Story Sense: Diagnostic Skill

Identify what state a story is in and what it needs to move forward. This is not a linear process but a diagnostic model: Assess → Diagnose → Intervene → Reassess.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• Writer is stuck and doesn't know why
• Story feels broken but root cause unclear
• Need to evaluate story problems systematically
• Someone asks "what's wrong with my story?"

Do NOT use this skill when:

• Writer wants you to write the story (use story-collaborator)
• Writer wants coaching questions only (use story-coach)
• Publishing/marketing questions (use book-marketing)

Core Principle

Story Sense is the ability to know what any story needs, regardless of its current state or intended medium.

There's no such thing as "stuck." There's only:

• Not yet having diagnosed the problem
• Not yet applying the right intervention

The Story States

State 0: No Story (Blank Page)

Symptoms: Nothing exists yet
Interventions: story-idea-generator, elemental genres

State 1: Concept Without Foundation

Symptoms: Have idea but world/characters/plot feel thin
Interventions: cliche-transcendence, systemic-worldbuilding, key-moments

State 2: World Without Life

Symptoms: Setting exists but feels like backdrop
Interventions: worldbuilding skill suite (belief-systems, economic-systems, governance-systems)

State 3: Flat Non-Humans

Symptoms: Aliens/fantasy species feel like humans in costume
Interventions: conlang, species development frameworks

State 4: Characters Without Dimension

Symptoms: Characters serve plot rather than driving it
Interventions: character-arc, underdog-unit, positional-revelation

State 4.5: Plot Without Pacing

Symptoms: Scenes work individually but don't accumulate
Interventions: scene-sequencing

State 5: Plot Without Purpose

Symptoms: Events happen but don't accumulate meaning
Interventions: moral-parallax, key-moments

State 5.5: Dialogue Feels Flat

Symptoms: Characters sound alike, conversations lifeless
Interventions: dialogue

State 5.75: Ending Doesn't Land

Symptoms: Story builds well but resolution disappoints
Interventions: endings

State 5.85: Draft Not Progressing

Symptoms: Planning done but draft isn't happening
Interventions: drafting

State 5.9: Prose Feels Flat

Symptoms: Story works but sentences are functional not memorable
Interventions: prose-style

State 6: Draft Complete, Needs Revision

Symptoms: Draft exists but revision feels overwhelming
Interventions: revision

State 7: Ready for Evaluation

Symptoms: Story exists but quality uncertain
Interventions: sensitivity-check, story-analysis

Decision Tree

Is there anything on the page?
├── NO → story-idea-generator
└── YES → What's the problem?
    ├── Feels generic → cliche-transcendence
    ├── World feels thin → worldbuilding
    ├── Non-humans feel fake → conlang
    ├── Characters flat → character-arc
    ├── Pacing off → scene-sequencing
    ├── Dialogue wooden → dialogue
    ├── Ending weak → endings
    ├── Meaning unclear → moral-parallax
    ├── Draft not progressing → drafting
    ├── Prose flat → prose-style
    └── Draft needs revision → revision

Diagnostic Process

1. Listen for symptoms - What are they describing as the problem?
2. Ask clarifying questions - Get specific about where they're stuck
3. Identify the state - Match symptoms to state list
4. Name the diagnosis - Explain what you're seeing
5. Recommend intervention - Point to specific skill
6. Offer next steps - What should they try first?

Available Scripts

entropy.ts

Injects creative randomness from curated lists.

deno run --allow-read scripts/entropy.ts lies
deno run --allow-read scripts/entropy.ts disasters --count 3
deno run --allow-read scripts/entropy.ts --combo

Lists: lies, ghosts, disasters, dilemmas, professions, locations, collisions, openings

functions.ts

Generates characters from abstract story functions.

deno run --allow-read scripts/functions.ts
deno run --allow-read scripts/functions.ts --setting scifi
deno run --allow-read scripts/functions.ts healer --setting fantasy

Functions: healer, enforcer, keeper_of_secrets, maker, trader, guide, entertainer, death_worker, transgressor

Anti-Patterns

Prescribing Instead of Diagnosing

Fix: Always ask clarifying questions before diagnosing.

Framework Overload

Fix: Recommend one intervention. Expand after reassessment.

Ignoring Writer's Energy

Fix: Balance diagnostic accuracy with what energizes the writer.

Treating Structure as Story

Fix: Keep asking "Does this feel right?" alongside structural diagnosis.

Related Skills

Routes to all fiction skills based on diagnosed state.