# writing-dna-discovery

A skill that interviews you and reads your samples to build a voice document a ghost writer skill can follow.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · ★ 132
- Author: robertguss
- License: LicenseRef-Proprietary · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit/tree/HEAD/skills/writing/writing-dna-discovery/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-09-16
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/writing-dna-discovery

## What it does

The skill talks with you and reads your writing samples at the same time. What comes out is a Voice DNA Document: the patterns that make your prose recognisable, the habits to avoid, and instructions another skill can act on. One session covers one register — fiction, blog posts, technical writing. Separate documents can cover separate registers.

It is a working conversation, not a questionnaire. The skill offers its own observations, questions vague answers, and asks one thing at a time. Exercises include picking between two phrasings, finishing a sentence you started, and rewriting a deliberately generic AI-sounding paragraph in your own words. With few samples, discovery runs on interview answers alone, and the skill marks its confidence as lower until real text confirms the picture.

The document is meant to grow. You add samples, drill into a single dimension, or turn complaints about the ghost writer into anti-patterns. The stated target is a first draft that lands at roughly 80%, with the writer supplying the rest. Install runs through `npx skills add`, except on GitHub Copilot, where the command is `gh skill install`. Come without samples and without patience for questions, and the profile stays thin — the whole method leans on your own phrasing.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --skill writing-dna-discovery -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/writing-dna-discovery/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/writing-dna-discovery/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --skill writing-dna-discovery -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/writing-dna-discovery/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --skill writing-dna-discovery -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/writing-dna-discovery/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install robertguss/claude-code-toolkit writing-dna-discovery
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/writing-dna-discovery/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --skill writing-dna-discovery -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --path skills/writing/writing-dna-discovery
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/writing-dna-discovery/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add robertguss/claude-code-toolkit --skill writing-dna-discovery -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit/tree/HEAD/skills/writing/writing-dna-discovery/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- describe your style so another skill can follow it
- turn ghost writer complaints into anti-patterns
- keep fiction and technical voices in separate profiles
- fold new samples into an existing profile
- list the words you would never use

## Example prompts
- Run a voice discovery session on the samples in `posts/`, register: blog
- Go deeper on sentence rhythm only this time
- The ghost writer keeps opening the same way — add that as an anti-pattern

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From the same set: [robertguss/claude-code-toolkit](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/robertguss/claude-code-toolkit.md) — 6 cards

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md