Novel Writer Systematic Creation Workflow
When the user says "I want to write a novel"
Activate this workflow guide immediately.
Overview of the Seven-Step Methodology
1. /constitution → Establish Creation Principles
2. /specify → Define Story Specifications
3. /clarify → Clarify Ambiguities
4. /plan → Develop Creation Plan
5. /tasks → Decompose Execution Tasks
6. /write → AI-Assisted Writing
7. /analyze → Quality Verification Analysis
Detailed Step-by-Step Guidance
Step 1: Establish Creation Principles
"Let's start by defining your creation principles using
. This establishes your core values, quality standards, and non-negotiable rules for this story."
Why This Matters: Serves as your "creation constitution" - decisions will reference these principles.
What to Include:
- Core Values (what ideas to convey)
- Quality Bottom Line (absolute non-compromises)
- Style Principles (language, rhythm, atmosphere)
- Content Principles (character, plot, worldview norms)
Typical Duration: 15-20 minutes
Step 2: Define Story Specifications
"Now use
to create a story document similar to product specifications. Think like a product manager: what is this story, who is it for, and what makes it unique?"
What to Include:
- One-sentence summary
- Target Audience
- Core Conflict
- Main Characters
- Success Criteria
Why This Matters:
- Clarify "who it's for" and "what to write"
- Set measurable success criteria
- Provide clear objectives for subsequent creation
Typical Duration: 30-45 minutes
Special Tags:
- - Mark points requiring further clarification
- - Non-negotiable needs
- - Value-added content
Step 3: Clarify Key Decisions
"Run
to resolve any unclear aspects through 5 precise questions. AI will identify ambiguities in your specifications and help you make clear decisions."
Why This Matters: Ambiguity in planning = chaos in writing.
Process:
- AI identifies ambiguities in specifications
- Generates up to 5 key questions
- Interactive answers, with responses directly updating specifications
- Retains decision history for backtracking
Typical Questions:
- "Is the protagonist's core motivation revenge or justice?"
- "Is the story's pace fast-paced and satisfying or slow-burn and sophisticated?"
- "Is the ending a happy reunion or leaves regret?"
Typical Duration: 10-15 minutes
Step 4: Develop Creation Plan
"Use
to create chapter structure and technical approaches. This is where you decide how to implement your specifications."
What to Design:
- Chapter breakdown and active plot lines
- Rhythm and tension distribution
- Foreshadowing plan
- Character arc mapping
Why This Matters:
- Turn abstract requirements into concrete plans
- Choose appropriate writing methods and structures
- Design specific implementations of plot, characters, and worldview
Examples of Technical Decisions:
- "Use seven-point structure to enhance suspense"
- "Adopt multi-threaded narrative to show complexity"
- "Increase mystery through limited perspective"
Typical Duration: 45-60 minutes
Step 5: Decompose Execution Tasks
"Execute
to generate an actionable task list with priorities, dependencies, and estimated workload."
Task Types:
- Chapter writing tasks
- Character profile improvement tasks
- Worldview setting supplement tasks
- Revision and polishing tasks
Task Tags:
- - Can be executed in parallel
- - Depends on completion of task X
- - High-priority tasks
Why This Matters:
- Break big goals into small steps to reduce creation difficulty
- Clarify priorities and dependencies
- Support parallel creation to improve efficiency
Typical Duration: 20-30 minutes
Step 6: Start Writing
"Now use
to write chapter by chapter with AI assistance. Specifications and plans guide each chapter to ensure consistency."
When Writing:
- Genre knowledge skills are automatically activated
- Consistency Checker runs in the background
- Rhythm Monitor alerts when issues are detected
Execution Principles:
- Strictly follow constitution principles
- Refer to technical plans in
- Complete specific tasks in
- Maintain consistency with specifications
Recommended Rhythm:
- 1-2 chapters per writing session
- Pause to review every 3-5 chapters
- Maintain momentum, avoid over-editing
Step 7: Quality Check
"Run
every 5 chapters to maintain quality and detect problems early."
Two Analysis Modes:
- Framework Analysis (before writing): Verify planning
- Content Analysis (after writing): Verify execution
Verification Dimensions:
- Constitution Compliance (whether core principles are violated)
- Specification Satisfaction (whether requirements are met)
- Content Consistency (plot, timeline, characters)
- Quality Standards (whether set standards are achieved)
When to Run:
- After completing the first 3 chapters (early verification)
- Every 5 chapters (regular check)
- After completing the draft (full review)
Skills Auto-Activation
When following this workflow, relevant skills will be activated based on context:
- If you mention "romance" → Romance skill activates
- If you mention "mystery" → Mystery skill activates
- If you mention "fantasy" → Fantasy skill activates
- Writing dialogue → Dialogue Techniques activates
- Writing scenes → Scene Structure activates
- Any writing → Consistency Checker runs in the background
Throughout the Process:
- Workflow Guide (this skill) remains active
- Ensures you don't skip key steps
- Provides reminders when needed
When the User Deviates
If the user tries to skip steps or start writing directly without planning:
Gentle Reminder:
"I notice you're jumping straight to writing. The strength of Novel-writer lies in systematic pre-planning. Would you like to run
and
to build a solid foundation? This will make the writing process smoother and help maintain consistency."
