Set Up A Writing Home
Create one portable folder that can travel independently of the plugin and contains the context and working surfaces Compound Writing needs.
Resolve The Target
- Use the path or folder name the user supplied.
- If the destination is unclear and choosing it would create the writing home in a materially different place, ask for the path.
- Read existing workspace instructions before writing.
- Never create writing-home files inside the installed plugin or runtime cache.
Create The Writing Home
Create this exact minimum structure:
writing-home/
├── VOICE.md
├── STYLE.md
├── examples/
│ └── README.md
└── drafts/
└── README.md
Run the bundled creator by resolving it relative to this SKILL.md; do not assume the user's working directory is the plugin root:
python3 "<plugin-root>/skills/cw-setup-project/scripts/create_project.py" "/path/to/writing-home"
The script copies the canonical templates from defaults/project-template/. It may create a new folder or populate an empty folder. It refuses to modify a non-empty folder by default and never overwrites files.
For an existing folder, inspect it first. If the user explicitly wants the Compound Writing structure added, run:
python3 "<plugin-root>/skills/cw-setup-project/scripts/create_project.py" "/path/to/writing-home" --add-missing
--add-missing creates only absent items. Preserve every existing file and convention.
Keep The Split Clear
VOICE.mdanswers: How should the sentences sound? Put syntax, diction, and tone here, including cadence, rhythm, register, punctuation, and verbal tics.STYLE.mdanswers: What must the article do, contain, and prove? Put argument, evidence, article structure, substantive standards, audience promise, and publication-readiness criteria here.examples/holds curated positive and negative examples. Examples are evidence for the written rules, not rules by themselves.drafts/holds one folder per piece:drafts/<piece-slug>/. Keep that piece's notes, research, outline, draft versions, and reviews together.
Never put argument, evidence, structure, or publication-readiness rules in VOICE.md. Never put word choice, sentence construction, cadence, or tone rules in STYLE.md. Split mixed feedback into separate rules.
Do not create TASTE.md, context.md, published/, or .status.yaml as part of setup.
Migrate A Legacy Project
When TASTE.md exists:
- Read it with the existing project instructions.
- Route syntax, diction, and tone rules to
VOICE.md. - Route argument, evidence, article structure, substantive standards, and publication-readiness rules to
STYLE.md. - Flag rules that mix both layers or conflict with maintained context.
- Show the migration summary before changing ambiguous or high-authority guidance.
- Preserve
TASTE.mduntil the user explicitly approves its deletion or archival.
Begin The Guides
After first-run setup, begin cw-onboarding so the writer can add a useful first version of both guides from a short conversation, existing writing, or the work already in progress. Do not block use of the writing home on completing either profile.
When the user invoked cw-setup-project manually for an additional folder, offer onboarding rather than assuming they want a new profile immediately.
Handoff
Report the writing-home path, the four created surfaces, anything skipped because it already existed, and the next useful step.