editorial-review

Editorial Review

Multi-pass editorial review for long-form essays and articles. Runs after drafting is complete, before publish.

Input

The user provides a file path to the essay. If not provided, look for the most recently modified .md file in the working directory or in content/, essays/, posts/, or drafts/.

The user can also pass a voice config to tune thresholds — see Voice configs below. Default: literary-intelligent-general.

Step 0: Load Context

1. Read the essay file completely
2. Read any CLAUDE.md / AGENTS.md for project-specific editorial guidelines (if present)
3. Note the word count
4. Note the active voice config (default literary-intelligent-general unless user specified otherwise)

Step 1: Structural Pass

Review the essay's architecture:

• Arc: Does the essay move through distinct registers? Is there a turn or complication?
• Transitions: Read the last paragraph of each section and the first paragraph of the next. Does the reader feel carried forward or dropped and reset?
• Pacing: Are there stretches of 2,000+ words at the same analytical register without relief? Flag them.
• Sections: Does each section earn its length? Could any be cut or merged without loss?
• Opening: Does it drop the reader into something specific and sensory within the first paragraph?
• Closing: Does it open rather than close? Does it echo or transform the opening?

Report findings as:

## Structural Pass
- [STRONG] description
- [FIX] description — suggested change

Fix all [FIX] items before proceeding.

Step 2: Line-Level Pass

Read every paragraph checking for:

• Paragraph density: Any paragraph over 6 lines on a mobile screen (roughly 4 sentences of medium length)? Split it.
• Jargon: Any technical or academic term that isn't earned and explained gracefully? Replace with plain English.
• Repetition: Same word, phrase, or construction used in two different sections unintentionally? Vary one instance.
• Rhythm: Three or more consecutive paragraphs opening with the same sentence pattern? Vary.
• Wellness-speak: Any use of "healing," "journey," "transform," "authentic self" that isn't precise and necessary? Cut or replace.
• Inspirational generalities: Any sentence that could appear on a bumper sticker without the surrounding context? Earn it or cut it.
• Telling vs. showing: Any sentence that summarizes an experience instead of rendering it? ("It was profound" → show the specific moment.)
• Proselytizing: Any sentence that tells the reader what to conclude? Rewrite to walk them to the edge and let them look.
• Dead phrases: "One might argue," "it could be said," "in a sense" — cut.