Write/Revise Manuscript

Write or revise the manuscript scene by scene, following the **SCENE_OUTLINE.md** for structure and the **STYLE_GUIDE.md** for voice and conventions. Repurpose existing material wherever possible; write fresh only when necessary.

---

## Core Philosophy: Preserve the Emotional Core

**This is the most important principle of this prompt.**

The author has written scenes with gut-wrenching emotional interchanges, powerful moments, and hard-won prose. These are the heartbeat of the manuscript. **Do not lose them.**

When adapting existing content to fit new structural or story constraints:

- **Preserve emotional beats exactly** — If a scene has a devastating exchange, a moment of betrayal, a gut-punch revelation, keep it. Word for word if possible.
- **Change surface details as needed** — Antagonist names, locations, minor plot specifics, contextual setup can all be adapted to fit the new outline.
- **Protect the prose that works** — If a paragraph or line is powerful, do not rewrite it. Change the details around it to make it fit.
- **Fidelity over efficiency** — It is better to do more work adapting context than to lose a powerful scene by rewriting it from scratch.

**The goal is:** Exact scenes, reproduced with as much identical fidelity as possible, adapted to new constraints. Change names, change details, change setup — but preserve the emotional truth and the specific language that delivers it.

**Think of it as transplanting:** The scene is an organ. You're moving it to a new body. The organ itself should remain intact; you adjust the surrounding tissue to accept it.

**When in doubt, ask:** "Am I about to rewrite something the author clearly labored over?" If yes, stop. Find a way to keep it and change what's around it instead.

---

## Instructions

### Phase 1: Gather Required Documents

Before writing anything, locate and read:

1. **SCENE_OUTLINE.md** — The structural blueprint. Found in `Supporting Material/` or project root.
2. **STYLE_GUIDE.md** — The voice and convention reference. Found in `Supporting Material/` or project root.
3. **Supporting Material** — Character bios, world notes, plot arcs for reference.

**If either the Scene Outline or Style Guide is missing:**
- Notify the user: *"This project is missing [SCENE_OUTLINE.md / STYLE_GUIDE.md]. This document is essential for consistent manuscript writing. Would you like me to generate it before proceeding?"*
- Do not proceed with writing until both documents exist.

---

### Phase 2: Read the Entire Existing Manuscript

**This step is critical. Do not skip it.**

Before writing or revising any scene, read through **all existing manuscript material**:
- Everything in `Manuscript Material/Manuscript/` (the organized draft)
- Everything in `Manuscript Material/Inbox/` or similar unsorted folders
- Any other draft content, fragments, or alternate versions

**Purpose:** Content that belongs in Scene 5 might currently be written in Scene 12. Content from a scrapped chapter might be perfect for a new scene. You cannot make these connections unless you know what exists.

---

### Phase 3: Create a Content Inventory

After reading everything, create a working inventory that maps:

**What exists → Where it belongs**

```
## Content Inventory

### Existing Content Mapped to Outline

| Outline Scene | Existing Content | Location | Status | Emotional Anchors |
|---------------|------------------|----------|--------|-------------------|
| Act I, Scene 1 | Opening confrontation | ch01-opening.md | Usable, needs revision | Final exchange ("You never...") — PRESERVE |
| Act I, Scene 2 | None | — | Write fresh | — |
| Act I, Scene 3 | Hospital scene (partial) | ch03-hospital.md | Partial, expand | Gut-punch moment when she realizes — PRESERVE |
| Act II, Scene 1 | Safehouse arrival | ch07-safehouse.md | Wrong location, move here | Quiet confession dialogue — PRESERVE EXACTLY |
| Act II, Scene 2 | Interrogation dialogue | inbox/cut-scene-interrogation.md | Repurpose | Entire scene is strong — PRESERVE, change names |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |

### Orphaned Content (to be archived if not placed)
- `old-chapter-4.md` — Contains flashback that no longer fits; archive if no home found
- `alternate-ending.md` — May be useful for Act III revision; hold for review, archive if unused

### Content Currently Misplaced
- Safehouse arrival (ch07) → Should be Act II, Scene 1
- First flashback (ch02) → Should be Act I, Scene 4 per new outline
- ...

### Emotional Anchors to Protect
[List the most powerful moments identified during reading — these are non-negotiable preservations]
- The "I trusted you" exchange in ch03 — devastating, must survive any restructuring
- Marcus's confession monologue in ch09 — perfect as written, change surrounding context only
- The silence after the gunshot in ch11 — do not touch
- ...
```

**This inventory guides the entire writing process.** Refer to it constantly.

**Pay special attention to the Emotional Anchors column.** These are the scenes and moments that make the manuscript powerful. They are the priority to preserve.

