Agent skill

Non Fiction Revision

by jwynia in jwynia/agent-skills

Diagnose and guide revisions in non-fiction books. An agent skill from jwynia/agent-skills.

MITAuto-check passedWriting & Content

Install Non Fiction Revision

skills CLI
$ npx skills add jwynia/agent-skills --skill non-fiction-revision -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install jwynia/agent-skills non-fiction-revision --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/jwynia/agent-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/general/writing/revision/non-fiction-revision .claude/skills/non-fiction-revision && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
non-fiction-revision
GitHub stars
170
Token cost
~2.9k tokens
SKILL.md length
1,315 words
Files
1
Skills in repo
111
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Diagnose and guide revisions in non-fiction books. An agent skill from jwynia/agent-skills.

  • Works in 4 steps: Identify Change Level → Map Dependencies → Assess Cascade Risk → …
  • Non-fiction book revision
  • SKILL.md covers Purpose, Quick Reference, The Multi-Level Structure and Critical Principle, plus 5 more sections
  • Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Non Fiction Revision is an agent skill from jwynia/agent-skills. Diagnose and guide revisions in non-fiction books. Use for non-fiction book revision, when arguments feel weak, evidence is outdated, readers report confusion, thesis is unclear, or book structure has problems. Keywords: non-fiction, revision, thesis, argument, evidence, structure.

Its SKILL.md is about 2.9k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.

It sits in Writing & Content, covering Creative writing and fiction and Essays and academic help. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Non-fiction book revision
  • Arguments feel weak
  • Evidence is outdated
  • Readers report confusion

Example prompts

  • “/non-fiction-revision”

Workflow steps

4 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.

  1. Identify Change Level
  2. Map Dependencies
  3. Assess Cascade Risk
  4. Define Success Criteria

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit e02ec7e. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md (its code samples are markdown).

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Non Fiction Revision loads about 2.9k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 76 tokens; SKILL.md has 1,315 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~76
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~2.9k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from jwynia/agent-skills at commit e02ec7e, republished under its MIT licence (© jwynia). 1,315 words, ~2,941 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/non-fiction-revision/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).
name
non-fiction-revision
description
Diagnose and guide revisions in non-fiction books. Use for non-fiction book revision, when arguments feel weak, evidence is outdated, readers report confusion, thesis is unclear, or book structure has problems. Keywords: non-fiction, revision, thesis, argument, evidence, structure.
license
MIT
metadata.author
jwynia
metadata.version
1.0
metadata.type
diagnostic
metadata.mode
diagnostic+assistive
metadata.domain
writing

Non-Fiction Revision Diagnostic

Purpose

Diagnose and guide revisions in non-fiction books (business, self-help, academic, popular science, memoir). Non-fiction operates across multiple levels simultaneously—thesis, structure, evidence, pedagogy. Changes at one level cascade to others. This skill identifies which level needs attention and prevents revision damage.

Quick Reference

StateSignalCore Issue
NR1Thesis feels unclear or weakConceptual level problem
NR2Arguments don't build logicallyStructural problem
NR3Claims lack adequate supportEvidence problem
NR4Readers report confusionPedagogical problem
NR5Sources outdated or weakCredibility problem
NR6Changes causing new problemsCascade failure

The Multi-Level Structure

Every non-fiction book operates simultaneously across:

Level 1: Conceptual/Thesis
  • Core thesis and main arguments
  • Foundational assumptions and frameworks
  • Philosophical or theoretical positions
  • Overall purpose and intended impact
Level 2: Structural/Argument
  • Logical argument sequence and flow
  • Chapter organization and dependencies
  • Evidence distribution and support patterns
  • Reader journey and persuasion architecture
Level 3: Content/Evidence
  • Specific evidence, examples, and data
  • Explanations and clarifications
  • Voice, tone, and accessibility
  • Citations, sources, and credibility markers
Level 4: Pedagogical/Reader
  • Learning progression and scaffolding
  • Cognitive load management
  • Engagement and retention strategies
  • Practical application guidance

Critical Principle

Any change at one level potentially affects argument validity and reader comprehension at all other levels.

Changes propagate:

  • Upward: New evidence might undermine existing arguments
  • Downward: Thesis changes require complete restructuring
  • Lateral: Chapter reordering affects argument development flow

Diagnostic States

NR1: Thesis/Core Argument Problem

Symptoms:

  • Thesis feels unclear or unstated
  • Main arguments seem weak or unconvincing
  • Central claims are frequently disputed
  • Book's purpose is hard to articulate
  • Conclusion doesn't deliver on promise

Diagnostic Questions:

  1. Can you state the thesis in one sentence?
  2. What are the 3-5 main arguments supporting it?
  3. What evidence backs each main argument?
  4. Does the conclusion match the opening promise?
  5. What changes if the thesis is wrong?

