---
name: narrative-nonfiction
description: "Use when writing self-help books, memoirs, or prescriptive guides with story elements. Trigger on: 'self-help book', 'transformation arc', 'metaphor consistency', 'reader journey', 'exercise design', or narrative nonfiction projects."
---

# Narrative Nonfiction Workshop

Workflow for self-help and prescriptive nonfiction using narrative elements and metaphors to guide reader transformation.

**Core concept:** Prescriptive advice + storytelling. Reader is protagonist on a journey. Book provides map and tools.

## When to Use

This skill is for:
- ✅ Self-help and prescriptive nonfiction books
- ✅ Memoirs with lessons or transformation arcs
- ✅ Books using extended metaphors or narrative framing
- ✅ Practical guides that include storytelling elements
- ✅ Reader journey design (before state → after state)

## When NOT to Use

This skill is NOT for:
- ❌ Pure fiction (novels, short stories) - use `fiction-workshop` instead
- ❌ Academic writing or research papers - different conventions
- ❌ Straight journalism or reporting - no transformation arc
- ❌ Technical documentation or how-to guides without story elements
- ❌ Business books focused purely on data/case studies without reader journey

---

## Stage 1: Foundation Building

**Goal:** Establish promise, metaphor system, and transformation arc.

### Initial Questions

1. Target reader? (Demographics + psychographics)
2. Transformation promise?
3. Central metaphor/framing?
4. Reader's "before" and "after" states?
5. Book's unique angle?
6. How much outlined vs. drafted?

### Core Components

**Promise:** What reader gains. "This book will help you [transformation] by [method]"

**Metaphor:** Central metaphor, how it maps to advice, where it helps/misleads

**Reader's Journey:** Entry point (where they start), pain points, resistance, transformation stages, exit point (who they become)

**Twist/Reveal** (if applicable): What's revealed, setup needed, how to earn payoff

Use `assets/book-blueprint-template.md` if needed.

**Exit condition:** Clear grasp of reader, promise, metaphor, arc.

---

## Stage 2: Chapter Development

**Goal:** Draft or refine chapters balancing advice, story, and exercises.

**Chapter structure:** Hook (story/question) → Setup (why this matters) → Content (teaching) → Evidence (stories/research) → Application (exercises) → Bridge (to next)

### Writing Modes

Switch between these as needed:

| Mode | Invocation | Focus |
|------|------------|-------|
| **Voice Editor** | "Check voice consistency..." | Tone, metaphor alignment, author persona |
| **Content Editor** | "Evaluate the teaching in..." | Clarity, completeness, accuracy |
| **Exercise Designer** | "Design exercises for..." | Practical application, appropriate difficulty |
| **Metaphor Consultant** | "Check metaphor consistency..." | Extended metaphor alignment, avoiding confusion |
| **Reveal Engineer** | "Set up the reveal..." | Foreshadowing, misdirection, payoff |

See `references/` for detailed guidance on each mode.

### Creation Workflow

1. **Purpose Check:** Key takeaway? Where in arc? What must reader believe before next chapter?

2. **Outline Beats:** Hook options, teaching points (2-4), stories/examples, exercises, bridge

3. **Draft:** Write chapter. Use "write like you talk" voice.

4. **Layer Metaphor:** Present but not forced.

5. **Add Exercises:** Use `references/exercise-design.md`

6. **Polish:** Check voice, pacing, reader energy

### Editing Workflow

1. **Read as Target Reader:** Engaged? Understand? Believe I can do this? Overwhelmed or ready?

2. **Diagnose:** Confusion → clarify | Boredom → add story | Resistance → address objections | Overwhelm → simplify

3. **Invoke Mode:** Load relevant reference file

4. **Implement:** Use `str_replace`

---

## Stage 3: Arc Integrity Check

**Goal:** Verify book works as complete transformation journey.

**Read full outline/manuscript for:**

1. **Promise Delivery:** Book delivers promise? Transformation clear and achievable?
2. **Pacing:** Change speed appropriate? Integration plateaus? Energy builds?
3. **Metaphor:** Maintained throughout? Breaks or contradicts? Still serves at end?
4. **Reveal** (if applicable): Twist earned? Seeds planted? Reframe lands emotionally?
5. **Exercise Progression:** Build on each other? Difficulty matches stage? Variety?

### Common Issues

| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---------|-------|-----|
| "Too preachy" | Not enough story/example | Add narrative |
| "Too abstract" | Missing concrete advice | Add specific how-to |
| "Overwhelming" | Too much per chapter | Narrow focus, add chapters |
| "Why should I care?" | Missing pain point connection | Open with reader's struggle |
| "I can't do this" | Missing scaffolding | Add smaller steps, examples |

---

## Self-Check: Is This Working?

Use these checkpoints to verify you're following the workflow correctly.

**After Foundation Building:**
- [ ] Can you state the book's promise in one sentence?
- [ ] Can you describe the reader's "before" and "after" states clearly?
- [ ] Do you understand the central metaphor and how it maps to the advice?
- [ ] Can you outline the transformation arc stages without looking at notes?

**After drafting a chapter:**
- [ ] Does the chapter have all six elements: hook, setup, content, evidence, application, bridge?
- [ ] Is the metaphor present but not forced?
- [ ] Is the voice consistent with previous chapters?
- [ ] Would the target reader understand and believe they can apply this?

