best-selling-book-writer

name best-selling-book-writer description Complete AI-powered book writing & self-publishing workflow: topic selection → content outline → chapter writing → cover design → Amazon KDP metadata → formatted HTML/PDF. Designed to produce best-selling self-help and health books. Platform-agnostic — usable in any AI agent with file system access (WorkBuddy, Claude Code, Codex, OpenClaw, Hermes, etc.). No agent-specific dependencies; only Python 3 + optional Playwright for PDF generation. agent_created true Best-Selling Book Writer Complete AI-powered workflow: topic selection → outline → chapters → cover design → KDP metadata → published book . When to Use This Skill User says: "写书 / write a book / start a new book project" User says: "新建书籍项目 / create a book project" User says: "设计封面 / design cover / 生成封面" User says: "合并章节 / merge chapters / 生成电子书 / generate ebook" User says: "导出 PDF 书 / export PDF book" User says: "生成 KDP 元数据 / generate KDP metadata" User needs to convert multiple Markdown chapters into a formatted book Core Principle This skill is agent-agnostic. It assumes only: File system access (read/write files) Ability to run Python scripts ( python3 ) Optional: playwright for PDF generation No references to any specific agent platform. Works identically in WorkBuddy, Claude Code, Codex, OpenClaw, Hermes, or any other AI coding agent. Project Directory Structure {project_path}/ ├── book-config.json ← Book configuration (Phase 1) ├── outline.md ← Content outline (Phase 2) ├── kdp-metadata.json ← KDP publishing metadata (Phase 3, auto-generated) ├── chapters/ ← All chapter files (Phase 4) │ ├── ch01-intro.md │ ├── ch02-body.md │ └── ... ├── cover.jpg ← Cover image (Phase 4.5) └── Book-Output/ ← Generated output (Phase 5) ├── {slug}.html ← Complete book HTML └── {slug}.pdf ← Print-ready PDF ⚠️ Original chapter files are NEVER deleted. Chapters remain in chapters/ for future editing, repurposing, or re-merging with different settings. Only the merged HTML/PDF is added to Book-Output/ . Five-Phase Workflow Phase 1: Topic Selection & Project Setup Goal: Confirm the book idea, create the project directory and config file. Step 1.1 — Identify or Create Book Ask the user: "What book do you want to write? Give me a working title, the target reader, and the core problem the book addresses." If a list of existing book projects exists (e.g., book-writing-projects.md ), show it and ask them to choose. Collect: Field Required Example Working title ✅ The Anxiety That's Invisible to Everyone Else Subtitle ❌ A Guide for High-Functioning People Author name ✅ Daniel Du Target reader ✅ Professionals aged 30-50 with anxiety they hide well Core topic/problem ✅ High-functioning anxiety masking deeper exhaustion Book type ✅ self-help or health-guide (affects KDP description template) Publisher name ❌ Name for KDP publisher field KDP Select ❌ true for exclusive Amazon (default: false ) Step 1.2 — Generate Book Slug Convert title to a URL-safe slug: "The Anxiety That's Invisible to Everyone Else" → "the-anxiety-thats-invisible-to-everyone-else" Step 1.3 — Initialize Project Run the setup script: python3 {skill_dir}/scripts/setup-book.py --book {slug-keyword} Or create files manually: Create {project_path}/chapters/ directory Create {project_path}/Book-Output/ directory Create book-config.json (see format below) Create outline.md with chapter titles Output: book-config.json { "workspace" : "." , "chapters_dir" : "chapters" , "output_dir" : "Book-Output" , "cover_image" : "" , "chapters" : [ "ch01-introduction.md" , "ch02-understanding.md" , "ch03-strategies.md" , "appendix.md" ] , "title" : "Book Title" , "subtitle" : "Subtitle" , "author" : "Author Name" , "topic" : "core topic or problem the book addresses" , "target_audience" : "who this book is for" , "book_type" : "self-help" , "description" : "one-line description" , "hook" : "opening hook for KDP description (optional, auto-generated if omitted)" , "publisher" : "publisher name (optional)" , "kdp_select" : false , "categories" : [ ] , "toc_items" : [ "Introduction" , "Understanding the Problem" , "Practical Strategies" , "Appendix" ] , "slug" : "book-slug" } Phase 2: Content Outline Goal: Plan the full chapter structure before writing begins. Read reference: references/writing-style.md for chapter structure guidance. Create outline.md with: # {Book Title} — Content Outline **Subtitle:** {subtitle} **Author:** {author} **Target Reader:** {target audience} **Word Count Target:** 8,000–12,000 words (8-10 chapters + appendix) ## Chapter 1: {Title} - Key point 1 - Key point 2 - Key point 3 - **Target:** 800-1,200 words ## Chapter 2: {Title} ... ## Appendix: Resources & Next Steps - Resource list - Glossary - **Target:** 600-800 words Key decisions to make with the user: Total number of chapters (recommend 8-10 + appendix) Chapter sequence and flow Whether to include an appendix Phase 3: KDP Metadata Generation Goal: Generate publishing-ready metadata for Amazon KDP before the book is finalized. Read reference: references/kdp-metadata.md for full KDP field specifications. Run the generation script: python3 {skill_dir}/scripts/generate-kdp-metadata.py --project {project_path} For full interactive editing: python3 {skill_dir}/scripts/generate-kdp-metadata.py --project {project_path} --interactive What Gets Generated ( kdp-metadata.json ) Field Source Notes title book-config.json subtitle book-config.json Title + Subtitle < 200 chars author book-config.json description.html Auto-generated ≤4,000 chars, HTML-formatted keywords Auto-generated Up to 7, KDP-compliant categories book-config.json Up to 3 language book-config.json Default: English validation Script check Errors, character counts, prohibited content Description Auto-Generation The script uses templates based on book_type : self-help → Hook → bullet points of what the book offers → who it's for health-guide → "The book your doctor didn't give you" → medical topic angle Default → flexible template Hook auto-detection for common topics: Perimenopause, Anxiety, Burnout, Long COVID, Chronic Illness, Caregiver If the book topic matches, a compelling opening hook is auto-generated Keyword auto-generation based on: Title keywords (perimenopause, anxiety, burnout, etc.) Format keywords (self-help book, practical guide, evidence-based) Audience keywords (women's health, workplace wellness, etc.) Manual Review Required The user must review before publishing: Title and subtitle for accuracy HTML description — verify tone, accuracy, and length Keywords — swap in/out to match competitive titles on Amazon Categories — choose 2-3 from Amazon's category browser Phase 4: Content Writing Goal: Write each chapter following the style guide. Read reference: references/writing-style.md for full writing instructions. Per-Chapter Structure # Chapter X: {Chapter Title} {Opening hook — 2-3 paragraphs, specific scenario or question. No definitions, no statistics openers. Grab them immediately.} ## {Section Heading} {Short paragraphs, concrete examples, evidence-based claims. Grade 7 reading level. Active voice. No filler phrases.} ### {Sub-section if needed} {Detailed content broken into digestible pieces} > **Key Takeaway:** {One clear, memorable sentence. This IS the chapter.} **Chapter Summary:** {2-3 sentences recapping what was covered. No new information.} **What to do this week:** 1. {Specific, actionable step — something a tired person can actually do} 2. {Same format} 3. {3-5 items max} Writing Approach Single chapter: Write one chapter, save to chapters/ch{XX}-{slug}.md , update book-config.json chapters list. Multiple chapters (8+): Use parallel agents (agent teams or subagents) to write chapters simultaneously, then review and merge. After Writing Each Chapter Save chapter file to chapters/ Update book-config.json — add chapter to chapters list and toc_items Update outline.md — mark chapter as complete Notify user of completion Word Count Targets Element Words Main chapter 800–1,200 Appendix 600–800 Opening hook 60–120 Key Takeaway 15–25 Each action item 10–25 Phase 4.5: Cover Design Goal: Generate a professional book cover based on the content outline and KDP metadata. Read reference: outline.md and kdp-metadata.json to understand the book's theme, audience, and tone. Step 4.5.1 — Prepare Design Brief Based on outline.md , identify: Book tone: Inspirational, clinical, urgent, calming? Target reader: Age range, professional context, emotional state Visual metaphors: What imagery best represents the core problem/solution? Color palette: Warm/cool tones, high-energy/soothing? Step 4.5.2 — Generate Cover Image Use an image generation agent or tool with this prompt: 你是非常资深的畅销书封面设计师，熟悉亚马逊书店、纽约时报畅销书的封面设计的设计思想和设计风格。 请根据以下信息设计图书封面： **书名：** {title} **副标题：** {subtitle} **目标读者：** {target_audience} **核心主题：** {topic} **书籍类型：** {book_type} **设计要求：** 1. 封面需传达书籍的核心主题和情感基调 2. 适合目标读者的审美偏好 3. 在亚马逊书店的缩略图尺寸下依然清晰可辨 4. 专业、畅销书级别的视觉品质 5. 输出格式：JPG 请直接生成封面图片并保存到项目目录。 Tip: For AI image generation, use baoyu-image-gen skill or similar tool with this prompt. Save the output as cover.jpg in the project root. Step 4.5.3 — Update book-config.json After generating the cover, update book-config.json : { "cover_image" : "cover.jpg" } Note: The cover image should be high-resolution (at least 300 DPI for print, minimum 2500×2500 pixels for Amazon KDP requirements). Phase 5: Merge to Book (HTML + PDF) Goal: Combine all chapters and cover into a complete formatted book. Step 5.1 — Verify Configuration Confirm book-config.json has: All chapters listed in chapters (correct filenames, correct order) All titles in toc_items (matching chapters list 1:1) title , subtitle , author , description filled in Step 5.2 — Run Merge Script python3 {skill_dir}/scripts/merge-book.py --project {project_path} The script: Reads book-config.json from {project_path} Loads all Markdown chapter files from chapters/ Converts Markdown to HTML (supports tables, lists, blockquotes, code blocks, headings) Builds full HTML document: Cover → Description → TOC → Chapters → Back Cover Generates A4 PDF via Playwright (if installed) Step 5.3 — Verify Output Open {project_path}/Book-Output/{slug}.html in browser — check formatting Check {project_path}/Book-Output/{slug}.pdf (if generated) — check pagination Output files: File Location Complete HTML book {project_path}/Book-Output/{slug}.html Print-ready PDF {project_path}/Book-Output/{slug}.pdf Original chapter files {project_path}/chapters/*.md ← Never deleted KDP metadata {project_path}/kdp-metadata.json Scripts Reference All scripts live in {skill_dir}/scripts/ and require only Python 3 standard library (except merge-book.py which optionally uses playwright for PDF). Script Purpose Key Usage