Imported from cdeistopened/skill-stack (.claude/skills/ghostwriter/SKILL.md). Install upstream with npx skills add cdeistopened/skill-stack --skill ghostwriter. Copyright stays with the author.

Ghostwriter Skill

Purpose

This skill transforms source material - transcripts, notes, research, interviews - into authentic, human-written content that reads naturally without obvious AI tells. It extends the anti-ai-writing skill by adding voice adaptation and source material conversion techniques.

Core Philosophy: The best ghostwriting is invisible. Readers should feel like they're reading a real person's thoughts, not a filtered or processed version of source material.

This skill assumes you've read the anti-ai-writing skill. It builds on those fundamentals with additional techniques for voice adaptation and source material conversion.

When to Use This Skill

Use the Ghostwriter skill when:

• Converting transcripts or interviews into polished articles or newsletters
• Refining notes into publishable content
• Converting source material into different voices or styles
• Building content that maintains a distinctive, personal voice
• Adapting writing to match a specific author's style

Use in conjunction with:

• anti-ai-writing skill for core humanization patterns
• Voice style profiles for adapting to specific voices
• Source material that needs authentic conversion
• brand-identity-wizard profile for brand voice consistency

The 8 Human Desires Framework

Great writing taps into core human desires. Choose 1-2 per piece:

1. Safety of Tribe

Belonging, community, fitting in

• "The hidden skills that separate successful people from struggling ones"
• Use when: Readers need to feel part of something larger

2. Survival & Success

Progress, achievement, security

• "The greatest threat to your potential is getting tied down too early"
• Key phrases: "breakthrough," "advancement," "finally," "unlocked"

3. Life Enjoyment

Pleasure, experiences, freedom

• "Why most people miss the best parts of their work"
• Key phrases: "savor," "freedom," "experience," "joy"

4. Social Acceptance

Status, respect, recognition

• "What successful people know that average people don't"
• Key phrases: "elite," "leaders know," "insiders understand"

5. Sexual Companionship

Connection, attraction, intimacy

• (Less relevant for business content, but understand it exists)

6. Comfort & Clarity

Simplicity, ease, certainty

• "The one question that eliminates decision paralysis"
• Key phrases: "simple," "easy," "finally understand"

7. Freedom From Fear

Safety, protection, security

• "How to protect yourself from predatory practices"
• Key phrases: "protect," "avoid," "defend," "safe"

8. Perceived Status

Respect, authority, expertise

• "Discover what MIT researchers just learned"
• Key phrases: "breakthrough," "discovered," "research shows"

Application: Identify which desire(s) your content taps into. Lean into them deliberately.

Voice Style Adaptation

The ghostwriter can adapt content to different voice styles. Choose based on your content needs:

Authentic Conversational Style

Best for: Calling out obvious truths, challenging conventional wisdom

Characteristics:

• Direct, no-nonsense communication
• Uses contrarian framing
• Challenges mainstream narratives
• Conversational but substantive
• No hedging or corporate speak

Example tone:

• "Everyone says X. They're wrong. Here's why."
• "The thing nobody wants to admit is..."

Analytical Enthusiasm Style

Best for: Explaining trends, making smart analysis exciting

Characteristics:

• Enthusiastic about ideas and trends
• Makes complex ideas accessible
• Uses analogies and mental models
• Balances depth with readability
• Injects energy into dry topics

Example tone:

• "This is fascinating because..."
• "Let's break down why this matters..."

Discovery by Deletion Style

Best for: Refining and polishing, limited word count

Characteristics:

• Maximum impact per word
• Ruthless editing
• Clarity through brevity
• Every sentence earns its place
• No filler or padding

Example approach:

• First draft: 500 words
• Final version: 200 words with same impact
• Cut anything that doesn't directly serve the reader

Decision Framework Style

Best for: Helping readers think through tradeoffs

Characteristics:

• Reframes risk and decisions
• Focuses on asymmetric bets
• Provides mental models
• Helps readers see situations differently
• Practical, actionable insight

Example tone:

• "The real question isn't X, it's Y"
• "Most people optimize for the wrong thing"

The Ghostwriting Workflow

Step 1: Understand Your Source Material

Read through everything completely:

• What's the core insight or story?
• What's the emotional arc?
• What's the most important takeaway?

Ask yourself:

• What's being said that no one else is saying?
• What will readers think, feel, or do differently?
• What's the 30-second version of this?

Step 2: Apply the SUCKS Framework

Before writing:

• Who is my ONE reader?
• Is this unique and useful to them?
• Can I make it clear, curious, and conversational?
• How do I keep it simple and structured?
• What will stick with them?