**After designing an exercise:**
- [ ] Does the exercise difficulty match where the reader is in their journey?
- [ ] Can the reader complete it with the knowledge they have so far?
- [ ] Is it specific enough to be actionable (not "think about boundaries" but "notice one boundary moment")?
- [ ] Does it build on previous exercises?

**After invoking a mode:**
- [ ] Did you explicitly request "Voice Editor" or "Metaphor Consultant" or specific mode?
- [ ] Is the feedback focused on that mode's domain?
- [ ] Did you avoid mixing concerns (voice + content + exercises all at once)?

**Before claiming "done":**
- [ ] Does the full arc deliver on the promise made in chapter 1?
- [ ] Is the metaphor consistent throughout (or intentionally evolved)?
- [ ] Do exercises progress logically from simple to complex?
- [ ] If there's a reveal/twist, are seeds planted in earlier chapters?

If you answered "no" to any checkpoint, return to that stage before proceeding.

---

## Common Mistakes

| Mistake | Why It Happens | Fix |
|---------|---------------|-----|
| **Skipping Foundation Building** | "I just want to start writing" | Without clarity on promise, metaphor, and arc, chapters drift. Spend 30 minutes on blueprint—saves hours of rewriting. |
| **Forcing the metaphor** | Trying to make every sentence fit the frame | Metaphor should illuminate, not constrain. Use it where it helps understanding, skip where it doesn't. Natural beats forced. |
| **Too much teaching, not enough story** | Wanting to share all your knowledge | Readers connect through story first. Aim for 40% story/example, 40% teaching, 20% application. Adjust per chapter needs. |
| **Exercises that don't match reader readiness** | Copying exercise formats from other books | Exercise difficulty must match where reader is in arc. Early chapters = simple reflection. Later chapters = bigger challenges. |
| **Losing voice consistency** | Switching between academic and conversational tone | Pick one voice (usually conversational for self-help) and maintain it. Use "Voice Editor" mode to check consistency. See example below. |
| **Ignoring reader resistance** | Assuming reader agrees with premise | Address objections explicitly. "You might be thinking..." shows you understand their skepticism and builds trust. |
| **Reveal without setup** | Planning twist ending but not planting seeds | If book has reframe/reveal, every chapter needs subtle foreshadowing. Use "Reveal Engineer" mode to plant and track seeds. |

### Example: Voice Consistency

**Inconsistent voice (Chapter 1 conversational, Chapter 4 academic):**

Chapter 1: "You've probably felt that knot in your stomach when someone asks for a favor you don't want to do. That's your boundary trying to speak."

Chapter 4: "Empirical research demonstrates that individuals who establish clear interpersonal boundaries exhibit significantly higher levels of psychological well-being (Smith et al., 2019)."

**Consistent voice (both conversational):**

Chapter 4: "Here's what the research shows: people who set clear boundaries are measurably happier. One study tracked 500 people for a year and found that boundary-setters reported 40% less stress. Your gut was right all along."

**The difference:** Conversational voice maintains "you/your" address, uses plain language, and connects research to reader experience.

### Example: Forced vs. Natural Metaphor

**Book metaphor: "Be the Villain"**

**Forced:** "When you wake up in the morning, put on your villain mask. Brush your villain teeth. Make villain coffee. Every moment is a chance to embrace your inner antagonist."

**Natural:** "Villains don't apologize for taking up space. When you enter a meeting room, claim your seat without shrinking. That's villain energy—unapologetic presence."

**The difference:** Natural metaphor illuminates specific advice. Forced metaphor tries to shoehorn every detail into the frame.

### Example: Exercise Design with Scaffolding

**Early chapter exercise (reader just learning concept):**
```
EXERCISE: Notice Your Boundaries
This week, pay attention to one interaction per day where you felt uncomfortable.
Just notice. Don't judge yourself or try to change anything yet.
Write down: What happened? What did you feel in your body?
```

**Later chapter exercise (reader has practiced basics):**
```
EXERCISE: Set One Boundary
Choose a low-stakes situation this week (not your boss, not your spouse—start small).
1. Identify what you want to say no to
2. Script your boundary statement using the template from Chapter 3
3. Practice saying it out loud three times before the actual conversation
4. Deliver the boundary
5. Journal: What happened? How did you feel? What would you do differently?
```

**The difference:** Early exercises are observation-only with no pressure. Later exercises build on established skills and ask for action.

---

## Quick Reference Commands

| Need | Command |
|------|---------|
| Start new project | "Let's build a blueprint for [project]" |
| Voice check | "Check voice consistency in [chapter]" |
| Content edit | "Evaluate the teaching in [chapter]" |
| Design exercises | "Design exercises for [concept]" |
| Metaphor check | "Check metaphor consistency across [chapters]" |
| Setup the reveal | "Help me plant seeds for [reveal] in [chapter]" |
| Arc review | "Review the transformation arc in [outline/draft]" |

---

## Files

- `references/transformation-arc.md` - Reader journey structure
- `references/metaphor-consistency.md` - Extended metaphor management
- `references/exercise-design.md` - Practical application design
- `references/reveal-engineering.md` - Twist/reframe setup and payoff
- `references/voice-editing.md` - Tone and persona consistency
- `assets/book-blueprint-template.md` - Book planning document
- `assets/chapter-template.md` - Chapter structure template