✅ Practical guides that include storytelling elements ✅ Reader journey design (before state → after state) ✅ Structural argument nonfiction (books that reframe how readers understand a system or category) When NOT to Use This skill is NOT for: ❌ Pure fiction (novels, short stories) use fiction workshop instead ❌ Academic writing or research papers different conventions ❌ Straight journalism or reporting no transformation arc ❌ Technical documentation or how to guides without story elements ❌ Business books focused purely on data/case studies without reader journey Stage 1: Foundation Building Goal: Establish promise, metaphor system, and transformation arc. Initial Questions 1. Target reader? (Demographics + psychographics) 2. Transformation promise? 3. Central metaphor/framing? 4. Reader's "before" and "after" states? 5. Book's unique angle? 6. How much outlined vs. drafted? Core Components Promise: What reader gains. "This book will help you [transformation] by [method]" Metaphor: Central metaphor, how it maps to advice, where it helps/misleads Reader's Journey: Entry point (where they start), pain points, resistance, transformation stages, exit point (who they become) Twist/Reveal (if applicable): What's revealed, setup needed, how to earn payoff Use assets/book blueprint template.md if needed. Exit condition: Clear grasp of reader, promise, metaphor, arc. Stage 2: Chapter Development Goal: Draft or refine chapters balancing advice, story, and exercises. Chapter structure: Hook (story/question) → Setup (why this matters) → Content (teaching) → Evidence (stories/research) → Application (exercises) → Bridge (to next) Writing Modes Modes are primarily for Stage 2 (Chapter Development) and Stage 3 (Arc Integrity Check); Stage 1 is freeform foundation building that does not require mode invocation. Switch between these as needed: Mode Invocation Focus Voice Editor "Check voice consistency..." Tone, metaphor alignment, author persona Content Editor "Evaluate the teaching in..." Clarity, completeness, accuracy Exercise Designer "Design exercises for..." Practical application, appropriate difficulty Metaphor Consultant "Check metaphor consistency..." Extended metaphor alignment, avoiding confusion Reveal Engineer "Set up the reveal..." Foreshadowing, misdirection, payoff Load only the reference file matching the currently invoked mode. Do not preload all references at session start—it wastes context budget. If switching modes mid session, load the new reference file and treat the prior one as out of scope unless the work explicitly bridges both. For Reveal Engineer specifically: reveal engineering.md is an index across four reveal patterns (permission reframe, empirical, structural, conceptual). Read its "Choosing a Reveal Pattern" section first, identify which pattern fits the project, then load only that pattern's reference file. Don't preload all four. See references/ for detailed guidance on each mode. Creation Workflow 1. Purpose Check: Key takeaway? Where in arc? What must reader believe before next chapter? 2. Outline Beats: Hook options, teaching points (2 4), stories/examples, exercises, bridge 3. Draft: Write chapter. Use "write like you talk" voice. 4. Layer Metaphor: Present but not forced. 5. Add Exercises: Use references/exercise design.md 6. Polish: Check voice, pacing, reader energy Editing Workflow 1. Read as Target Reader: Engaged? Understand? Believe I can do this? Overwhelmed or ready? 2. Diagnose: Confusion → clarify Boredom → add story Resistance → address objections Overwhelm → simplify 3. Invoke Mode: Load relevant reference file 4. Implement: Use str replace Stage 3: Arc Integrity Check Goal: Verify book works as complete transformation journey. Read full outline/manuscript for: 1. Promise Delivery: Book delivers promise? Transformation clear and achievable? 2. Pacing: Change speed appropriate? Integration plateaus? Energy builds? 3. Metaphor: Maintained throughout? Breaks or contradicts? Still serves at end? 4. Reveal (if applicable): Twist earned? Seeds planted? Reframe lands emotionally? 5. Exercise Progression: Build on each other? Difficulty matches stage? Variety? Common Issues Symptom Cause Fix "Too preachy" Not enough story/example Add narrative "Too abstract" Missing concrete advice Add specific how to "Overwhelming" Too much per chapter Narrow focus, add chapters "Why should I care?" Missing pain point connection Open with reader's struggle "I can't do this" Missing scaffolding Add smaller steps, examples Self Check: Is This Working? Use these checkpoints to verify you're following the workflow correctly. After Foundation Building: [ ] Can you state the book's promise in one sentence? [ ] Can you describe the reader's "before" and "after" states clearly? [ ] Do you understand the central metaphor and how it maps to the advice? [ ] Can you outline the transformation arc stages without looking at notes? After drafting a chapter: [ ] Does the chapter have all six elements: hook, setup, content, evidence, application, bridge? [ ] Is the metaphor present but not