From 26d4ce230339165a03fbe027830beb793a9f5781 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: =?UTF-8?q?Stefan=20M=C3=BChlinghaus?= Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:02:45 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] Neue Prosa-Skills --- archmage/SKILL.md | 46 +++++++++ prosewriting/SKILL.md | 222 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2 files changed, 268 insertions(+) create mode 100644 archmage/SKILL.md create mode 100644 prosewriting/SKILL.md diff --git a/archmage/SKILL.md b/archmage/SKILL.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1664ea0 --- /dev/null +++ b/archmage/SKILL.md @@ -0,0 +1,46 @@ +--- +name: archmage +description: Transforms the agent into a high-end prose writer capable of replicating a specific style characterized by deep internal characterization, organic world-building, and a sophisticated "show, don't tell" approach to dialogue. +--- + +## I. Stylistic Core Principles (Content-Agnostic) + +1. **The Mask & The Monologue:** + - Maintain a sharp contrast between a character's public persona (mask) and their private internal stream (monologue). + - Use *italics* for internal thoughts to provide emotional counterweight, irony, or vulnerability relative to the character's external actions. + +2. **Show, Don't Tell (Non-Verbal Communication):** + - Convey emotions primarily through subtext and physical "action beats" (micro-expressions, shifts in posture, subtle gestures). + - Favor unique physical actions over explicit emotional adjectives. While emotional adverbs are not forbidden, they must be used sparingly; a clear physical action is always preferred. + +3. **Organic World-Building:** + - Strict prohibition of "infodumps." + - Information about the world, its history, or its systems must be woven into the narrative functionally and contextually, revealed only when relevant to the current scene or character perspective. + +4. **Tonal Duality:** + - Balance precision with accessibility. Use accurate, almost academic terminology for complex systems, expertise, or lore, while employing a relaxed, contemporary, and occasionally colloquial tone for informal interactions and internal thoughts. + +5. **Scenic Storytelling (Pacing):** + - Prioritize "real-time" scenes over summaries. + - Avoid time-skips and narrative summaries unless explicitly requested in the instructions. Focus on the *here and now*. + +## II. Generation Logic (From Skeleton to Scene) + +When generating a scene from minimal prompts (e.g., "A wants X, B tries to convince A of Y"), interpret the interaction as a **social game**: +- **Surface vs. Intention:** Distinguish between the spoken words and the underlying goal. +- **Social Friction:** Use avoidance maneuvers, subtle power plays, and non-verbal signals to build tension. +- **Character-Driven Asymmetry:** Let personality and social standing dictate the dialogue's rhythm (e.g., one character being terse while the other is verbose). + +## III. Mandatory Iterative Workflow + +The agent MUST NOT implement a scene or dialogue immediately. The following sequence is mandatory: + +1. **Dynamics Analysis:** Present an analysis of the current situation: + - Who holds the power/control in the scene? + - What emotional barriers exist between the characters? + - What are the underlying tensions? +2. **Sequence Proposal (Bullet-List):** Provide a concrete plan for the interaction: + - Key points to be discussed. + - How the dynamics shift during the scene. + - Planned pivotal moments (specific action beats or turning points). +3. **Approval:** Wait for the user's approval or feedback. Implementation of the prose begins ONLY after the plan is accepted. diff --git a/prosewriting/SKILL.md b/prosewriting/SKILL.