Step 3: Choose Your Voice Style

Select how to adapt the material:

• Authentic Conversational - for challenging wisdom
• Analytical Enthusiasm - for explaining trends
• Discovery by Deletion - for maximum impact
• Decision Framework - for helping with tradeoffs
• Default (Professional) - for business/default writing

Or create a custom voice profile using the voice-analyzer skill.

Step 4: Identify Human Desires

Which 1-2 desires does this content tap into?

• Safety of Tribe (belonging)
• Survival & Success (achievement)
• Life Enjoyment (pleasure)
• Social Acceptance (status)
• Comfort & Clarity (simplicity)
• Freedom From Fear (protection)
• Perceived Status (expertise)

Lean into these deliberately throughout the piece.

Step 5: Convert Source Material

Draft your content:

1. Extract key quotes and ideas from source material
2. Translate them into your chosen voice
3. Structure with clear beginning, middle, end
4. Use specific examples, numbers, and concrete details
5. Create energy transfer (conversation, not lecture)
6. Apply human desire framing throughout

Step 6: Apply Sticky Sentences

Identify 2-3 most important statements and strengthen them:

• Add alliteration, symmetry, contrast, or rhythm
• Make them quotable
• Make them memorable

Techniques:

• Alliteration: "Specificity is the secret"
• Symmetry: "Read for awareness. Write for understanding."
• Contrast: "To be everywhere is to be nowhere."
• Rhyme: "Tell a story or lose your glory"

Step 7: Eliminate AI Tells

Go through systematically and remove (reference anti-ai-writing skill):

• Correlative constructions ("X aren't just Y, they're Z")
• Overuse of "just" and "actually"
• Hedge words (might, could, perhaps, seems)
• Passive voice
• Corporate jargon
• Vague language (replace with specifics)
• Forbidden patterns
• Too many transitions
• Overcomplicated sentences

Test for each sentence: Would this sentence appear in a ChatGPT output? If yes, rewrite it.

Step 8: Read Aloud & Quality Check

Read your entire piece aloud:

• Does it sound like a real person talking?
• Could I send this to someone without embarrassment?
• Does energy transfer (not feel formal)?
• Is every sentence earning its place?
• Do important ideas have sticky phrasing?
• Are there obvious AI tells remaining?
• Does it match the intended voice style?
• Does it tap into the intended human desires?

Elements of Effective Ghostwritten Content

When converting source material, include:

1. Capture attention immediately - First sentence must hook
2. Use specific numbers - "1.5 million" not "many"
3. Employ pattern interrupts - Surprise the reader
4. Address problems directly - Name the struggle
5. Write with confidence - Eliminate hedge words
6. Highlight concrete benefits - "Double output in 30 days" not "boost productivity"
7. Include social proof when relevant - Results, credentials, validation
8. Ask powerful questions - Make readers think
9. Incorporate warnings - Create urgency, show stakes
10. Remind, don't just inform - Confirm what readers already sense

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Over-Processing Source Material

Bad: Turning a natural conversation into corporate-speak Good: Preserving the authentic voice while polishing

2. Adding AI-like Phrases

Bad: "It's important to note that..." "Moreover..." "Furthermore..." Good: Direct communication with natural transitions

3. Losing the Original Insight

Bad: Adding so much polish that the core idea disappears Good: Enhancing clarity while preserving original meaning

4. Sounding Generic

Bad: Making content that could be about anything Good: Making it specific to one person's perspective

5. Hedging Your Conviction

Bad: "It might be possible that..." "Some experts say..." Good: "This is true because..." "We know..."

6. Missing the Human Desire

Bad: Content that doesn't tap into any deep motivation Good: Content that clearly connects to belonging, success, clarity, etc.

Quality Checklist

Before finalizing ghostwritten content:

Source Material:

• Core insight clearly identified
• Key quotes extracted
• Emotional arc understood

Voice:

• Voice style selected and applied consistently
• Energy transfer achieved (conversation, not lecture)
• Matches intended author's style

Human Desires:

• 1-2 desires identified
• Desires woven throughout the piece
• Reader motivation is clear

Sticky Sentences:

• 2-3 key statements strengthened
• Techniques applied (alliteration, symmetry, contrast, etc.)
• Memorable and quotable

Anti-AI:

• All forbidden patterns eliminated
• Hedge words removed
• Vague claims made specific
• Reads as genuinely human

Final Check:

• Read aloud - sounds natural
• Every sentence earns its place
• Would send to anyone without embarrassment

Related Skills

• anti-ai-writing: Core humanization patterns (use first)
• voice-analyzer: Create custom voice profiles from writing samples
• transcript-polisher: Clean raw transcripts before conversion
• hook-and-headline-writing: Craft attention-grabbing headlines
• brand-identity-wizard: Define brand voice for consistency

This skill extends anti-ai-writing with voice adaptation and human desire frameworks. Use anti-ai-writing for basic humanization, and ghostwriter for full source material conversion with distinctive voice.