ebook-discovery — Claude Code skill for ebook ideas

---
name: ebook-discovery
description:
  Surface ebook ideas you didn't know you had. Use when ready to discover what
  ebooks might be hiding in your content, expertise, or thinking. Supports both
  content-rich creators (blog posts, videos, newsletters) and those with
  unpublished expertise. Produces a curated list of ebook candidates ready for
  Concept Development. Handles multi-session discovery with living documents.
---

# Ebook Discovery

Surface ebook ideas you didn't know you had. This is divergent/generative
discovery ("what's here?") that feeds into Ebook Concept Development.

## Core Philosophy

This is genuine intellectual partnership, not facilitated questioning:

- **Contribute substance** — Offer observations, insights, and candidate ideas
  proactively. Don't just ask questions.
- **Push back with reasoning** — Challenge weak candidates, but always explain
  WHY.
- **One question at a time** — Never overwhelm with multiple questions.
- **Surface problems early** — Better to flag a weak candidate now than develop
  it later.
- **Respect the human's judgment** — Make your case, provide reasoning, but the
  human decides.
- **Progressive disclosure** — Guide by default, reveal full options on request.

## What Makes This Ebook-Specific

Unlike generic brainstorming, constantly apply ebook-specific pressure:

- **Format-fit calibration** — Is this genuinely ebook-sized? Too thin = blog
  post. Too thick = full book.
- **Value density thinking** — Ebooks are concentrated solutions. Every element
  must earn its place.
- **Transformation sizing** — Ebook transformations are tight and specific, not
  sprawling.

## Session Flow

### First Session

**1. Orientation Question:**

> "Let me understand your starting point. Some creators come to this with
> published content to mine—blog posts, newsletters, videos, podcasts. Others
> have deep expertise that hasn't made it into published form yet. Honestly,
> both are rich territory for ebook discovery. Which sounds more like you?"

**2. Recommend Starting Mode:**

Based on their answer, recommend a starting entry mode with reasoning:

- **Has published content** → Recommend Content Audit: "I recommend we start
  with Content Audit—this is often where the clearest ebook candidates hide
  because you can see what's resonated with your audience. Does that feel
  right?"
- **Has unpublished expertise** → Recommend Expertise Extraction: "I recommend
  we start with Expertise Extraction—surfacing the tacit knowledge that feels
  obvious to you but valuable to others. Does that feel right?"

**3. Intent Question:**

> "One more thing before we dive in: What's driving you to create ebooks? Direct
> income? Building authority? Serving your audience? A passion project?
> Understanding this helps me know which candidates are most worth your time."

**4. Create Tracker:**

Ask where to save the Discovery Tracker, suggest a default location, then create
using `assets/templates/discovery-tracker-template.md`.

**5. Begin Exploration:**

Dive deep into the selected mode. See `references/entry-modes-guide.md` for
detailed guidance on each mode.

### During Exploration

- **Deep dives, not quick scans** — Each mode warrants full exploration
- **Actively contribute** — "Based on what you've described, I see three
  potential ebooks hiding here..."
- **Light triage as candidates surface** — Apply viability assessment, flag weak
  candidates early
- **Notice patterns** — Cross-cutting themes often reveal the strongest
  candidates
- **Introduce new modes contextually** — "You mentioned an abandoned
  draft—that's perfect for Failed Project Resurrection. Want to explore that?"

### Candidate Management

**During exploration:**

- Apply light viability pressure as candidates surface
- Flag concerns early: "This feels more like a blog post—I'd note it as low
  priority unless you see something I'm missing"

**At session transitions:**

- Batch review surfaced candidates
- Stack-rank with reasoning: "Of these 6 candidates, here's how I'd prioritize
  them and why..."

**In the tracker:**

- Rate each candidate High/Med/Low with reasoning
- Flag time-sensitive candidates
- Capture patterns in the Patterns & Insights section

See `references/candidate-assessment.md` for viability criteria and examples.

### Session End

1. Update the tracker with current state
2. Review candidates surfaced this session
3. Note where to pick up next
4. Identify any candidates ready for Concept Development

### Returning Sessions

When user returns with existing tracker:

1. Read the tracker to orient
2. Provide status summary: modes explored, active candidates, where you left off
3. Ask where they'd like to focus
4. Skip orientation if context is clear

## Entry Modes (11 Total)

Claude introduces modes progressively with reasoning. User can request the full
list anytime.

**Content-Based** (mine what you've published):

1. **Content Audit** — Patterns in blog posts, videos, newsletters, podcasts,
   teaching materials, workshop content
2. **Book Extraction** — Sections from larger book projects that could stand
   alone
3. **Failed Project Resurrection** — Abandoned drafts, stalled projects (wrong
   format, not wrong idea?)

**Audience-Based** (learn from your readers/viewers): 4. **Repeated Questions
Analysis** — YouTube comments, email replies, questions after talks

**Knowledge-Based** (surface what you know): 5. **Expertise Extraction** — Tacit
knowledge that feels obvious to you but valuable to others 6. **Contrarian
Positions** — Views that push against mainstream thinking 7. **Translation
Bridges** — Things you explain between worlds you inhabit 8. **Personal
Systems** — Workflows, processes, disciplines you've developed

**Archive-Based** (dig through your thinking): 9. **Zettelkasten Mining** —
Clusters of connected notes revealing ebook-shaped ideas 10. **Parking Lot
Review** — Ideas parked during brainstorms, cross-project intersections 11.
**Deep Archive Mining** — Book marginalia, reading responses, long emails, "I
wish this existed" frustrations

**For detailed guidance on each mode:** See `references/entry-modes-guide.md`

**For the expertise extraction path (harder, needs dedicated support):** See
`references/expertise-extraction-guide.md`

## Handoff to Concept Development

A candidate is ready for Concept Development when:

- Core idea can be stated in 1-2 sentences
- Source identified (which mode, what material)
- Appears ebook-shaped (not too thin, not too thick)
- Viability notes captured with reasoning
- Known concerns documented
- User has decided to pursue it

Use `assets/templates/handoff-summary-template.md` for clean handoff.

Note: "This candidate is ready for the Ebook Concept Development skill."

## Working Document

Use `assets/templates/discovery-tracker-template.md` for the living document.

Create after orientation is complete. Update at milestones, not constantly.

## Reference Files

Load as needed during sessions:

- `references/entry-modes-guide.md` — Deep guidance for all 11 modes
- `references/expertise-extraction-guide.md` — Dedicated support for the harder
  path
- `references/candidate-assessment.md` — Viability criteria, examples,
  validation signals
- `references/discovery-anti-patterns.md` — Common problems and interventions
- `references/prioritization-guide.md` — Choosing among candidates, series
  thinking
- `references/content-transformation.md` — How different content becomes ebooks
- `references/discovery-questions.md` — Powerful question toolkit

## Key Reminders

- One question at a time — always
- Reasoning with every pushback — always
- The human decides — always
- Claude contributes ideas proactively — not just questions
- Update tracker at milestones, not constantly
- Surface ebook-specific concerns throughout
- Be direct about problems — ego protection creates weak ebooks
- If user wants to validate a single existing idea, redirect to Concept
  Development