If the User Insists on Skipping:
"I understand - you can always create the planning document later. However, please note that without
and
, you'll need to track consistency manually."
Adjustments for Different Scale Projects
Short Stories (10,000-30,000 words)
Simplified Process:
/specify → /clarify → /write → /analyze
Focus: Clarify core conflict and twists
Time: 1-2 days of intensive work
Novellas (100,000-200,000 words)
Standard Process:
Focus: Planning and task decomposition
Time: 2-6 months
Long Serial Novels (500,000+ words)
Enhanced Process:
Repeat cycle of plan → tasks → write → analyze
Focus: Continuous consistency verification
Time: 6-18 months
Common Issue Handling
"I already have an outline"
"Great! Let's use
to convert it into Novel-writer format. This makes it machine-readable and enables all tracking features."
Process:
- Import existing outline
- Format with
- Fill gaps with
- Create detailed technical plan with
"This seems like a lot of setup"
"Setup takes 30-60 minutes but saves hours of revision. You're essentially creating the 'source code' for your novel - modify the specifications and regenerate content. Without it, changes require manual rewriting of the entire text."
Benefits:
- Automatic consistency maintenance
- Automatic change propagation
- Systematic quality checks
- Faster and easier revisions
"Can I only use part of the workflow?"
"Yes, but some commands are interdependent:
- requires and to work effectively
- requires written chapters to evaluate
- requires first
Minimum viable workflow:
→
→
"
Completely Optional:
- - If your specifications are already clear
- - If you prefer free-form writing
- - Although highly recommended
"Does this fit my writing style?"
Compatible Writing Styles:
- Plotters: Will love the structure
- Pantsers (write by the seat of their pants): Use lightweight specifications, focus on
- Hybrids: Adjust as needed
Adjustment Suggestions:
- Plotters: Spend more time on
- Pantsers: Keep short, allow for discovery
- Hybrids: Use the full process but remain flexible
Progress Tracking
Visual Progress Indicator
As you proceed through the workflow, I will display your current position:
✅ /constitution Completed
✅ /specify Completed
✅ /clarify Completed
🔄 /plan In Progress...
⏸️ /tasks Pending
⏸️ /write Pending
⏸️ /analyze Pending
Milestones
Planning Phase Completed (steps 1-5):
- You have a complete story blueprint
- Ready to start writing
- All major decisions have been made
First Draft Completed (step 6):
- All chapters are written
- Ready for full analysis
- Enter revision phase
Quality Verification Passed (step 7):
- Consistency verified
- Meets quality standards
- Ready for publication or further polishing
Integration with Other Skills
Automatic Triggering
When You Mention Genres:
- "Romance" → Romance skill provides conventions
- "Mystery" → Mystery skill provides clue arrangement
- "Fantasy" → Fantasy skill provides worldbuilding
When You Encounter Difficulties:
- "Characters feel flat" → Suggests Character Development commands
- "Scenes drag" → Scene Structure skill activates
- "Dialogue is stiff" → Dialogue Techniques skill activates
Collaborative Workflow
All Skills Know the Workflow:
- They will reference your current position in the workflow
- Suggestions are appropriate for the current phase
- Remind you to complete previous steps when needed
Success Patterns
High Productivity Mode
Monday: /constitution + /specify (2-3 hours)
Tuesday: /clarify + /plan (2-3 hours)
Wednesday: /tasks + start /write (2-3 hours)
Thursday-Sunday: /write sessions (1-2 hours per day)
Next Monday: /analyze + plan next batch
Exploratory Mode
Week 1: /constitution + lightweight /specify
Weeks 2-3: /write exploratory chapters
Week 4: Update /specify and /plan based on learnings
Weeks 5-8: Structured /write
Week 9: /analyze and revise
Sprint Mode (NaNoWriMo)
Day 1: Quick /constitution + /specify + /plan (4 hours)
Days 2-27: Intensive /write (2000 words per day)
Days 28-30: /analyze + emergency fixes
You Are Not Alone
Throughout the Process:
- I'm here to guide and remind you
- Skills automatically apply professional knowledge
- Consistency is checked automatically
- You focus on creation, the system handles organization
You Are Always in Control:
- Skip steps you don't need
- Adjust to fit your style
- Change plans at any time
- Tools serve you, not the other way around
Remember: This workflow is not a chain - it's scaffolding. It supports your creative process and makes powerful things possible. Once you're familiar with it, it becomes second nature, and you'll wonder how you ever wrote without it.
Ready to start? Let's begin with !