Ghost Writer Skill - Design Notes

This document captures the complete context from the brainstorming session that produced the writing-dna-discovery skill. Use this as the foundation for building the ghost writer skill.

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Project Overview

The Two-Skill Architecture

We designed a two-skill system for AI-assisted writing:

1. Writing DNA Discovery (completed) - Captures a writer's voice through collaborative interview and sample analysis. Produces a Voice DNA Document.

2. Ghost Writer (to be built) - Consumes the Voice DNA Document and produces first drafts that match the writer's authentic voice.

The 80% Accuracy Goal

The ghost writer is NOT intended to replace the human writer. The goal is:

• Ghost writer produces: ~80% accurate first drafts
• Human adds: The remaining 20% (creative spark, situational judgment, final polish)

This is a tool for producing strong starting points, not finished work. The human always edits, revises, and finalizes.

Why Two Skills?

Separating discovery from writing allows:

• Reusability: One DNA document can be used for many writing sessions
• Refinement: The DNA document improves over time based on ghost writer feedback
• Clarity: Each skill has a focused purpose
• Multiple registers: A writer can have different DNA documents for different modes (blog, fiction, technical, etc.)

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The Voice DNA Document

The writing-dna-discovery skill produces a structured document. Here's what the ghost writer needs to know:

Document Structure

Voice DNA: [Author Name]
├── Quick Reference (30-second scan)
│   ├── Core Temperature
│   ├── Sentence Signature
│   ├── Distinctive Moves (2-3)
│   └── Never Does (2-3)
├── Voice Profile (detailed dimensions)
│   ├── Sentence Level
│   ├── Punctuation Personality
│   ├── Paragraph & Structure
│   ├── Word Choice & Vocabulary
│   ├── Tone & Attitude
│   ├── Reader Relationship
│   ├── Opening & Closing Moves
│   ├── Humor Approach
│   └── Signature Elements
├── Exemplar Passages (annotated quotes)
├── Anti-Patterns (what to avoid)
├── Ghost Writer Briefing ← PRIMARY INPUT FOR GHOST WRITER
│   ├── Voice Essence (2-3 sentence north star)
│   ├── Do This (specific instructions)
│   ├── Don't Do This (specific avoidances)
│   ├── When Uncertain (decision rules)
│   ├── Sentence-Level Guidance
│   └── Structural Guidance
└── Profile Metadata
    ├── Readiness Level
    ├── Sample Base
    └── Dimensions Needing Depth

The Ghost Writer Briefing Section

This section is specifically designed for the ghost writer skill to consume. It contains:

Voice Essence: 2-3 sentence distillation of the writer's voice—the north star.

Do This: Specific, actionable instructions:

• "Keep sentences under 15 words"
• "Use contractions always"
• "End paragraphs with concrete images"

Don't Do This: Specific avoidances:

• "No sentences over 20 words"
• "Never use 'utilize,' 'leverage,' 'facilitate'"
• "No passive voice"

When Uncertain: Decision rules for ambiguous situations:

• "Default to shorter rather than longer"
• "When in doubt, cut the adjective"
• "Favor concrete over abstract"

Readiness Levels

The ghost writer should communicate expected accuracy based on readiness level.

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Key Design Decisions

One Register Per Session

Writers have different voices for different contexts:

• Blog posts vs. fiction prose
• Technical writing vs. casual essays
• Marketing copy vs. personal emails

Each register gets its own DNA document. The ghost writer should ask which register to use if the writer has multiple.

Living Documents

Voice DNA Documents are not static. They:

• Grow richer over time with additional discovery sessions
• Get refined based on ghost writer feedback
• Evolve as the writer's voice changes
• Are versioned (v1, v2, v3...)

