writing-general

What this skill does

# General Writing Rules (Strunk & White)

Foundational style guide for clear, concise prose based on Strunk & White's Elements of Style.

## Core Principles

### The Iron Law of Good Writing

**Omit needless words.**

Every word must earn its place. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences.

### Critical Rules

| Rule | Explanation |
|------|-------------|
| Write in prose | Avoid bullet points and lists unless explicitly requested |
| Use active voice | "The committee approved the plan" not "The plan was approved" |
| Be concrete | Specific details over vague abstractions |
| Put statements in positive form | Say what something is, not what it isn't |
| Use definite language | Avoid hedging, qualifiers, and weasel words |

### Red Flags - Stop If You Think

| Thought | Why It's Wrong | Do Instead |
|---------|----------------|------------|
| "I'll add some qualifiers to be safe" | Weakens the writing | Make definite assertions |
| "Let me list these points" | Bullet points are lazy | Write in prose paragraphs |
| "I should sound more formal" | Formality often means wordiness | Write naturally, then edit |
| "This needs more emphasis" | Overemphasis dilutes meaning | Let strong words speak |

## Rationalization Table - STOP If You Think:

| Excuse | Reality | Do Instead |
|--------|---------|------------|
| "The passive voice is fine here" | Passive voice hides the actor; name them | REWRITE in active voice |
| "This adverb adds emphasis" | Strong verbs don't need adverbs | DELETE the adverb, pick a stronger verb |
| "The reader needs this context first" | Lead with the point, add context after | MOVE the point to the front |
| "This paragraph needs one more sentence" | If the paragraph is complete, stop | STOP writing and move on |
| "I should vary the sentence structure" | Clarity beats variety; don't complexify for style | KEEP the clear structure |

### Delete & Restart Triggers

**If you catch yourself writing ANY of these, DELETE THE SENTENCE and START FRESH:**

| Anti-Pattern | Restart Approach |
|---|---|
| "It is [adjective] that..." | Rewrite as direct assertion |
| "There are [X] reasons" | Replace with direct list or synthesis |
| "In order to" | Replace with "to" |
| Sentence > 40 words with nested clauses | Break into 2-3 sentences |
| Passive voice hiding the actor | Name the actor, use active voice |

After deleting, restart the sentence with THE POINT first, then evidence.

**Skipping the deletion pass is NOT HELPFUL — the user publishes bloated prose that buries their argument.** Identify violations and purge them.

## Drive-Aligned Framing

**Skipping the sentence-level check is NOT HELPFUL — the user publishes weak prose that undermines their credibility.** Reading your own output and thinking "looks good" is not editing.

- You skip the style check because the content is correct. The prose reads as AI slop — your content expertise is hidden behind bad writing.

## Editing Checklist

### Sentence Level
- Remove unnecessary words ("in order to" → "to")
- Replace weak verbs ("is able to" → "can")
- Convert passive to active voice
- Eliminate redundancies ("past history" → "history")

### Paragraph Level
- Ensure each paragraph has one main idea
- Check topic sentences lead clearly
- Verify logical flow between paragraphs

### Word Level
- Replace abstract nouns with concrete ones
- Use specific verbs over vague ones + adverbs
- Cut filler words ("very", "really", "quite", "rather")

## Quick Reference: Common Fixes

| Weak | Strong |
|------|--------|
| utilize | use |
| in order to | to |
| due to the fact that | because |
| at this point in time | now |
| in the event that | if |
| prior to | before |
| subsequent to | after |
| with regard to | about |
| a large number of | many |
| is able to | can |

## Progressive Disclosure

For comprehensive guidance, consult:

- **`references/elements-of-style.md`** - Complete Strunk & White guide covering:
  - Elementary Rules of Usage (commas, colons, participles)
  - Elementary Principles of Composition (paragraph unity, active voice)
  - Words and Expressions Commonly Misused
  - Style guidance and literary reminders

## Examples

**Weak original:**
> It is important to note that there are a variety of different factors that contribute to the overall success of the project in question.

**Strong revision:**
> Several factors determine project success.

**Weak original:**
> The report was written by the team and was subsequently reviewed by management prior to being distributed to stakeholders.

**Strong revision:**
> The team wrote the report, management reviewed it, and stakeholders received it.

## Integration

After completing any writing task, invoke `/ai-anti-patterns` to check for AI writing indicators.