forsonny/The-Crucible-Writing-System-For-Claude
The Crucible Writing System is an integrated suite of three Claude skills designed to guide writers from initial story concept to completed first draft. Built around the Crucible Structure—a 36-beat narrative framework with three interwoven story strands.
Deep Analysis
专为奇幻小说写作设计的 Claude Code 插件，基于36节拍叙事框架引导作家完成从构思到成稿的全流程创作
Core Features
Technical Implementation
- 三线交织叙事模型（Quest/Fire/Constellation）配合六幕式结构
- 内置反幻觉验证机制确保创作与规划文档一致性
- 奇幻长篇小说创作
- 需要复杂多线叙事结构的故事写作
- 仅针对奇幻类型优化，其他文类可能需要调整框架
- 依赖 Claude Code 和 Python 3.8+ 环境
Crucible Suite
A Claude Code plugin for writing epic fantasy novels using the Crucible Structure--a 36-beat narrative framework with three interwoven story strands.
Overview
Crucible Suite guides authors through the complete novel-writing process:
- Planning - Interactive questionnaire generates 9 comprehensive planning documents
- Outlining - Transform planning documents into detailed chapter-by-chapter outlines
- Writing - Scene-by-scene drafting with style matching and anti-hallucination protocols
- Editing - Multi-level revision from developmental editing to final polish
Features
- 36-Beat Narrative Framework - Structured story beats ensure compelling pacing
- Three Interwoven Strands - Quest (external), Fire (internal), Constellation (relationships)
- Four Forge Points + Apex - Critical convergence moments where all strands collide
- Mercy Engine - Track acts of mercy that pay off in the climax
- Bi-Chapter Reviews - Automated quality checks every 2 chapters
- Anti-Hallucination Protocols - Strict verification against planning documents
- Automatic Backups - Never lose your work
Installation
From GitHub (Recommended)
# Add the marketplace
/plugin marketplace add https://github.com/forsonny/The-Crucible-Writing-System-For-Claude.git
# Install the plugin
/plugin install crucible-suite@crucible-writing-system
# Restart Claude Code to activate
Manual Installation
- Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/forsonny/The-Crucible-Writing-System-For-Claude.git - Add as local marketplace:
/plugin marketplace add ./The-Crucible-Writing-System-For-Claude - Install:
/plugin install crucible-suite@crucible-writing-system - Restart Claude Code
Quick Start
Start a New Project
/crucible-suite:crucible-plan [your premise]
Example:
/crucible-suite:crucible-plan A young blacksmith discovers she can forge weapons that steal memories. When her village is destroyed by a memory-hunting cult, she must master her forbidden gift to save the last people who remember the old ways.
Continue Where You Left Off
/crucible-suite:crucible-continue
Check Project Status
/crucible-suite:crucible-status
Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
/crucible-suite:crucible-plan [premise] |
Start planning with a premise |
/crucible-suite:crucible-outline [book#] |
Create chapter outlines |
/crucible-suite:crucible-write [chapter#] |
Draft prose scene-by-scene |
/crucible-suite:crucible-edit [chapter#|all] |
Revision and editing |
/crucible-suite:crucible-status |
Show project progress |
/crucible-suite:crucible-continue |
Resume from any phase |
/crucible-suite:crucible-review [range] |
Trigger manual review |
/crucible-suite:crucible-restore [timestamp] |
Restore from backup |
The Crucible Structure
Three Strands
- Quest Strand - The external mission, burden, or objective
- Fire Strand - Internal power, curse, or transformation
- Constellation Strand - Relationships, community, bonds that anchor or break
Six Movements
| Movement | Name | % of Book | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Ignition | 10% | Light the forge |
| II | First Tempering | 20% | Shape through failure |
| III | Scattering | 25% | Expand, harden, fragment |
| IV | Brightest Burning | 25% | Master, gather, choose |
| V | Final Forging | 15% | Converge, fail, transcend |
| Coda | Tempered Blade | 5% | Reveal what was made |
Forge Points
Critical moments where all three strands collide:
| Forge Point | Location | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Ignition Forge | ~10% (Beat 6) | Threshold destroyed; no return |
| First Crucible | ~25% (Beat 11) | All strands in crisis; one sacrificed |
| Second Crucible | ~50% (Beat 21) | Harder choice, higher stakes |
| Third Crucible | ~75% (Beat 28) | Deepest sacrifice before finale |
| Apex Willed Surrender | ~90% (Beat 33) | Essential thing given up by choice |
Review Agents
Five specialized agents analyze your prose during bi-chapter reviews:
| Agent | Focus |
|---|---|
| voice-checker | Style and voice consistency |