forced? [ ] Is the voice consistent with previous chapters? [ ] Would the target reader understand and believe they can apply this? After designing an exercise: [ ] Does the exercise difficulty match where the reader is in their journey? [ ] Can the reader complete it with the knowledge they have so far? [ ] Is it specific enough to be actionable (not "improve your productivity" but "track your time for three days")? [ ] Does it build on previous exercises? After invoking a mode: [ ] Did you explicitly request "Voice Editor" or "Metaphor Consultant" or specific mode? [ ] Is the feedback focused on that mode's domain? [ ] Did you avoid mixing concerns (voice + content + exercises all at once)? Before claiming "done": [ ] Does the full arc deliver on the promise made in chapter 1? [ ] Is the metaphor consistent throughout (or intentionally evolved)? [ ] Do exercises progress logically from simple to complex? [ ] If there's a reveal/twist, are seeds planted in earlier chapters? If you answered "no" to any checkpoint, return to that stage before proceeding. Stopping Points Each mode and stage has a defined end. Stop at it. Do not auto advance to the next mode, do not silently expand scope, do not start rewriting when you were asked to diagnose. Tool / Stage Stop when... Then Foundation Building (Stage 1) The Foundation Building Self Check passes Hand back to author. Do not auto advance into Chapter Development. Voice Editor One pass on the requested scope is complete and findings are reported Wait for author to apply changes. Do not re check other chapters unless asked. Content Editor Diagnosis of clarity/completeness/accuracy issues is delivered Stop. Do not write the fix—that's the author's call. Exercise Designer 2–3 exercise options delivered with rationale for each Do not pick for the author. Do not embed without confirmation. Metaphor Consultant Consistency report produced (alignments, breaks, suggestions) Do not rewrite metaphor moments unilaterally. Report and stop. Reveal Engineer Seeding plan or planting recommendations for the current chapter delivered Do not draft the chapter from the recommendations. They are inputs, not output. Arc Integrity Check (Stage 3) Full arc report (promise delivery, pacing, metaphor, reveal, exercise progression) delivered Hand back. Let author decide which findings to act on and in what order. Session Stopping point reached or context window is filling Update the blueprint if foundations shifted; write a sessions/ note; stop. If the author explicitly asks you to continue past a stopping point, fine—but name what's about to happen ("I'll now move from diagnosis to rewriting Chapter 4's hook") so the scope shift is visible. Common Mistakes Mistake Why It Happens Fix Skipping Foundation Building "I just want to start writing" Without clarity on promise, metaphor, and arc, chapters drift. Spend 30 minutes on blueprint—saves hours of rewriting. Forcing the metaphor Trying to make every sentence fit the frame Metaphor should illuminate, not constrain. Use it where it helps understanding, skip where it doesn't. Natural beats forced. Too much teaching, not enough story Wanting to share all your knowledge Readers connect through story first. Aim for 40% story/example, 40% teaching, 20% application. Adjust per chapter needs. Exercises that don't match reader readiness Copying exercise formats from other books Exercise difficulty must match where reader is in arc. Early chapters = simple reflection. Later chapters = bigger challenges. Losing voice consistency Switching between academic and conversational tone Pick one voice (usually conversational for self help) and maintain it. Use "Voice Editor" mode to check consistency. See example below. Ignoring reader resistance Assuming reader agrees with premise Address objections explicitly. "You might be thinking..." shows you understand their skepticism and builds trust. Reveal without setup Planning twist ending but not planting seeds If book has reframe/reveal, every chapter needs subtle foreshadowing. Use "Reveal Engineer" mode to plant and track seeds. Example: Voice Consistency Inconsistent voice (Chapter 1 conversational, Chapter 4 academic): Chapter 1: "You know that feeling of finishing a 'productive' day without accomplishing anything important? That's your brain telling you something's off." Chapter 4: "Empirical research demonstrates that individuals who engage in time blocking methodologies exhibit significantly higher levels of task completion and subjective productivity (Chen et al., 2019)." Consistent voice (both conversational): Chapter 4: "Here's what the research shows: people who use time blocking finish more important work. One study tracked 500 knowledge workers for six months and found time blockers completed 60% more high priority projects. Your instinct was right." The difference: Conversational voice maintains "you/your" address, uses plain language, and connects research to reader experience. Example: Forced vs. Natural Metaphor Book metaphor: "Think Like an Architect"

narrative-nonfiction