Interventions:

  1. Map all current evidence supporting the thesis
  2. Identify which chapters depend on current thesis formulation
  3. Evaluate what new evidence a revised thesis would require
  4. Check how thesis change affects the reader promise
  5. Assess impact on conclusion and call-to-action

Cascade Warning: Thesis changes are the most dangerous—they can invalidate entire chapters. Before changing thesis, map all dependencies.


NR2: Structural/Organization Problem

Symptoms:

  • Argument flow feels illogical
  • Chapters seem disconnected
  • Prerequisite knowledge isn't established before use
  • Reader must jump back to understand
  • Same points repeated without building

Diagnostic Questions:

  1. What logical prerequisites exist for each chapter?
  2. Does knowledge accumulate or repeat?
  3. Are there arguments that depend on later chapters?
  4. Could chapters be reordered without breaking logic?
  5. Do transitions explain the logical connection?

Interventions:

  1. Create dependency map of chapter relationships
  2. Identify logical prerequisites for each major argument
  3. Map reader knowledge accumulation through structure
  4. Test alternative sequences against comprehension requirements
  5. Ensure examples remain contextually appropriate

Cascade Warning: Reordering chapters affects every cross-reference and forward/backward reference. Track all internal citations.


NR3: Evidence/Support Problem

Symptoms:

  • Claims feel unsupported or handwavy
  • "Trust me" rather than "here's proof"
  • Evidence exists but doesn't connect to claims
  • Support for different claims inconsistent in quality
  • Key arguments rest on weak foundations

Diagnostic Questions:

  1. What type of evidence supports each main claim?
  2. Are evidence standards consistent throughout?
  3. Which claims have the weakest support?
  4. Does evidence actually prove what's claimed?
  5. Are there counter-arguments addressed?

Interventions:

  1. Audit evidence quality for each major claim
  2. Identify claims needing stronger or different support
  3. Evaluate how new evidence affects existing arguments
  4. Check consistency in citation style and source quality
  5. Assess whether adding evidence changes argument strength

Cascade Warning: Adding strong evidence for one claim can accidentally weaken others by raising the evidence standard readers expect.


NR4: Pedagogical/Comprehension Problem

Symptoms:

  • Readers report confusion
  • Complex concepts introduced too fast
  • Examples don't illuminate—they confuse
  • Practical application unclear
  • Target audience can't follow

Diagnostic Questions:

  1. Where do readers typically get lost?
  2. Are technical terms defined before use?
  3. Do examples match reader experience?
  4. Is cognitive load distributed or front-loaded?
  5. Can readers apply what they learn?

Interventions:

  1. Map cognitive load distribution across chapters
  2. Identify concepts needing better scaffolding
  3. Evaluate example effectiveness and relevance
  4. Check that practical guidance is actionable
  5. Assess whether complexity progression is appropriate

Cascade Warning: Simplifying can accidentally remove nuance that supports arguments. Balance accessibility with accuracy.


NR5: Credibility/Source Problem

Symptoms:

  • Sources feel outdated
  • Citation patterns inconsistent
  • Author authority questioned
  • Examples from wrong era
  • "According to experts" without naming them

Diagnostic Questions:

  1. How old are the oldest sources?
  2. Are sources appropriate to the field?
  3. Is citation style consistent throughout?
  4. Do you name experts or speak generally?
  5. Are there sources readers would expect that are missing?

Interventions:

  1. Audit source currency and quality
  2. Identify claims needing more recent support
  3. Standardize citation style and depth
  4. Replace generic expert references with specific citations
  5. Add expected canonical sources for the field

Cascade Warning: Updating sources can accidentally change what the evidence actually says. Verify new sources support the same conclusions.


Show full SKILL.md (479 more words)Show less
NR6: Cascade Failure

Symptoms:

  • Fixes create new problems
  • Changes in one chapter break another
  • Evidence update invalidates argument
  • Structural change creates new confusion
  • Progress feels impossible

Diagnostic Questions:

  1. What was the original change that started the cascade?
  2. What dependencies weren't mapped?
  3. Is there a stable rollback point?
  4. What's the minimum viable change that tests the idea?
  5. Are the problems localized or systemic?

