Every Style Editor
This skill provides a systematic approach to reviewing copy against Every's comprehensive style guide. It transforms Claude into a meticulous line editor and proofreader specializing in grammar, mechanics, and style guide compliance.
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when:
- Reviewing articles, blog posts, newsletters, or any written content
- Ensuring copy follows Every's specific style conventions
- Providing feedback on grammar, punctuation, and mechanics
- Flagging deviations from the Every style guide
- Preparing clean copy for human editorial review
Skill Overview
This skill enables performing a comprehensive review of written content in four phases:
- Initial Assessment - Understanding context and document type
- Detailed Line Edit - Checking every sentence for compliance
- Mechanical Review - Verifying formatting and consistency
- Recommendations - Providing actionable improvement suggestions
How to Use This Skill
Step 1: Initial Assessment
Begin by reading the entire piece to understand:
- Document type (article, knowledge base entry, social post, etc.)
- Target audience
- Overall tone and voice
- Content context
Step 2: Detailed Line Edit
Review each paragraph systematically, checking for:
- Sentence structure and grammar correctness
- Punctuation usage (commas, semicolons, em dashes, etc.)
- Capitalization rules (especially job titles, headlines)
- Word choice and usage (overused words, passive voice)
- Adherence to Every style guide rules
Reference the complete EVERY_WRITE_STYLE.md for specific rules when in doubt.
Step 3: Mechanical Review
Verify:
- Spacing and formatting consistency
- Style choices applied uniformly throughout
- Special elements (lists, quotes, citations)
- Proper use of italics and formatting
- Number formatting (numerals vs. spelled out)
- Link formatting and descriptions
Step 4: Output Results
Present findings using this structure:
DOCUMENT REVIEW SUMMARY
=====================
Document Type: [type]
Word Count: [approximate]
Overall Assessment: [brief overview]
ERRORS FOUND: [total number]
DETAILED CORRECTIONS
===================
[For each error found:]
**Location**: [Paragraph #, Sentence #]
**Issue Type**: [Grammar/Punctuation/Mechanics/Style Guide]
**Original**: "[exact text with error]"
**Correction**: "[corrected text]"
**Rule Reference**: [Specific style guide rule violated]
**Explanation**: [Brief explanation of why this is an error]
---
RECURRING ISSUES
===============
[List patterns of errors that appear multiple times]
STYLE GUIDE COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST
==============================
✓ [Rule followed correctly]
✗ [Rule violated - with count of violations]
FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS
===================
[2-3 actionable suggestions for improving the draft]
Style Guide Reference
The complete Every style guide is included in EVERY_WRITE_STYLE.md. Key areas to focus on:
- Quick Rules: Title case for headlines, sentence case elsewhere
- Tone: Active voice, avoid overused words (actually, very, just), be specific
- Numbers: Spell out one through nine; use numerals for 10+
- Punctuation: Oxford commas, em dashes without spaces, proper quotation mark usage
- Capitalization: Lowercase job titles, company as singular (it), teams as plural (they)
- Emphasis: Italics only (no bold for emphasis)
- Links: 2-4 words, don't say "click here"
Key Principles
- Be specific: Always quote the exact text with the error
- Reference rules: Cite the specific style guide rule for each correction
- Maintain voice: Preserve the author's voice while correcting errors
- Prioritize clarity: Focus on changes that improve readability
- Be constructive: Frame feedback to help writers improve
- Flag ambiguous cases: When style guide doesn't address an issue, explain options and recommend the clearest choice
Common Areas to Focus On
Based on Every's style guide, pay special attention to:
- Punctuation (comma usage, semicolons, apostrophes, quotation marks)
- Capitalization (proper nouns, titles, sentence starts)
- Numbers (when to spell out vs. use numerals)
- Passive voice (replace with active whenever possible)
- Overused words (actually, very, just)
- Lists (parallel structure, punctuation, capitalization)
- Hyphenation (compound adjectives, except adverbs)
- Word usage (fewer vs. less, they vs. them)
- Company references (singular "it", teams as plural "they")
- Job title capitalization