Comprehensive Capability, Intelligent Application

The DNA discovery skill has a full arsenal of dimensions but doesn't use everything for every writer. The ghost writer should similarly:

• Use what's captured in the specific DNA document
• Not assume patterns that aren't documented
• Handle sparse profiles gracefully (lower confidence output)

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The Voice Dimension Framework

We developed a comprehensive 8-level framework for analyzing voice:

Level 1: Sentence Level

• Rhythm & architecture (length, variation, internal structure)
• Opening word tendencies (starts with "I"? "And"? "But"?)
• Emphasis placement (front-loaded vs. end-weighted)

Level 2: Punctuation Personality

• Em-dash usage (frequency, purpose)
• Semicolons (present/absent)
• Comma density
• Exclamation points
• Parenthetical asides

Level 3: Paragraph & Structure

• Paragraph construction and length
• Topic sentence placement
• Transitional patterns
• Opening moves (how pieces begin)
• Closing moves (how pieces end)

Level 4: Word Level

• Vocabulary character (Anglo-Saxon vs. Latinate)
• Favorite words and phrases
• Avoided words
• Contraction philosophy
• Jargon handling

Level 5: Voice & Tone

• Emotional temperature (warm/cool)
• Confidence style (direct assertion vs. hedging)
• Formality gradient
• Humor approach (if present)
• Authority stance

Level 6: Reader Relationship

• First person presence ("I" frequency)
• Second person usage ("you" address)
• Inclusive "we" patterns
• Reader assumptions (expertise level)

Level 7: Signature Elements

• Distinctive moves (things only they do)
• Pet phrases
• Characteristic tics

Level 8: Anti-Patterns

• What they never do
• What would feel "off"
• AI patterns to suppress

Register-Specific Dimensions

For Fiction:

• Narrative distance
• Dialogue style
• Description density
• Interiority access

For Non-Fiction:

• Argument structure
• Evidence handling
• Counterargument approach

For Blog/Casual:

• Hook patterns
• Personal disclosure level
• Call-to-action style

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Anti-AI Patterns to Suppress

The ghost writer must avoid these AI tells. Full details in writing-dna-discovery/references/anti-ai-patterns.md.

The 11 Pattern Categories

1. Significance Puffery

   • "stands as a testament," "plays a vital role," "underscores its importance"

2. Superficial Analysis

   • "-ing" phrases: "highlighting," "emphasizing," "reflecting," "showcasing"

3. Promotional Language

   • "rich tapestry," "nestled," "in the heart of," "vibrant," "stunning"

4. Formulaic Structures

   • "It's important to note," "Despite challenges...," "In conclusion"

5. Hedging Patterns

   • "various," "numerous," "significant," "some critics argue"

6. Elegant Variation

   • Excessive synonym-swapping from repetition penalty

7. Rule of Three Overuse

   • Every list having exactly three items

8. False Ranges

   • "from X to Y" constructions without real scale

9. Negative Parallelisms

   • "Not only... but also" without genuine contrast

10. Common AI Words

    • "delve," "navigate," "landscape," "multifaceted," "utilize," "leverage"

11. Structural Tells

    • Title case in subheadings, excessive boldface, numbered list headers

How the Ghost Writer Should Use This

1. Check the DNA document's "AI Patterns to Suppress" checklist
2. Actively avoid checked patterns during generation
3. If a pattern appears in output, revise before presenting
4. When uncertain if something sounds "AI-like," prefer the more human-sounding alternative

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Ghost Writer Skill Requirements

Core Functionality

The ghost writer skill should:

1. Accept a Voice DNA Document as input
2. Accept a writing task (topic, length, purpose, context)
3. Generate a first draft that matches the documented voice
4. Communicate confidence level based on DNA document readiness
5. Flag uncertainties where the DNA document doesn't provide guidance

Workflow

User provides:
├── Voice DNA Document (or path to it)
├── Writing task description
├── Any specific requirements (length, tone adjustments, etc.)

