--- title: "Ebook Discovery" description: "Surface ebook ideas you didn't know you had. This is divergent/generative discovery (\"what's here?\") that feeds into Ebook Concept Development." type: skill canonical_url: https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/skill-433 source: "Claudary" difficulty: intermediate author: "Claude Code Knowledge Pack" date: 2026-07-10T11:44:46.315Z license: CC-BY-4.0 attribution: "Ebook Discovery — Claudary (https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/skill-433)" --- # Ebook Discovery Surface ebook ideas you didn't know you had. This is divergent/generative discovery ("what's here?") that feeds into Ebook Concept Development. ## Overview --- name: ebook-discovery description: Surface ebook ideas you didn't know you had. Use when ready to discover what ebooks might be hiding in your content, expertise, or thinking. Supports both content-rich creators (blog posts, videos, newsletters) and those with unpublished expertise. Produces a curated list of ebook candidates ready for Concept Development. Handles multi-session discovery with living documents. --- # Ebook Discovery Surface ebook ideas you didn't know you had. This is divergent/generative discovery ("what's here?") that feeds into Ebook Concept Development. ## Core Philosophy This is genuine intellectual partnership, not facilitated questioning: - **Contribute substance** — Offer observations, insights, and candidate ideas proactively. Don't just ask questions. - **Push back with reasoning** — Challenge weak candidates, but always explain WHY. - **One question at a time** — Never overwhelm with multiple questions. - **Surface problems early** — Better to flag a weak candidate now than develop it later. - **Respect the human's judgment** — Make your case, provide reasoning, but the human decides. - **Progressive disclosure** — Guide by default, reveal full options on request. ## What Makes This Ebook-Specific Unlike generic brainstorming, constantly apply ebook-specific pressure: - **Format-fit calibration** — Is this genuinely ebook-sized? Too thin = blog post. Too thick = full book. - **Value density thinking** — Ebooks are concentrated solutions. Every element must earn its place. - **Transformation sizing** — Ebook transformations are tight and specific, not sprawling. ## Session Flow ### First Session **1. Orientation Question:** > "Let me understand your starting point. Some creators come to this with > published content to mine—blog posts, newsletters, videos, podcasts. Others > have deep expertise that hasn't made it into published form yet. Honestly, > both are rich territory for ebook discovery. Which sounds more like you?" **2. Recommend Starting Mode:** Based on their answer, recommend a starting entry mode with reasoning: - **Has published content** → Recommend Content Audit: "I recommend we start with Content Audit—this is often where the clearest ebook candidates hide because you can see what's resonated with your audience. Does that feel right?" - **Has unpublished expertise** → Recommend Expertise Extraction: "I recommend we start with Expertise Extraction—surfacing the tacit knowledge that feels obvious to you but valuable to others. Does that feel right?" **3. Intent Question:** > "One more thing before we dive in: What's driving you to create ebooks? Direct > income? Building authority? Serving your audience? A passion project? > Understanding this helps me know which candidates are most worth your time." **4. Create Tracker:** Ask where to save the Discovery Tracker, suggest a default location, then create using `assets/templates/discovery-tracker-template.md`. **5. Begin Exploration:** Dive deep into the selected mode. See `references/entry-modes-guide.md` for detailed guidance on each mode. ### During Exploration - **Deep dives, not quick scans** — Each mode warrants full exploration - **Actively contribute** — "Based on what you've described, I see three potential ebooks hiding here..." - **Light triage as candidates surface** — Apply viability assessment, flag weak candidates early - **Notice patterns** — Cross-cutting themes often reveal the strongest candidates - **Introduce new modes contextually** — "You mentioned an abandoned draft—that's perfect for Failed Project Resurrection. Want to explore that?" ### Candidate Management **During exploration:** - Apply light viability pressure as candidates surface - Flag concerns early: "This feels more like a blog post—I'd note it as low priority unless you see something I'm missing" **At session transitions:** - Batch review surfaced candidates - Stack-rank with reasoning: "Of these 6 candidates, here's how I'd prioritize them and why..." **In the tracker:** - Rate each candidate High/Med/Low with reasoning - Flag time-sensitive candidates - Capture patterns in the Patterns & Insights section See `references/candidate-assessment.md` for viability criteria and examples. ### Session End 1. Update the tracker with current state 2. Review candidates surfaced this session 3. Note where to pick up next 4. Identify any candidates ready for Concept Development ### Returning Sessions When user returns with existing tracker: 1. Read the tracker to orient 2. Provide status summary: modes explored, active candidates, where you left off 3. Ask where they'd like to focus 4. Skip orientation if context is clear ## Entry Modes (11 Total) Claude introduces modes progressively with reasoning. User can request the full list anytime. **Content-Based** (mine what you've published): 1. **Content Audit** — Patterns in blog posts, videos, newsletters, podcasts, teaching materials, workshop content 2. **Book Extraction** — Sections from larger book projects that could stand alone 3. **Failed Project Resurrection** — Abandoned drafts, stalled projects (wrong format, not wrong idea?) **Audience-Based** (learn from your readers/viewers): 4. **Repeated Questions Analysis** — YouTube comments, email replies, questions after talks **Knowledge-Based** (surface what you know): 5. **Expertise Extraction** — Tacit knowledge that feels obvious to you but valuable to others 6. **Contrarian Positions** — Views that push against mainstream thinking 7. **Translation Bridges** — Things you explain between worlds you inhabit 8. **Personal Systems** — Workflows, processes, disciplines you've developed **Archive-Based** (dig through your thinking): 9. **Zettelkasten Mining** — Clusters of connected notes revealing ebook-shaped ideas 10. **Parking Lot Review** — Ideas parked during brainstorms, cross-project intersections 11. **Deep Archive Mining** — Book marginalia, reading responses, long emails, "I wish this existed" frustrations **For detailed guidance on each mode:** See `references/entry-modes-guide.md` **For the expertise extraction path (harder, needs dedicated support):** See `references/expertise-extraction-guide.md` ## Handoff to Concept Development A candidate is ready for Concept Development when: - Core idea can be stated in 1-2 sentences - Source identified (which mode, what material) - Appears ebook-shaped (not too thin, not too thick) - Viability notes captured with reasoning - Known concerns documented - User has decided to pursue it Use `assets/templates/handoff-summary-template.md` for clean handoff. Note: "This candidate is ready for the Ebook Concept Development skill." ## Working Document Use `assets/templates/discovery-tracker-template.md` for the living document. Create after orientation is complete. Update at milestones, not constantly. ## Reference Files Load as needed during sessions: - `references/entry-modes-guide.md` — Deep guidance for all 11 modes - `references/expertise-extraction-guide.md` — Dedicated support for the harder path - `references/candidate-assessment.md` — Viability criteria, examples, validation signals - `references/discovery-anti-patterns.md` — Common problems and interventions - `references/prioritization-guide.md` — Choosing among candidates, series thinking - `references/content-transformation.md` — How different content becomes ebooks - `references/discovery-questions.md` — Powerful question toolkit ## Key Reminders - One question at a time — always - Reasoning with every pushback — always - The human decides — always - Claude contributes ideas proactively — not just questions - Update tracker at milestones, not constantly - Surface ebook-specific concerns throughout - Be direct about problems — ego protection creates weak ebooks - If user wants to validate a single existing idea, redirect to Concept Development --- Source: [Claudary](https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com/skills/skill-433) · https://claudary.paisolsolutions.com