# Writing Guide

> Use when revising general prose for clarity, concision, factual discipline, or consistent terminology across documents and messages. Triggers on plain language, sentence clarity, active voice, ambiguous pronouns, wordiness, repeated summaries, terminology consistency, claim and evidence alignment, or requests to make writing clear and precise, even when the user doesn't say 'writing'.

- Skill: `xonovex/writing-guide` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 5 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add xonovex/writing-guide`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/xonovex/writing-guide/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: xonovex (https://skillmd.com/u/xonovex)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/xonovex/writing-guide

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# Writing Guidelines

Write clear prose that preserves meaning and lets the reader verify each claim.

## Essentials

- **Give each sentence one job** - Use an active subject and a concrete verb, see [references/plain-prose.md](references/plain-prose.md)
- **Keep names stable** - Use one term for one thing and make every reference unambiguous, see [references/plain-prose.md](references/plain-prose.md)
- **Keep evidence with its claim** - State comparison conditions and distinguish fact from inference, see [references/plain-prose.md](references/plain-prose.md)
- **Control the detail** - Retain what the reader needs and remove filler, narration, and duplicate summaries, see [references/plain-prose.md](references/plain-prose.md)

## Gotchas

- Clear prose does not require every sentence to have the same length. Preserve rhythm when the medium needs it.
- Do not replace a precise ordinary word with a synonym only to avoid repetition.
- Do not invent a fact, source, owner, deadline, action, or confidence level while tightening prose.
- An artifact-specific skill owns required structure, voice, terminology controls, and publication format. Apply these rules within that contract.

## Progressive Disclosure

- Read [references/plain-prose.md](references/plain-prose.md) - Load when revising sentence structure, terminology, evidence, certainty, or level of detail