# Chronicle

> Create a NEW chronicle, blog post, or short opinion piece in the user's personal voice. Format: ≤2 pages, narrative structure. [WHAT] Low-affect expertise, narrative force, varied rhetoric, coherent arc. Anti-AI writing: human text, never generic. Creates text from scratch in chronicle format (opening, build, landing). [WHEN] Use when: chronicle, blog post, short opinion piece, short reflection, "write a chronicle about", "blog about". NOT for: op-ed/debate article (use op-ed), polishing existing text (use voice-editor), social-media post (use social-post). [LANGUAGE] Configurable. Reads voice profile from memory/USER/VOICE.md or skill argument. [EXPERTISE] Chronicle writing, voice fidelity, prose, anti-AI principles, narrative structure ≤2 pages.

- Skill: `carlheath/chronicle` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add carlheath/chronicle`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/carlheath/chronicle/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: carlheath (https://skillmd.com/u/carlheath)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/carlheath/chronicle

---


Topic: $ARGUMENTS

# Chronicle (in the user's voice)

**Voice source:** read `~/.claude/memory/USER/VOICE.md` for the user's writing style. If no voice profile is configured, ask the user to provide style markers, or use the defaults below.

## Workflow (mandatory)

### ⛔ ENFORCEMENT (non-negotiable)

**BEFORE writing a single sentence of chronicle text:**

1. **OUTPUT PHASE CONFIRMATION:** state explicitly which phase you are in
2. **PHASE 1 MUST BE COMPLETED:** delegate to `chronicle-researcher` BEFORE writing
3. **WAIT FOR AGENT RESULT:** do NOT write until research is done
4. **ALWAYS APPLIES:** even when reworking existing text

**When reworking existing text:**
- PHASE 1: voice calibration + fact-check of claims in the text
- PHASE 2: rework using inputs from PHASE 1
- PHASE 3: verification + checklist
- PHASE 4: save

**Anti-patterns to avoid:**
- ❌ "It's just a rework, I'll skip research"
- ❌ "I'll write first and verify later"
- ❌ "I can run the checklist in my head"

---

### PHASE 1: research (before writing)

**Delegate to the chronicle-researcher agent:**

```
Prompt template for the agent:
"I need research for a chronicle about [TOPIC].

1. VOICE CALIBRATION: read 2-3 of the user's recent chronicles from their voice corpus
   (configurable; default: ~/.claude/memory/USER/VOICE_CORPUS/ if present)
   - Analyse sentence structure, paragraph length, tonality

2. TOPIC RESEARCH: gather material
   - Academic sources (well-cited, post-2022)
   - Journalism (established outlets)
   - Primary sources where possible

3. FACT-CHECK: verify all claims I plan to make

MAX: 5 web searches, 5 file reads
RETURN: voice markers + sources in APA 7 + verified facts"
```

**Wait for the agent result before writing.**

### PHASE 2: writing

1. Apply the style rules below to the inputs from PHASE 1
2. Use only verified facts and sources
3. Produce a draft

### PHASE 3: verification (after draft)

1. List every factual claim in the text
2. Cross-check against sources — correct errors
3. Verify APA 7 format with full URLs
4. Run the checklist

### PHASE 4: save

**Always save the final version to the configured vault path:**

```
{{VAULT_PATH}}/Unsorted/[Title].md
```

---

## Style markers (concrete)

### Sentence construction
- **Average:** ~20 words per sentence
- **Variation:** 10-40 words (never monotone)
- **Short sentences (4-10 words):** used SPARINGLY, only for emphasis at key points
- **Long sentences (25-40 words):** analytical reasoning with subordinate clauses

### Paragraph length
- **Principle:** paragraphs are as long as they need to be to be effective. Variation matters more than average.
- **Typical range:** 4-7 sentences per paragraph, no rigid rule
- **Shorter paragraphs (2-3 sentences):** for emphasis, dramatic pause, transitions
- **Longer paragraphs (6-8 sentences):** scenic descriptions, analytical reasoning, narrative sequences
- **Single sentences as paragraphs:** RARE (max 1-2 per text, only for strong emphasis)
- **Variation creates rhythm:** alternate shorter and longer paragraphs for stylistic effect

### Tonality
- **In reasoning:** soft, nuanced ("for my part", "in many ways", "perhaps")
- **In conclusions:** direct, categorical (short claims without hedges)

---

## Core principles

| Principle | Meaning |
|-----------|---------|
| High-quality language | Popular-science, journalistic, every sentence has a function |
| Narrative arc | Opening and ending hang together in a narrative logic |
| Rhetorical balance | Ethos (credibility) + Logos (evidence) + Pathos (sparing emotion) |
| Low-affect | Let facts and quotes speak; avoid hyperbole |
| Reader thinks for themselves | Pose questions, leave space, don't serve finished conclusions |
| Vivid but factual | Sensory details that anchor, without becoming sentimental |

## Structural pattern

1. **Scenic opening** — place, time, sensory detail → reflection → theme. Introduce an image or motif that returns at the end.
2. **Problem statement** — what's at stake? Why now?
3. **Analysis** — systemic understanding, alternate concrete/abstract
4. **Historical context** — perspective beyond the present
5. **Synthesis** — what does this mean? Rhetorical questions rather than finished answers.
6. **Closing** — return CLEARLY to the opening's motif. Create a taut arc between beginning and end.

