Story Sense — Диагностика проблем в повествовании

--- name: story-sense description: "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 feels broken, or when someone asks 'what's wrong with my story?'. Keywords: story, diagnosis, stuck, narrative, plot, character, worldbuilding, revision." license: MIT compatibility: Works with any fiction format. Entry point for fiction diagnostics. metadata: author: jwynia version: "1.0" type: diagnostic mode: diagnostic domain: fiction --- # 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 1. **Listen for symptoms** - What are they describing as the problem? 2. **Ask clarifying questions** - Get specific about where they're stuck 3. **Identify the state** - Match symptoms to state list 4. **Name the diagnosis** - Explain what you're seeing 5. **Recommend intervention** - Point to specific skill 6. **Offer next steps** - What should they try first? ## Available Scripts ### entropy.ts Injects creative randomness from curated lists. ```bash 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. ```bash 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.