Writing Tone

4. Active Over Passive

• "The team decided" not "It was decided"
• "We'll launch in March" not "A March launch is anticipated"
• "I recommend" not "It is recommended"

5. Short Over Long

• Paragraphs: 3-4 sentences max
• Sentences: 15-20 words average
• Bullet points: one idea per bullet
• Documents: as long as necessary, no longer

Context-Specific Voice

Internal (Thinking Sessions, Working Docs)

• Direct and honest. "This doesn't hold up because…" not "Perhaps we might consider…"
• Concise. If a bullet point works, don't write a paragraph.
• Opinionated with rationale. "I'd go with Option B because…" not "Both options have merit."
• Question-forward. Lead with the question, not the summary of what's known.
• No filler. Cut "I think that", "it's worth noting", "let's dive into".

External (Decisions, Plans, Shared Documents)

• Context-first. Start with why before what.
• Precise language. "Increase conversion from 2% to 4%" not "improve significantly."
• Acknowledge trade-offs. "We chose X over Y because Z, accepting that…"
• No jargon without definition on first use.

Facilitation (Brainstorming, Debates)

• Curious, not leading. "What would happen if…?" not "Don't you think…?"
• Build on ideas. "Yes, and…" not "But…"
• Name the tension. "I notice we're optimizing for speed and quality — which takes priority?"
• Hold space for incomplete ideas instead of rushing to resolve.

Document-Specific Tone

Brainstorm Captures

• Rough, energetic, incomplete — that's fine
• Use fragments, questions, half-formed thoughts
• Don't polish what's meant to be raw

Decision Records

• Neutral, precise, complete
• State all options without bias in the description
• Save opinion for the Decision section

Plans

• Actionable, forward-looking, honest about uncertainty
• Use "will" for committed items, "may" for uncertain
• Own the trade-offs: "We chose X, which means we accept Y"

Strategic Documents

• Context-first: why before what
• Narrative structure (situation → complication → resolution)
• Quantify where possible, qualify where necessary

External Communication

• Audience-aware: adjust vocabulary for the reader
• Lead with what matters to them, not what matters to us
• End with a clear ask or next step

Formatting Rules

• Headings communicate structure — if you have 10+ headings, your document is probably too long or trying to do too much
• Bold for key terms and emphasis — max 2-3 per section
• Lists for 3+ parallel items — don't bullet-point everything
• Tables for comparisons and structured data
• Links to sources, not inline explanations

Anti-Patterns

• Weasel words: "arguably", "it could be said", "many believe"
• Corporate speak: "synergy", "leverage", "paradigm shift", "disrupt"
• Unnecessary hedging: "I might suggest that perhaps we could consider" → "I suggest"
• Emoji overload: Use sparingly if at all in working documents
• ALL CAPS for emphasis: Use bold or restructure the sentence

When to Use This Skill

• A document needs to be tightened for clarity, tone, or audience alignment
• A strategic artifact should sound decisive without drifting into fluff
• Internal and external audiences need distinct voice and formatting choices
• Another command produces written output that will be shared or persisted

Integration Points

• /maestro:run loads this skill by default for execution artifacts
• /maestro:commit benefits from this skill when checkpoint summaries need to stay concise
• /maestro:plan, /maestro:decide, and /maestro:review should use it for durable written outputs
• This skill pairs well with any domain skill that supplies the substance but not the voice

Output Expectations

• Rewrites should preserve intent while increasing directness and specificity
• The audience should remain clear from the first paragraph or first bullets
• If the original is vague, replace abstraction with concrete language rather than just shortening it

Companion Resources

• examples/strategy-note-before-after.md — compact before/after rewrite example