Clear Writing

Write clear, concise prose for humans — documentation, READMEs, API docs, commit messages, error messages, UI text, reports, and explanations. Combines Strunk's rules for clearer prose with technical documentation patterns, structure templates, and review checklists.

What's Inside

• Elements of Style rules (grammar, punctuation, composition principles)
• AI writing anti-patterns to avoid (puffery, empty phrases, overused vocabulary)
• Document types using the Divio Framework (README, Tutorial, How-to, Reference, Explanation, Architecture, API)
• Structure patterns (Inverted Pyramid, Problem-Solution, Sequential Steps)
• Writing rules table (short sentences, active voice, present tense, concrete language)
• Code examples in documentation guidelines
• README and API documentation templates
• Audience adaptation (beginner, intermediate, expert)
• Review checklist and documentation anti-patterns
• Reference files for Strunk's Elements of Style chapters

When to Use

• Writing documentation, README files, technical explanations
• API documentation, endpoint references, integration guides
• Tutorials, how-to guides, architecture docs
• Commit messages, pull request descriptions
• Error messages, UI copy, help text, comments
• Reports, summaries, or any explanation
• Editing existing prose to improve clarity

Installation

npx add https://github.com/wpank/ai/tree/main/skills/writing/clear-writing

OpenClaw / Moltbot / Clawbot

npx clawhub@latest install clear-writing

Manual Installation

Cursor (per-project)

From your project root:

mkdir -p .cursor/skills
cp -r ~/.ai-skills/skills/writing/clear-writing .cursor/skills/clear-writing

Cursor (global)

mkdir -p ~/.cursor/skills
cp -r ~/.ai-skills/skills/writing/clear-writing ~/.cursor/skills/clear-writing

Claude Code (per-project)

From your project root:

mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r ~/.ai-skills/skills/writing/clear-writing .claude/skills/clear-writing

Claude Code (global)

mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills
cp -r ~/.ai-skills/skills/writing/clear-writing ~/.claude/skills/clear-writing

Related Skills

• professional-communication — For emails, Slack messages, and meeting agendas
• prompt-engineering — For writing effective LLM prompts

Part of the Writing skill category.