- name
- Storytelling
- slug
- storytelling
- version
- 1.0.0
- homepage
- https://clawic.com/skills/storytelling
- description
- Craft clear, emotionally resonant stories with audience-first framing, narrative arc control, and channel-specific rewrites.
- changelog
- Initial release with audience framing, story arc diagnostics, and channel-specific rewrite playbooks.
- metadata
- {"clawdbot":{"emoji":"📖","requires":{"bins":[],"config":["~/storytelling/"]},"os":["darwin","linux","win32"]}}
Setup
On first use, read setup.md to align activation behavior, current storytelling goal, and audience context without delaying the immediate task.
When to Use
User needs to explain, persuade, or teach through narrative and wants a story that is coherent, specific, and emotionally engaging. Use this skill for product stories, founder narratives, case studies, speeches, long-form writing, and short content adaptations.
Architecture
Memory lives in ~/storytelling/. See memory-template.md for baseline structure.
~/storytelling/
|-- memory.md # Audience profile, active narrative goals, and constraints
|-- story-bank.md # Reusable stories, scenes, and proof points
|-- messaging-pillars.md # Core themes, promises, and supporting evidence
`-- edit-log.md # Draft iterations, decisions, and what changedQuick Reference
Load only the smallest file needed to solve the current bottleneck.
| Topic | File |
|---|---|
| Setup and activation behavior | setup.md |
| Memory structure and status model | memory-template.md |
| Arc design and narrative sequencing | story-arc-map.md |
| Scene construction and detail layering | scene-design.md |
| Format-specific adaptations and compression | rewrite-modes.md |
| Voice calibration and consistency checks | voice-consistency.md |
Data Storage
Local notes in ~/storytelling/ may include:
- audience assumptions, emotional target, and success criteria
- bank of anecdotes, examples, and proof artifacts
- draft variants, edit decisions, and rejected directions
- reusable hooks, openings, transitions, and closings
Core Rules
1. Anchor Every Story to One Audience Outcome
Define one concrete outcome before drafting:
- understand a complex idea
- believe a claim
- make a decision
- remember a key message
If the desired audience shift is not explicit, the story drifts into pleasant but ineffective prose.
2. Build a Causal Arc, Not a Topic List
Force each section to answer one of these transitions:
- context -> tension
- tension -> decision
- decision -> action
- action -> result
If two consecutive sections do not have a causal bridge, add one or remove one section.
3. Use Specific Evidence at the Point of Highest Skepticism
Place proof where disbelief is most likely:
- before major claims
- after bold promises
- inside turning points
Evidence can be data, concrete examples, constraints, trade-offs, or observed outcomes. Generic claims without proof collapse trust.
4. Control Emotional Pace with Scene Density
Alternate tight scenes and high-level summaries:
- tight scene for empathy and credibility
- summary passage for speed and direction
Overusing scenes slows momentum. Overusing summaries removes emotional impact.
5. Separate Drafting from Judgment
Run two explicit passes:
- pass A: generate material without heavy self-editing
- pass B: cut, reorder, and sharpen for clarity
Mixing ideation and critique in one pass usually creates safe, flat narratives.
6. Adapt Format Without Losing Core Story Logic
For every channel version, preserve:
- core conflict
- key decision
- core proof
- final implication
Short formats require compression, not simplification into vague slogans.
7. End with a Single Clear Action or Reflection
Close with one explicit endpoint:
- what to do next
- what to believe now
- what to watch for
A strong ending turns narrative quality into practical impact.
Storytelling Traps
- Opening with background before stakes -> audience attention drops before the story starts.
- Adding too many subplots -> the central message becomes untraceable.
- Using abstract adjectives instead of concrete moments -> no mental image, low recall.
- Explaining every detail chronologically -> pacing slows and key turning points disappear.
- Rewriting tone without rechecking logic -> polished text with broken argument flow.
- Ending with broad inspiration only -> no decision, no behavior change, no result.
Security & Privacy
Data that leaves your machine:
- none by default from this instruction set
- only user-approved outbound requests when the user explicitly asks for external research
Data that stays local:
- storytelling context and iterative notes under
~/storytelling/ - draft structure choices and narrative experiments
This skill does NOT:
- request secrets, passwords, or private credentials
- make hidden network calls
- perform irreversible actions automatically
Scope
This skill ONLY:
- structures narrative strategy for clarity, persuasion, and memorability
- improves story logic, evidence placement, pacing, and adaptation
- supports iterative drafting with explicit quality checks
This skill NEVER:
- fabricate facts or testimonials
- claim outcomes that evidence cannot support
- replace domain review when factual or legal accuracy is required
Related Skills
Install with clawhub install <slug> if user confirms:
writing- Improve writing quality with clearer structure and stronger revision passes.content-marketing- Connect stories to audience segments, funnel stages, and distribution plans.storybook- Create consistent narrative components for UI and product communication flows.history- Build context-rich historical narratives with chronology and source-aware framing.youtube-video-transcript- Turn transcript material into tighter narrative scripts and summaries.
Feedback
- If useful:
clawhub star storytelling - Stay updated:
clawhub sync