Novel Architect
Turn a vague literary fiction idea into an interviewed, approved novel project folder with foundation docs, characters, and chapter scaffolding.
Overview
Novel Architect is a journey-wide agent skill that scaffolds literary novels through approved, interview-driven steps—usable whenever a solo builder needs to discover story truth before committing structure.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/junaid18183/novel-architect-skills --skill novel-architectWhat is this skill?
- Stepwise scaffolding via gentle, reflective interviews before any file writes
- Section-by-section proposals with explicit approval gates and in-memory staging
- Creates Braindump, character sheets, and chapter scaffolding in a full novel directory
- Triggered by “create a novel project”, brainstorm/plan story, or /novel-architect commands
- Core rule: reflection before construction; preserve authorial voice over template filler
- Creates a multi-file novel directory including Braindump.md, character sheets, and chapter scaffolding per the skill tab
Adoption & trust: 1.8k installs on skills.sh; 2 GitHub stars; 2/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
You have a fuzzy fiction idea but no approved emotional core, character canon, or on-disk novel project structure your agent can extend consistently.
Who is it for?
Literary fiction authors who want patient, section-gated project setup from chat triggers like “help me brainstorm my novel” or “start a new novel”.
Skip if: Writers who already have a locked spec and only need line-level copyediting, or non-fiction / technical book templates without narrative interviews.
When should I use this skill?
User says create a novel project, start a new novel, help brainstorm/plan my story, set up novel structure, /novel-architect, or any fiction project planning request.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You end with a novel directory containing approved foundation files, character sheets, and chapter scaffolding ready for drafting or a dedicated writing-plans pass.
- Braindump.md with emotional core, themes, and structure notes
- Character sheets and chapter scaffolding files in a novel project folder
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Useful at every journey phase - explore requirements and options before committing to a direction.
Where it fits
Interview emotional north star and themes before any Braindump.md is written.
Approve act-level structure and chapter scaffolding once the premise is stable.
Materialize character sheets and chapter files into the novel directory for drafting sprints.
Re-open foundation docs to align marketing blurbs with the approved thematic core.
How it compares
Use instead of one-shot “write my novel” prompts when you need gated interviews and durable project files.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is novel-architect for?
Solo literary fiction writers and indie creators using Claude Code, Cursor, or similar agents who want structured novel repos born from conversational discovery.
When should I use novel-architect?
In Idea/discover when clarifying premise and themes; in Validate/scope when locking story structure; in Build/docs when you need chapter scaffolding files; anytime you say create a novel project or plan my story before drafting.
Is novel-architect safe to install?
It mainly creates local markdown and project folders; review the Security Audits panel on this page before granting broad filesystem access in untrusted environments.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Novel Architect
# Novel Architect A comprehensive skill for literary fiction writers that transforms vague story ideas into structured novel projects through patient, emotionally-attentive dialogue. ## Core Philosophy **Reflection before construction. Emotional truth before narrative logic.** This skill: - Works through conversation first, writing only after understanding is complete - Proposes content section-by-section, waiting for approval at each step - Stores approved sections in memory, writing files only when complete - Preserves authorial voice and intent above all else - Respects silence, ambiguity, and emotional restraint --- ## What This Creates | File/Folder | Purpose | Format | |-------------|---------|--------| | `Braindump.md` | Emotional core & vision | North Star, themes, structure | | `Genre.md` | Genre expectations | Conventions, boundaries, reader expectations | | `Style.md` | Narrative voice & tone | Voice, rhythm, pacing, influences | | `Characters.md` | Character sheets | Rich Markdown tables per character | | `Worldbuilding.md` | Setting & world rules | Structured tables by category | | `Conflict.md` | Story conflicts & stakes | Internal/external conflicts | | `Synopsis.md` | Full story summary | Beginning, middle, end (500-1000 words) | | `Timeline.md` | Story chronology | Event sequence, pacing, continuity | | `Outline/` | Chapter-by-chapter beats | Detailed outline per chapter | | `Chapters/` | Draft manuscript files | Ready-to-write chapter files | | `Research/` | Reference materials | Notes, sources, context | | `Archive/` | Old versions & cuts | Deleted scenes, old drafts | | `Assets/` | Visual references | Maps, character art, mood boards | ## Output Location Project is created in: ``` ~/writing/novels/{novel-name}/ ``` All work is done in the same location. The skill works on one file at a time. --- ## Usage Patterns ### Quick Start (Command Style) ``` /novel-architect an english novel named lost-horizon "A man discovers his small town is slowly disappearing from maps" ``` ### Interactive Start ``` "Help me create a novel project" "I want to start writing a novel" "Set up a new book for me" ``` Both trigger the same step-by-step interview process. --- ## Complete Process Overview The skill follows this exact sequence, never skipping ahead: 1. **Gather Project Basics** → Name, language, core idea 2. **Create Directory Structure** → All folders with README files 3. **Interactive Braindump** → North Star, title, theme, structure (section-by-section approval) 4. **Define Genre** → Conventions, tone, boundaries, expectations 5. **Discover Voice** → POV, tone, rhythm, influences 6. **Build Characters** → Rich character sheets in table format (one at a time) 7. **Build World** → Worldbuilding tables (setting, atmosphere, rules) 8. **Map Conflicts** → Internal/external conflicts, stakes 9. **Write Synopsis** → Full story outline (beginning → middle → end) 10. **Create Timeline** → Chronological event map 11. **Generate Chapter Outlines** → Detailed beat sheets (one chapter at a time, saved silently) 12. **Draft All Chapters** → Draft Chapter-1 to Chapters-N via parallel background tasks (RECOMMENDED) or sequentially ask user how he wants parallel or sequential 13. **Review Each Chapter** → All chapters via parallel backgro