---

### Phase 4: Write/Revise Scene by Scene

Work through the SCENE_OUTLINE.md **in order**, handling each scene according to its inventory status:

#### Status: Usable Content Exists

If existing content matches the scene and is well-written:
1. Move it to the correct location if misplaced
2. Revise for continuity with surrounding scenes
3. Ensure it matches the Style Guide
4. Polish transitions in and out
5. **Preserve emotional anchors exactly** — If powerful moments exist, do not rewrite them

#### Status: Partial Content Exists

If existing content partially covers the scene:
1. Identify what's usable — **especially emotional anchors**
2. Identify what's missing
3. Expand, filling gaps with new writing that matches the Style Guide
4. Integrate seamlessly — new writing should be indistinguishable from revised existing content
5. **Write around the powerful moments** — Build context to support them, don't replace them

#### Status: Content Exists but Needs Adaptation to New Constraints

If existing content has powerful writing but details no longer fit (wrong character names, different setting, changed plot context):
1. **Identify the emotional core** — What makes this scene land? What are the gut-punch moments?
2. **Preserve that core exactly** — The devastating line, the loaded silence, the brutal exchange
3. **Change surface details around it:**
   - Swap character names as needed
   - Adjust location/setting references
   - Modify setup and context to fit new outline
   - Update references to plot points that have changed
4. **Test the adaptation** — Does the emotional beat still land? If not, you've changed too much; restore and try again
5. **The prose that works is sacred** — If a paragraph is powerful, change the paragraphs before and after it, not the paragraph itself

#### Status: Content Exists Elsewhere (Misplaced)

If the content for this scene is currently located later in the manuscript:
1. **Pull it back** — Do not rewrite from scratch
2. Move or copy the content to its correct position
3. Revise for continuity
4. Note the gap left behind (to be filled or closed when you reach that point)
5. **Emotional anchors move with the scene** — They are the reason you're pulling it forward

#### Status: Write Fresh

If no existing content fits this scene:
1. Review the Scene Outline description
2. Review relevant Supporting Material (characters involved, setting, plot context)
3. Review the Style Guide
4. **Check for orphaned emotional content** — Is there a powerful moment from cut material that could live here?
5. Write the scene fresh, matching established voice and conventions
6. Aim for appropriate length relative to the scene's importance

---

### Phase 5: Maintain Continuity

As you work through scenes:

- **Track changes** — Note when you move, combine, or significantly alter content
- **Watch for ripple effects** — Changes in Scene 3 may require adjustments in Scene 7
- **Maintain character consistency** — Reference character bios; ensure behavior and voice stay consistent
- **Maintain world consistency** — Reference world notes; don't contradict established facts
- **Maintain timeline consistency** — Track in-story time passing
- **Preserve setups and payoffs** — If a scene sets something up, ensure the payoff still exists (and vice versa)

---

### Phase 6: Handle Structural Gaps and Overlaps

**When pulling content forward leaves a gap:**
- Note it in your working log
- When you reach that point in the outline, the gap either:
  - Gets filled by other content
  - Needs fresh writing
  - Indicates the outline has consolidated scenes (gap closes naturally)

**When content doesn't fit anywhere:**
- Move to the Archive (see Phase 7)
- Note what was archived and why

**When two pieces of content both fit one scene:**
- Evaluate which is stronger
- Consider whether elements from both can be combined
- Archive the unused version

---

### Phase 7: Manage the Archive

The Archive lives at `Manuscript Material/Archive/`. Its purpose is to preserve old material that isn't currently used but may be repurposed later.

#### Archive Rules

**When content is pulled into the new manuscript:**
- The old version is now redundant
- **Delete the original file** from its old location (not from the Archive — from wherever it previously lived, e.g., `Inbox/`, old chapter folders, etc.)
- The content now lives in its new location in the manuscript
- Do not keep duplicates

**When content is not used:**
- If old material exists but has no place in the new outline, **move it to the Archive**
- Preserve it for potential future repurposing
- Use clear, descriptive filenames indicating what the content contains

```bash
# Example: Content pulled into new manuscript — delete old version
git rm "Manuscript Material/Inbox/old-interrogation-scene.md"
git commit -m "Remove old-interrogation-scene.md (content incorporated into Act II Scene 3)"

# Example: Content not used — archive it
git mv "Manuscript Material/Inbox/orphaned-flashback.md" "Manuscript Material/Archive/flashback-marcus-childhood.md"
git commit -m "Archive unused flashback for potential future use"
```

#### Archive Organization

Keep the Archive organized:
- Use descriptive filenames: `flashback-marcus-childhood.md` not `old-scene-4.md`
- Optionally group by type: `Archive/flashbacks/`, `Archive/cut-scenes/`, `Archive/alternate-versions/`
- Consider adding an `ARCHIVE_INDEX.md` listing what's there and why it was archived