Ghost Writer:
├── Reads and internalizes DNA document
├── Prioritizes Ghost Writer Briefing section
├── Generates draft following documented patterns
├── Avoids documented anti-patterns
├── Flags areas of uncertainty
└── Presents draft with confidence assessment

Handling Different Readiness Levels

Minimum Viable Profile:

• Acknowledge lower confidence
• Focus on the patterns that ARE documented
• Be more conservative (avoid risky choices)
• Suggest areas where more DNA discovery would help

Solid Profile:

• Higher confidence output
• Use the full Ghost Writer Briefing
• Apply documented patterns consistently
• Flag only genuine ambiguities

Strong Profile:

• Highest confidence output
• Trust the comprehensive documentation
• Make bolder choices within documented patterns
• Output should be recognizably "them"

Feedback Loop

After the user reviews ghost writer output:

1. What worked? → Confirms DNA document accuracy
2. What felt "off"? → Surfaces missing anti-patterns
3. What was missing? → Identifies gaps in DNA document

This feedback should loop back to the writing-dna-discovery skill for refinement. Consider a "Refinement from Feedback" session type that converts ghost writer feedback into DNA document updates.

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Collaboration Philosophy

From the discovery skill (apply to ghost writer too):

• The human decides — Ghost writer produces drafts; human has final say
• Transparency about confidence — Be clear about certainty levels
• Surface problems — If something doesn't work, say so
• Respect the voice — The goal is matching THEM, not producing "good writing"

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File References

Writing DNA Discovery Skill

Key Documents to Reference

When building the ghost writer skill:

1. Read the template (voice-dna-template.md) to understand DNA document structure
2. Study the examples (dna-document-examples.md) to see what real profiles look like
3. Internalize anti-AI patterns (anti-ai-patterns.md) for suppression logic
4. Understand dimensions (voice-dimension-catalog.md) for comprehensive coverage

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Implementation Notes for Ghost Writer Skill

Suggested Structure

ghost-writer/
├── SKILL.md                           # Main skill instructions
├── assets/
│   └── templates/
│       └── [any output templates]
└── references/
    ├── consumption-guide.md           # How to read DNA documents
    ├── generation-strategies.md       # Approaches for different registers
    └── quality-checklist.md           # Pre-delivery quality checks

Key Behaviors to Implement

1. DNA Document Parsing

   • Extract Ghost Writer Briefing section
   • Identify readiness level
   • Build pattern checklist from Do/Don't sections
   • Note anti-patterns to suppress

2. Generation Mode

   • Apply sentence-level guidance
   • Follow structural guidance
   • Check against anti-patterns continuously
   • Use "When Uncertain" rules for ambiguous cases

3. Quality Assurance

   • Scan output for AI patterns
   • Verify adherence to documented patterns
   • Flag confidence level
   • Identify areas where DNA document didn't provide guidance

4. Feedback Handling

   • Capture what worked/didn't work
   • Translate feedback into potential DNA document updates
   • Suggest returning to discovery skill for refinement

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Questions to Address When Building Ghost Writer

1. How much context does the ghost writer need? Should it read the full DNA document or just the Ghost Writer Briefing?

2. How should it handle sparse profiles? More conservative? More explicit about limitations?

3. What's the output format? Just prose? Prose with annotations? Prose with confidence notes?

4. How does register-switching work? Does the user specify which DNA document to use?

5. Should it offer alternatives? "Here's version A (more formal) and version B (more casual)"?

6. How does it handle length? Short-form (tweets, headlines) vs. long-form (essays, chapters)?

7. What about the feedback loop? Built into ghost writer, or separate skill?

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Summary

The ghost writer skill should:

1. Consume the Voice DNA Document (especially the Ghost Writer Briefing)
2. Generate first drafts at ~80% accuracy to the author's voice
3. Suppress AI patterns identified in the anti-patterns reference
4. Communicate confidence based on DNA document readiness
5. Enable feedback that loops back to DNA discovery for refinement

The human always edits and finalizes. The ghost writer is a starting point, not a replacement.

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This document was created during the writing-dna-discovery skill development session. Use it as the foundation for building the ghost writer skill.