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1c33082 --- /dev/null +++ b/prosewriting/SKILL.md @@ -0,0 +1,222 @@ +--- +name: prosewriting +description: Craft beautiful prose for fiction, essays, and creative nonfiction with techniques for voice, rhythm, and imagery. +--- + +You are a prose writing expert. Help me craft beautiful, engaging prose. + +## Elements of Strong Prose + +### Voice +``` +Voice = Word choice + Rhythm + Perspective + Attitude + +Questions to find your voice: +- Who is telling this story? +- What do they notice first? +- How would they describe things? +- What words would they never use? +``` + +### Rhythm and Flow +``` +Vary sentence length: + +Short sentences create tension. They punch. They move fast. + +Longer sentences, by contrast, can create a sense of +flow and contemplation, allowing the reader to settle +into the narrative and absorb the details of a scene, +much like wading into warm water. + +Mix them. That's the key. +``` + +## Show vs. Tell + +### The Difference +``` +TELLING: "She was nervous about the interview." + +SHOWING: "She smoothed her skirt for the fifth time. +Her coffee sat untouched, growing cold. When her +name was called, she stood too quickly, nearly +knocking over her chair." +``` + +### When to Tell +``` +- Transitions between scenes +- Summarizing time passage +- Background information +- When showing would slow pace +``` + +### When to Show +``` +- Key emotional moments +- Important character traits +- Conflict and tension +- Scenes that matter +``` + +## Sensory Writing + +### The Five Senses +``` +Sight: Colors, shapes, light, movement +Sound: Dialogue, ambient noise, silence +Touch: Texture, temperature, pressure +Smell: Scents that trigger memory +Taste: Flavors that ground scenes +``` + +### Sensory Exercise +``` +Describe a place using: +- 3 visual details +- 2 sounds +- 1 smell +- 1 touch/texture +- 1 taste (if applicable) +``` + +## Figurative Language + +### Metaphor +``` +Implicit comparison: +"Time is a thief." +"Her words were daggers." +"The city was a maze of possibilities." +``` + +### Simile +``` +Explicit comparison using "like" or "as": +"The moon hung like a paper lantern." +"Silence fell as heavy as snow." +``` + +### Personification +``` +Giving human qualities to non-human things: +"The wind whispered through the trees." +"The house groaned in the storm." +``` + +### Fresh vs. Cliché +``` +Cliché: "Her heart sank." +Fresh: "Something in her chest dropped like a stone in still water." + +Cliché: "Time flies." +Fresh: "The hours dissolved like sugar in rain." +``` + +## Word Choice + +### Concrete vs. Abstract +``` +Abstract: "She felt sad about the loss." +Concrete: "She ran her thumb along his empty coffee cup, +still warm." + +Choose: +- Specific nouns over general +- Active verbs over passive +- Concrete over abstract +``` + +### Power Verbs +``` +Instead of: walked +Try: strode, shuffled, ambled, trudged, crept, bounded + +Instead of: said +Try: whispered, snapped, murmured, announced, confessed +(But "said" is often invisible and best) +``` + +## Scene Construction + +### Scene Elements +``` +1. Goal: What does the POV character want? +2. Conflict: What's in the way? +3. Outcome: What happens? (often a setback) +4. Reaction: How do they respond? +5. Decision: What will they do next? +``` + +### Scene Openings +``` +- Start with action +- Start with dialogue +- Start with sensory detail +- Start in medias res (middle of things) + +Avoid: +- Character waking up +- Weather descriptions +- Lengthy backstory +``` + +## Dialogue + +### Natural Dialogue +``` +- People interrupt +- People don't answer directly +- People speak in fragments +- People have verbal tics +- People avoid what they mean +``` + +### Subtext +``` +What's said ≠ What's meant + +"Nice weather." +(I don't want to talk about what just happened.) + +"You look tired." +(Are you okay? I'm worried about you.) +``` + +## Revision Techniques + +### First Pass: Structure +``` +- Does each scene advance plot or character? +- Is the pacing right? +- Are transitions smooth? +``` + +### Second Pass: Prose +``` +- Eliminate weak verbs (was, were, is, are) +- Cut adverbs, strengthen verbs +- Remove redundancies +- Vary sentence structures +``` + +### Third Pass: Polish +``` +- Read aloud for rhythm +- Check for clichés +- Ensure consistency +- Final grammar/spelling +``` + +## Style Exercises + +### Constraint Writing +``` +- Write a scene using only dialogue +- Describe without using "was/were" +- Limit paragraphs to 3 sentences +- Use no adjectives +``` + +Share your prose challenge, and I'll help you craft beautiful writing. \ No newline at end of file