tech-writing-style

Enforce active voice, imperative mood, and citations in engineering documentation.

Updated Apr 26, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/Elmanuel1/skills --skill tech-writing-style
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: tech-writing-style
Source: https://github.com/Elmanuel1/skills/tree/main/tech-writing-style
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/Elmanuel1/skills --skill tech-writing-style

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

This Skill eliminates inconsistent, hard-to-follow technical writing that wastes engineering time, creates confusion during implementation, and leads to outdated or unreliable documentation across engineering-facing content.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Universal Style Guide for Engineering Docs: Applies to all engineering-facing prose including READMEs, architecture overviews, API references, runbooks, ADRs, design docs, PRDs, code comments, and onboarding guides for both writing and editing tasks.
  • Clarity & Conciseness Rules: Enforces active voice, imperative mood for instructions, concrete real-world examples over abstract claims, no filler words, no marketing fluff, and consistent terminology to reduce reader skimming and confusion.
  • Verifiability & Quality Guardrails: Requires citations for all concrete claims, discourages unsubstantiated hedge words, and includes a final pre-delivery checklist to catch errors, inconsistencies, and style violations before publishing.
  • Use Case Example: When a developer writes a new API reference, this Skill ensures all endpoint descriptions use active voice, include real request/response code examples, cite the source code location, and avoid vague language like "typically works" so other team members can implement integrations quickly without follow-up questions.

Quick Start

Use the tech-writing-style skill to edit the draft API reference document to enforce active voice, add concrete request/response examples, and remove all marketing fluff and unsubstantiated claims before publishing.

Frequently Asked Questions about tech-writing-style

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I enforce consistent technical writing standards across engineering documentation?

You enforce consistent technical writing standards by applying a universal style guide that mandates active voice, imperative mood for instructions, and consistent terminology across all engineering-facing prose. This eliminates confusion and reduces reader skimming by removing filler words and marketing fluff.

What is the best way to edit a draft API reference to ensure clarity and verifiability?

The best way to edit a draft API reference is to enforce active voice, add concrete request and response code examples, cite source code locations, and remove unsubstantiated hedge words. This ensures other team members can implement integrations quickly without follow-up questions.

Can I use a technical style guide for both writing new design docs and editing existing runbooks?

Yes, you can use a technical style guide for both writing and editing tasks. It applies to all engineering-facing prose including READMEs, architecture overviews, API references, runbooks, ADRs, design docs, PRDs, code comments, and onboarding guides.

How do you verify technical content quality before publishing architecture overviews?

You verify technical content quality by requiring source citations for all concrete claims and running a final pre-delivery checklist. This process catches errors, style violations, and inconsistencies in architecture overviews before they reach the engineering audience.

Why should I remove marketing fluff and hedge words from engineering documentation?

You should remove marketing fluff and hedge words from engineering documentation to prevent vague language like "typically works" from creating implementation confusion. Replacing abstract claims with concrete real-world examples ensures content remains clear, reliable, and actionable for engineering audiences.