#### Archive Inventory

At the end of the writing process, produce an archive summary:

```markdown
## Archive Summary

### Files Deleted (content incorporated into manuscript)
| Original File | Now Lives In | Notes |
|---------------|--------------|-------|
| `Inbox/old-interrogation.md` | `Act II/03-interrogation.md` | Preserved verbatim with name changes |
| `ch05-hospital.md` | `Act I/04-hospital.md` | Pulled forward per new outline |
| ... | ... | ... |

### Files Archived (not currently used)
| File | Archive Location | Reason | Potential Future Use |
|------|------------------|--------|---------------------|
| `orphaned-flashback.md` | `Archive/flashback-marcus-childhood.md` | No place in current outline | Could use if Marcus backstory expanded |
| `alternate-ending.md` | `Archive/alternate-ending-betrayal.md` | Different direction than current outline | Strong emotional content; revisit if ending changes |
| ... | ... | ... | ... |
```

---

### Phase 8: Commit Progress

Commit regularly as you work:

```bash
git add Manuscript\ Material/
git commit -m "Revise Act I, Scenes 1-3 per new outline"
```

**Commit at natural breakpoints:**
- After completing each act
- After significant structural moves
- After any major rewrite
- After archiving or deleting old files

Do not wait until the entire manuscript is done to commit.

---

## Working Log

Maintain a running log as you work:

```markdown
## Writing Session Log

### Scene: Act I, Scene 1
**Status:** Revised existing
**Source:** ch01-opening.md
**Preserved:** Final confrontation dialogue ("You never believed me...") — kept verbatim
**Adapted:** Changed antagonist from "Marcus" to "Daniel"; updated location from warehouse to parking garage
**Changes:** Tightened opening, removed backstory dump (moved to Act I Scene 4), added immediate danger signal per outline
**Notes:** Transition to Scene 2 needs smoothing after Scene 2 is drafted

### Scene: Act I, Scene 2
**Status:** Written fresh
**Source:** None existed
**Preserved:** N/A
**Notes:** Introduced secondary character per outline; referenced Style Guide for dialogue conventions

### Scene: Act I, Scene 3
**Status:** Pulled forward + adapted
**Source:** Content was in ch05-hospital.md; moved here per outline
**Preserved:** The revelation moment and her reaction — untouched
**Adapted:** Changed nurse character name; adjusted timeline references
**Changes:** Added opening transition, expanded internal monologue, cut redundant exposition
**Notes:** ch05 now has gap; will address when reaching Act II

...
```

This log helps track what you've done, what you've preserved, and surfaces issues to address.

---

## Output

The deliverables are:

1. **Revised manuscript files** — Scene by scene, organized per the outline
2. **Working log** — Record of changes, moves, preservations, and decisions
3. **Updated Content Inventory** — Final state showing what was used, written, or archived
4. **Archive Summary** — List of files deleted (content incorporated) and files archived (for future use)
5. **Clean Archive folder** — `Manuscript Material/Archive/` containing unused material with clear filenames

---

## Quality Standards

For every scene, ensure:

- [ ] **Emotional anchors preserved** — Gut-punch moments, powerful exchanges, and devastating lines are intact
- [ ] **Matches outline** — Scene accomplishes what the outline specifies
- [ ] **Matches style guide** — Voice, POV, tense, conventions are consistent
- [ ] **Continuity intact** — No contradictions with previous or subsequent scenes
- [ ] **Transitions smooth** — Entry and exit flow naturally
- [ ] **Appropriate length** — Scene weight matches its narrative importance
- [ ] **Purpose clear** — Scene has a reason to exist; something changes by the end
- [ ] **Details adapted correctly** — Changed names, locations, or context are consistent throughout

---

## Notes

- **Preserve emotional content above all else** — This is the prime directive. The author's gut-wrenching moments, powerful exchanges, and hard-won prose are the manuscript's soul. Change details around them; do not rewrite them.
- **Read everything first** — This cannot be overstated. The efficiency and quality of this process depends on knowing what already exists.
- **Repurpose over rewrite** — The author's existing words, when they work, are preferable to new words. Preserve the author's voice.
- **Adapt details, not essence** — Names, locations, and context can change. The emotional truth of a scene cannot.
- **No duplicates** — When content is pulled into the new manuscript, delete the old version. The Archive is for *unused* material, not copies of used material.
- **Archive is for future potential** — Don't delete unused material entirely; it may be valuable later. But keep the Archive organized and clearly labeled.
- **Style Guide is law** — Every new or revised sentence should conform to documented conventions.
- **Outline is structure** — The outline determines what happens and when. Don't deviate without user approval.
- **Commit often** — Work can be lost. Progress should be versioned.
- **Flag problems, don't bury them** — If you encounter a contradiction, plot hole, or issue the outline doesn't resolve, note it for the user rather than silently working around it.
- **When in doubt, preserve** — If unsure whether to rewrite or adapt, choose adapt. It's easier to revise a preserved scene later than to recreate a lost one.
- **Pace yourself** — This is a large task. Work methodically, scene by scene. Do not rush.