Interventions:

  1. Stop implementing and assess damage scope
  2. Identify last stable state
  3. Map actual dependencies (not assumed ones)
  4. Consider whether original change is worth the cascade cost
  5. If proceeding, create checkpoint system for controlled changes

Rollback Criteria:

  • Fundamental logical structure breaks down
  • Evidence requirements become impossible to meet
  • Changes create more credibility problems than they solve
  • Reader comprehension significantly compromised

Pre-Change Protocol

Before implementing ANY revision:

1. Identify Change Level
  • Conceptual (thesis, main arguments, frameworks)
  • Structural (chapter sequence, argument flow, organization)
  • Content (evidence, examples, explanations)
  • Pedagogical (presentation, scaffolding, application)
2. Map Dependencies

For each change, document:

  • Prerequisites: What must remain intact for this change to work?
  • Dependents: What later claims rely on this element?
  • Evidence: What support becomes necessary or obsolete?
  • Comprehension: How does this affect the learning journey?
3. Assess Cascade Risk
  • Low: Change is isolated, no dependencies
  • Medium: 2-3 other elements need updating
  • High: Affects multiple chapters or core arguments
  • Critical: Threatens book's foundational structure
4. Define Success Criteria

Before changing, know how you'll evaluate:

  • Logical coherence: Does the argument still flow?
  • Evidence adequacy: Are claims still supported?
  • Reader comprehension: Can they still follow?
  • Credibility: Does authority remain intact?

Change Record Template

markdown
# Revision: [Brief Description]

## Change Type
- [ ] Conceptual  - [ ] Structural  - [ ] Content  - [ ] Pedagogical

## Rationale
[Why this change improves the book]

## Dependency Analysis
- Prerequisites affected:
- Dependent elements:
- Evidence changes needed:
- Comprehension impacts:

## Cascade Risk Level
- [ ] Low  - [ ] Medium  - [ ] High  - [ ] Critical

## Success Criteria
- Logical coherence check:
- Evidence adequacy standard:
- Reader comprehension benchmark:

## Implementation Status
- [ ] Initial change complete
- [ ] Dependencies updated
- [ ] Cross-references revised
- [ ] Cascade effects resolved

## Outcome
[Complete after implementation]

Non-Fiction Type Variations

Academic/Research
  • Methodology consistency paramount
  • Literature review must stay current
  • Anticipate peer review critique
  • Contribution clarity essential
Business/Self-Help
  • Practical applicability above all
  • Examples must feel current
  • Implementation guidance required
  • ROI/benefit must be clear
  • Accessibility without dumbing down
  • Research currency matters
  • Analogies must actually illuminate
  • Balance education with engagement
Memoir/Personal Narrative
  • Factual accuracy + compelling narrative
  • Emotional authenticity preserved
  • Privacy boundaries respected
  • Personal connects to universal

Anti-Patterns

The Endless Revision Spiral

Fixing one thing breaks another, which breaks another. The book never reaches stable state.

Fix: Define minimum viable change, implement, stabilize before next change.

The Evidence Addiction

Adding more and more sources without improving argument quality. Quantity masking weakness.

Fix: Better evidence, not more evidence. One strong study beats ten weak ones.

The Clarity Trap

Simplifying until accuracy suffers. Readers can follow but learn the wrong thing.

Fix: Scaffold complexity rather than remove it. Build up to nuance.

The Thesis Drift

Small changes accumulate until the book argues something different than intended.

Fix: Regularly check: does the conclusion still match the introduction's promise?


Integration Points

Inbound:

  • From research: When gathering new evidence
  • From revision: For overall revision strategy

Outbound:

  • To prose-style: After structural issues resolved
  • To fact-check: For evidence verification

Complementary:

  • research: For evidence gathering
  • revision: For fiction revision (parallel skill)

© jwynia, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

Just SKILL.md in skills/general/writing/revision/non-fiction-revision of jwynia/agent-skills.

Open the folder on GitHubat commit e02ec7e

Compare with similar skills

Non Fiction Revision next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Non Fiction Revision compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Non Fiction Revision this skilljwynia/agent-skills170—~2.9kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Ylj Preemption Checkbrycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills1.2k—~1.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Editorial Illustrationshuytieu/COG-second-brain1.3k—~2.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Analogy Finderlijigang/ljg-skills7.5k—~850Automated safety check: PassMIT
Humanize EnglishAnastasiyaW/codex-claude-code-config154—~1.8kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Mind Writing Stylefranklee16/academic-research-skills2231 repos~926Automated safety check: PassNone

Similar skills

  • Ylj Preemption Check

    brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills

    A skill your agent uses when verifying that a The Yale Law Journal (YLJ) claim is genuinely novel and not preempted by prior scholarship.

    1.2k GitHub stars~1.4k tokensUpdated 14 days ago
    EducationAuto-check passed
  • Editorial Illustrations

    huytieu/COG-second-brain

    Generate meaning-carrying editorial data-illustrations in the monotykamary / Linear aesthetic (near-black grayscale, Inter display + mono labels, hairline framed figures) with a single coral accent.

