How does it handle AI-sounding phrases?

It integrates with the /ai-anti-patterns skill to automatically check for and revise common AI writing indicators, ensuring a more natural and human-like tone.

Can I use this for specialized legal or financial writing?

While this skill provides a general foundation, it is designed to work alongside specialized skills like /writing-legal or /writing-econ for domain-specific requirements.

Does it include typography tools?

Yes, it includes a smartquotes.py script that converts straight quotes and apostrophes into professional typographic curly quotes.

What makes this skill different from standard AI writing?

This skill strictly adheres to classic style principles like 'omitting needless words' and using the active voice, actively avoiding the wordy and repetitive patterns common in standard AI-generated text.

Will this skill still use bullet points?

By default, this skill encourages writing in prose to improve flow. It will only use lists or bullet points if you explicitly request them.

This skill transforms Claude into a disciplined editor by enforcing the core principles of Strunk & White’s Elements of Style. It prioritizes the active voice, concrete language, and the omission of needless words to produce professional, high-impact prose. Ideal for drafting blog posts, articles, and documentation, the skill discourages common AI habits like excessive bullet points and hedging, ensuring every sentence is necessary and every word is precise. It also includes utility scripts for smart typography and integrates with anti-pattern detection to ensure your writing sounds human and authoritative.

Características Principales

01Prioritizes active voice and concrete language over vague abstractions.

020 GitHub stars

03Enforces Strunk & White's foundational grammar and composition principles.

04Includes a smart quotes utility script for professional typography.

05Integrates with AI anti-pattern detection to reduce 'AI-sounding' output.

06Automatically omits needless words and filler phrases for maximum clarity.

Casos de Uso

01Editing existing prose for better flow, impact, and conciseness.

02Drafting professional blog posts and articles without typical AI fluff.

03Reviewing technical documentation to ensure clarity and brevity.

name	description
writing	This skill should be used when the user asks to "write an article", "draft a blog post", "edit prose", "review my writing", "check style", "improve clarity", or needs general writing guidance. Provides Strunk & White's Elements of Style for foundational grammar, usage, and composition principles.

Writing and Editing

Foundational style guide for clear, concise prose based on Strunk & White's Elements of Style.

When to Use

Invoke this skill for:

Writing articles, blog posts, or general prose
Editing text for clarity, conciseness, or style
Reviewing grammar and usage
Improving sentence structure and word choice

For specialized domains:

Legal writing (law review articles): Use /writing-legal skill (Volokh)
Economics/Finance: Use /writing-econ skill (McCloskey)

Core Principles

The Iron Law of Good Writing

Omit needless words.

Every word must earn its place. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences.

Critical Rules

Rule	Explanation
Write in prose	Avoid bullet points and lists unless explicitly requested
Use active voice	"The committee approved the plan" not "The plan was approved"
Be concrete	Specific details over vague abstractions
Put statements in positive form	Say what something is, not what it isn't
Use definite language	Avoid hedging, qualifiers, and weasel words

Red Flags - Stop If You Think

Thought	Why It's Wrong	Do Instead
"I'll add some qualifiers to be safe"	Weakens the writing	Make definite assertions
"Let me list these points"	Bullet points are lazy	Write in prose paragraphs
"I should sound more formal"	Formality often means wordiness	Write naturally, then edit
"This needs more emphasis"	Overemphasis dilutes meaning	Let strong words speak

How to Use This Skill

Before Writing

Identify the main point or thesis
Plan the structure: introduction, development, conclusion
Gather concrete examples to support claims

During Drafting

Write complete sentences in paragraphs
Use active voice and strong verbs
Be specific: "three hours" not "a long time"
Avoid starting with "There is" or "It is"

During Editing

Apply these checks in order:

Sentence Level:

Remove unnecessary words ("in order to" → "to")
Replace weak verbs ("is able to" → "can")
Convert passive to active voice
Eliminate redundancies ("past history" → "history")

Paragraph Level:

Ensure each paragraph has one main idea
Check topic sentences lead clearly
Verify logical flow between paragraphs

Word Level:

Replace abstract nouns with concrete ones
Use specific verbs over vague ones + adverbs
Cut filler words ("very", "really", "quite", "rather")

Quick Reference: Common Fixes

Weak	Strong
utilize	use
in order to	to
due to the fact that	because
at this point in time	now
in the event that	if
prior to	before
subsequent to	after
with regard to	about
a large number of	many
is able to	can

Progressive Disclosure

For comprehensive guidance, consult:

Reference Files

references/elements-of-style.md - Complete Strunk & White guide covering:
- Elementary Rules of Usage (commas, colons, participles)
- Elementary Principles of Composition (paragraph unity, active voice)
- Words and Expressions Commonly Misused
- Style guidance and literary reminders

When to Load References

Load the full reference when:

Encountering specific grammar questions (comma usage, possessives)
Needing detailed guidance on composition principles
Checking whether specific words/expressions are commonly misused
Working on substantial editing tasks

Integration with AI Anti-Patterns

After completing any writing task, invoke /ai-anti-patterns to check for AI writing indicators. This plugin includes PostToolUse hooks that automatically warn on common anti-patterns in Write/Edit output.

Examples

Weak original:

It is important to note that there are a variety of different factors that contribute to the overall success of the project in question.

Strong revision:

Several factors determine project success.

Weak original:

The report was written by the team and was subsequently reviewed by management prior to being distributed to stakeholders.