review-stories

Audit biographical stories in _lives/ with a 14-pass review for narrative gaps.

Updated Dec 27, 2025
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/random-lives/random-lives --skill review-stories
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: review-stories
Source: https://github.com/random-lives/random-lives/tree/main/.claude/skills/review-stories
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/random-lives/random-lives --skill review-stories

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Editing biographical stories stored in _lives/ can be time-consuming and error-prone without a structured review process. This Skill provides a rigorous, phase-by-phase workflow to identify gaps, inconsistencies, and narrative issues, helping editors produce coherent and complete biographies.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Pass 1: Timeline Mapping — map ages and events and flag gaps longer than five years.
  • Pass 2: Household Composition — document who lives with the protagonist, with explicit names/roles; resolve moving or remarriage.
  • Pass 3: Sibling Introduction — list siblings, alive/dead status, and relationships; ensure early introduction and consistent ages.
  • Pass 4: Character Tracking — capture first/last appearances for all named characters and minimize unexplained disappearances.
  • Pass 5: Death Audit — compile a death log with relationship, year, purpose, and recommended action.
  • Pass 6: Event Weight & Mechanism — evaluate plausibility and interest, generate questions and fill gaps.
  • Pass 7: Paragraph Coherence — ensure each paragraph has a single theme and avoid mismatched transitions.
  • Pass 8: Chronology & Time Markers — enforce forward chronology, varied time markers, and precise dates.
  • Pass 9: Vague Language & Hedging — remove filler openings and ambiguous terms; answer work questions.
  • Pass 10: Abstract Claims — demand concrete mechanisms behind significant moments; cut or replace vague phrasing.
  • Pass 11: Anachronisms & Historical Grounding — verify period-appropriate tools, politics, culture, and geography.
  • Pass 12: Jargon & Naming — avoid pseudo-sociological jargon; ensure diverse, clear names.
  • Pass 13: Figurative Language & AI-Slop — replace metaphors and slop with plain prose.
  • Pass 14: Final Read — summarize top issues and perform a last coherence pass.

Quick Start

Provide the target story file path under _lives/ (for example _lives/story.md) and run the 14-pass review to produce a cleaned, coherent narrative.

Frequently Asked Questions about review-stories

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I review biographical stories for narrative gaps and inconsistencies?

A structured story review maps timelines and audits household composition, sibling introduction, and character tracking to resolve narrative gaps and ensure coherence across biographical stories.

What is the best way to audit character tracking and timeline gaps in a biography?

Auditing character tracking involves mapping ages, flagging timeline gaps longer than five years, documenting household composition, and compiling a death log to resolve narrative inconsistencies.

How do I enforce forward chronology and remove vague language in life story editing?

To enforce forward chronology and remove vague language, apply review passes that enforce precise dates, varied time markers, and replace filler openings or abstract claims with plain prose.

Can I check historical grounding and anachronisms in biographical narratives?

Yes, checking historical grounding involves verifying period-appropriate tools, politics, culture, and geography to identify anachronisms and preserve historical accuracy in biographical narratives.

Does this structured story review work with markdown files in a specific directory?

Yes, the structured story review executes its 14-pass audit directly on story files located in the _lives/ directory to produce a cleaned, coherent narrative and a repair plan.

What limitations exist when repairing narrative coherence in biographies?

A key limitation is that the repair plan prioritizes preserving author intent and historical accuracy, meaning it surfaces narrative gaps and issues for actionable edits rather than autonomously rewriting the text.