    1.3k GitHub stars~2.4k tokensUpdated 9 days ago
    Writing & ContentAuto-check passed
  • Analogy Finder

    lijigang/ljg-skills

    Finds an apt analogy or relational metaphor for a scene, or for the difference between two things, based on structure-mapping theory, and states where the comparison breaks.

    7.5k GitHub stars~850 tokensUpdated 2 days ago
    Writing & ContentAuto-check passed
  • Humanize English

    AnastasiyaW/codex-claude-code-config

    Edit English drafts for clear, natural language while preserving facts, uncertainty, technical meaning, citations and genre.

    154 GitHub stars~1.8k tokensUpdated yesterday
    Writing & ContentAuto-check passed
  • Mind Writing Style

    franklee16/academic-research-skills

    A skill your agent uses when drafting or polishing the prose of a Mind article so the argument is maximally clear to a broad philosophical readership within the ~8,000-word limit.

    223 GitHub starsUsed in 1 repo~926 tokens
    Writing & ContentAuto-check passed
  • Serenity Skill

    aiskillstore/marketplace

    Turn an investment agent into a supply-chain bottleneck hunter.

    433 GitHub stars~3.4k tokensUpdated yesterday
    Writing & ContentAuto-check passed

More from jwynia/agent-skills

All 111 skills in this repo
  • Devcontainer

    jwynia/agent-skills

    Diagnose devcontainer configuration problems and guide development environment setup.

    170 GitHub stars~1.2k tokensUpdated 7 mo ago
    Auto-check: notes
  • Frontend Design

    jwynia/agent-skills

    Create distinctive, production-grade frontend interfaces with high design quality.

    170 GitHub stars~3.2k tokensUpdated 7 mo ago
    Auto-check passed
  • Gitea Workflow

    jwynia/agent-skills

    Orchestrate agile development workflows for Gitea repositories using the tea CLI.

    170 GitHub stars~3.8k tokensUpdated 7 mo ago
    Auto-check passed
  • Godot Asset Generator

    jwynia/agent-skills

    Generate game assets using AI image generation APIs (DALL-E, Replicate, fal.ai) and prepare them for Godot.

    170 GitHub stars~3.8k tokensUpdated 7 mo ago
    Auto-check passed
  • Mastra Hono

    jwynia/agent-skills

    Develop AI agents, tools, and workflows with Mastra v1 Beta and Hono servers.

    170 GitHub stars~2.9k tokensUpdated 7 mo ago
    Auto-check passed
  • PPTX Generator

    jwynia/agent-skills

    Create and manipulate PowerPoint PPTX files programmatically.

    170 GitHub stars~3.1k tokensUpdated 7 mo ago
    Auto-check passed

Questions about Non Fiction Revision

What does Non Fiction Revision do?

Diagnose and guide revisions in non-fiction books. An agent skill from jwynia/agent-skills. Non Fiction Revision is an agent skill from jwynia/agent-skills. Diagnose and guide revisions in non-fiction books.

When should I use Non Fiction Revision?

Non Fiction Revision fits situations like: non-fiction book revision; arguments feel weak; evidence is outdated; readers report confusion.

How do I install Non Fiction Revision in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add jwynia/agent-skills --skill non-fiction-revision -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/general/writing/revision/non-fiction-revision in jwynia/agent-skills) into .claude/skills/non-fiction-revision in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Non Fiction Revision in Codex?

Run `npx skills add jwynia/agent-skills --skill non-fiction-revision -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/general/writing/revision/non-fiction-revision in jwynia/agent-skills) into .agents/skills/non-fiction-revision in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Non Fiction Revision in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add jwynia/agent-skills --skill non-fiction-revision -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/non-fiction-revision, .gemini/skills/non-fiction-revision, .github/skills/non-fiction-revision and .opencode/skills/non-fiction-revision in your project.

What does Non Fiction Revision need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Non Fiction Revision is instructions for the agent only.

Does Non Fiction Revision access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Non Fiction Revision safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Non Fiction Revision use?

Non Fiction Revision is published under the MIT licence (declared in SKILL.md). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Non Fiction Revision use?

About 2.9k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 12k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to Non Fiction Revision?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Non Fiction Revision: Ylj Preemption Check (brycewang-stanford/Awesome-Journal-Skills, 1.2k stars), Editorial Illustrations (huytieu/COG-second-brain, 1.3k stars), Analogy Finder (lijigang/ljg-skills, 7.5k stars) and Humanize English (AnastasiyaW/codex-claude-code-config, 154 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Non Fiction Revision?

jwynia (a GitHub user) maintains it in jwynia/agent-skills, which has 170 GitHub stars. The repository holds 111 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on February 24, 2026.

Source: jwynia/agent-skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.