## Narrative arc (CRITICAL)

The opening and ending should hang together in a **narrative logic**:
- Introduce a motif, image, or feeling in the opening
- Let the motif lie beneath the surface throughout the text
- Return to the motif at the end, but with new understanding

## Formatting (CRITICAL)

**NO SUBHEADINGS** in the body. Chronicles are flowing prose with only:
- Main heading (# Title)
- Paragraphs separated by blank lines
- Reference list after a closing ---

**NO IN-TEXT CITATIONS.** Write source content naturally without (Author, year). The reference list at the end shows where information comes from.

## Language (CRITICAL)

**Coherent linguistic register.** All quotes should be translated to the chronicle's primary language unless the user explicitly says otherwise. The text should flow without language switches.

**Quotes with quotation marks.** Use "quotation marks" for direct quotes. Quotes anchor the text in reality.

**Avoid:**
- Em-dashes (—) — never use
- Subheadings in body
- In-text citations in flowing prose
- Foreign-language quotes (translate)

## Linguistic rules

### NEVER

| Avoid | Max occurrences |
|-------|-----------------|
| Em-dashes (—) | 0 |
| Subheadings (##, ###) | 0 in body |
| In-text citations | 0 |
| Foreign-language quotes | 0 (translate) |
| "Not just X but also Y" | 0 |
| "It is important to note..." | 0 |
| "One could argue that..." | 0 |
| "In summary..." | 0 |
| "Furthermore / In addition / Finally" | 0 |
| Short fragments as paragraphs (overuse) | max 1-2 per text |

### INSTEAD

- Organic transitions: "But that isn't enough.", "Here a paradox arises."
- Direct claims: "The order [country] built its security on relied on the U.S. as guarantor. Now the guarantor is the threat."
- Rhetorical questions: "What then remains of the principles we say we share?"
- Emotional markers: "It dizzies a little.", "Think about that for a moment."
- Soft qualifiers in reasoning: "for my part", "in many ways"

## Source handling and quotes

**Quotes as ground:** use people's own words as the starting point for storytelling. Quotes anchor the text in reality. Use quotation marks.

**Translate to the primary language:** all quotes should be in the chronicle's language. The original language goes in the reference list.

**No parentheses in body:** write "Jacob Kaarsbo, former chief analyst, commented..." NOT "Kaarsbo (2025) argues that..."

**Avoid overlap:** if the user has recently written on the same topic, find new formulations and angles. Don't repeat direct quotes or exact phrasings from earlier texts.

## Reference format (CRITICAL)

**APA 7 with full URLs:**

```
## References

LastName, F. (Year). *Title*. Source. https://full-url

Malone, T. W., Almaatouq, A., & Vaccaro, M. (2024). When combinations
  of humans and AI are useful. *Nature Human Behaviour*.
  https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/when-humans-and-ai-work-best-together
```

**Source requirements:**
- Academic: well-cited, published after 2022
- Journalism: established outlets (NYT, Guardian, established national press, Wired, Atlantic)
- Primary: company blogs, official documents, first-person witnesses

## Tonality registers

| Register | Share | Use |
|----------|-------|-----|
| Analytical-neutral | 35% | Structured argumentation |
| Critical-analytical | 25% | Power analysis, sharpness |
| Narrative-scenic | 25% | Concrete, sensory, grounded, vivid |
| Visionary-constructive | 10% | Forward-looking |
| Personal-reflective | 5% | Open about uncertainty, feeling |

## Length calibration

| Requested | Characters | Structure |
|-----------|------------|-----------|
| ~3000 | ~500 words | Compact: opening → problem → analysis → close |
| ~5000 | ~800 words | Standard chronicle: full structure |
| ~7000 | ~1100 words | Extended: more context and nuance |
| ~10000 | ~1600 words | Longer blog post: 2-3 main threads |

## Authenticity test

> If the text could be written by someone who hasn't lived your life — it's too generic.

- Is my position in the text?
- Does this sound like ME?
- Do I dare to be uncertain, to ask questions?
- Do I leave space for the reader to think for themselves?
- Are there sensory details that anchor?

## Checklist

- [ ] **PHASE 1 done:** research delegated, voice calibration done?
- [ ] **Facts verified:** all claims checked against sources?
- [ ] Narrative arc: do opening and ending hang together?
- [ ] Coherent language; all quotes translated?
- [ ] Quotation marks for direct quotes?
- [ ] No em-dashes?
- [ ] No subheadings in body?
- [ ] No in-text citations?
- [ ] Sentence length varied (~20 word avg) and paragraph length varied (typically 4-7 sentences)?
- [ ] Low-affect but with feeling: facts and quotes speak, with vivid detail?
- [ ] Space for the reader to think?
- [ ] **References in APA 7** with full URLs?
- [ ] **Saved to {{VAULT_PATH}}/Unsorted/**?

## Instruction

1. **PHASE 1:** delegate research to chronicle-researcher
2. **Wait for:** voice markers + sources + verified facts
3. Note length (chars/words if specified)
4. Plan narrative arc: which motif opens and closes the text?
5. **PHASE 2:** write using inputs from PHASE 1
6. **PHASE 3:** verify all claims against sources
7. Run the checklist
8. **PHASE 4:** save to `{{VAULT_PATH}}/Unsorted/[Title].md`
9. Output: confirm save + file path

---

🎯 COMPLETED: [SKILL:chronicle] [chronicle/blog post in user's voice]
🗣️ CUSTOM COMPLETED: [SKILL:chronicle] [Text saved to vault]