| continuity-checker | Plot and character continuity |
| outline-checker | Adherence to chapter outlines |
| timeline-checker | Chronological consistency |
| prose-checker | Craft-level feedback |
Planning Documents
The planning phase generates 9 documents:
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Crucible Thesis | Core forging question and strand summaries |
| Quest Strand Map | External mission beats and progression |
| Fire Strand Map | Internal transformation arc |
| Constellation Strand Map | Relationship dynamics and bonds |
| Forge Points | Detailed convergence scenes (5 files) |
| Dark Mirror Profile | Antagonist as shadow of protagonist |
| Constellation Bible | Character relationships and dynamics |
| Mercy Ledger | Acts of mercy that pay off in climax |
| World Forge | Worldbuilding tied to theme |
Project Structure
When you start a Crucible project, it creates:
your-project/
+-- CLAUDE.md # Project memory
+-- .crucible/
| +-- state/
| +-- planning-state.json # Session state
+-- planning/
+-- CLAUDE.md # Planning context
+-- strand-maps/ # Generated strand documents
+-- forge-points/ # Forge point details
As you progress through phases, additional directories are created:
+-- outline/ # Added during outlining
| +-- CLAUDE.md
| +-- by-chapter/
+-- draft/ # Added during writing
| +-- CLAUDE.md
| +-- chapters/
+-- story-bible.json # Generated during writing
+-- style-profile.json # Captured from samples
Requirements
- Claude Code (latest version recommended)
- Python 3.8+ (for automation scripts)
Documentation
Learn the Crucible Structure
The The-Crucible-Structure/ folder contains comprehensive documentation for learning the framework -- whether you use the plugin or write by hand:
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Overview and philosophy |
| Quick Start | Five-minute overview |
| Tutorial Walkthrough | Step-by-step planning guide |
| Visual Diagrams | ASCII diagrams of the structure |
| FAQ & Troubleshooting | Common questions and solutions |
Core Concepts:
- The Three Strands - Quest, Fire, Constellation
- The 36 Beats - Complete beat breakdown
- Forge Points - The five crisis moments
- The Mercy Engine - Compassion that pays off
- The Dark Mirror - Antagonist design
Worksheets: Printable planning templates in worksheets/
Examples: Completed worksheets based on a sample story in worksheets/examples/
Plugin Reference
Technical reference documentation for plugin developers:
| Skill | Reference Files |
|---|---|
| crucible-planner | crucible-structure.md, dark-mirror-guide.md, forge-point-rules.md, mercy-engine-guide.md, question-key-mapping.md, question-sequences.md |
| crucible-outliner | beat-to-chapter-mapping.md, narrative-craft.md, outline-templates.md |
| crucible-writer | anti-hallucination.md, bi-chapter-review.md, context-management.md, prose-craft.md, story-bible-commands.md, style-capture.md, writing-process.md |
| crucible-editor | copy-editing-standards.md, developmental-checklist.md, line-editing-guide.md, polish-techniques.md |
Access these via the skills/[skill-name]/references/ directories.
FAQ
Q: Can I use Crucible Suite for non-fantasy genres?
A: The 36-beat structure works well for any genre with strong character arcs. The terminology is fantasy-flavored, but the underlying principles--external goal, internal transformation, relationship dynamics--are universal.
Q: How long should my novel be?
A: Crucible Suite is optimized for epic fantasy (120,000-180,000 words). The 36 beats map to approximately 40-50 chapters at 3,000-4,000 words each.
Q: Can I modify the beat structure?
A: The planning documents you generate are fully editable. Adjust beat placement, merge beats, or split them as needed for your story.
Q: What if I already have a partial draft?
A: Use /crucible-suite:crucible-continue to detect your project state. You can generate planning documents retroactively or start outlining from any point.
Q: How do bi-chapter reviews work?
A: Every two chapters, the system automatically runs five review agents (voice, continuity, outline, timeline, prose) to catch issues early. You can also trigger reviews manually with /crucible-suite:crucible-review.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Commands not recognized | Ensure plugin is installed: check ~/.claude/plugins/crucible-suite/ exists |
| Python scripts fail | Verify Python 3.8+ is installed and in PATH |
| Session state lost | Run /crucible-suite:crucible-restore to recover from automatic backups |
| Review agents timeout | Large chapters may need more time; break into smaller scenes |
| Planning seems stuck | Use `/cruci |
