Phantom Scribe

Templates + agents for kicking off and maintaining fast-paced fiction projects (Harmon Story Circle + “Crouch-style” chapter momentum), plus canon/timeline guardrails for high-concept worlds.

Quick Start

macOS / Linux

Install the Codex skill (and optionally project-local Claude agents):

• ./phantom_scribe/install.sh
• ./phantom_scribe/install.sh --claude
• ./phantom_scribe/install.sh --force --claude

Restart Codex after installing.

Windows (PowerShell)

• .\phantom_scribe\install.ps1
• .\phantom_scribe\install.ps1 -Claude
• .\phantom_scribe\install.ps1 -Force -Claude

Restart Codex after installing.

Codex CLI Usage

• After install + restart, ask something like: “Help me write a story from this thumbnail…” to trigger the phantom-scribe Skill.
• Create a workspace with ~/.codex/skills/phantom-scribe/scripts/new_project.sh stories/my_story 24 --with-agents (or run the repo script below).

Claude Code

For Claude Code (project-local agents), run the installer with --claude and then restart/reload Claude Code:

• macOS/Linux: ./phantom_scribe/install.sh --claude
• Windows: .\phantom_scribe\install.ps1 -Claude

This installs:

• .claude/agents/ (agents)
• .claude/skills/phantom-scribe/ (project Skill)

Then ask “Help me write a story…” to trigger the Skill, or start explicitly with story-orchestrator. See phantom_scribe/CLAUDE.md.

Claude Desktop

For the Claude Desktop app, create a Project and paste the custom instructions:

• See CLAUDE_DESKTOP_SETUP.md for full instructions
• Copy the provided prompt into your Project's custom instructions
• Upload templates to the Project's document library

Claude Code Plugin

This repo also includes a Claude Code plugin (namespaced slash commands like /phantom-scribe:kickoff).

Install from git:

claude plugin install github:barnstorm/phantom_scribe --subdir phantom_scribe/claude_plugin/phantom-scribe

Or clone and install locally:

git clone https://github.com/barnstorm/phantom_scribe.git
claude plugin install ./phantom_scribe/claude_plugin/phantom-scribe

Test without installing:

claude --plugin-dir ./phantom_scribe/claude_plugin/phantom-scribe

See phantom_scribe/claude_plugin/phantom-scribe/README.md.

Creating a New Story Workspace

From this repo:

• phantom_scribe/scripts/new_project.sh stories/my_story 24 --with-agents

From the installed Codex skill (after install):

• ~/.codex/skills/phantom-scribe/scripts/new_project.sh stories/my_story 24 --with-agents

This creates:

• START_HERE.md, beat/pacing sheets, trackers, logs
• chapters/chapter_01.md … stubs
• Optional .claude/agents/ and .claude/skills/phantom-scribe/ copied in (for Claude Code–style discovery + Skill triggering)
• WORKSPACE_LAYOUT.md + optional world/CLUE_LEDGER.md

What’s Included

Templates

• BEAT_SHEET_TEMPLATE.md, HARMON_STORY_CIRCLE_TEMPLATE.md
• CROUCH_PACING_SHEET_TEMPLATE.md, HARMON_CROUCH_CHAPTER_GRIDS.md
• REVERSAL_LADDER_TEMPLATE.md (scene-level thriller reversals + cliff buttons)
• DREAD_LADDER_TEMPLATE.md (horror escalation: rules/costs tighten, options collapse)
• BEAT_TRACKING_TEMPLATE.md, TODO_INDEX_TEMPLATE.md
• CONTINUITY_REPORT_TEMPLATE.md, STRUCTURAL_AUDIT_TEMPLATE.md
• PASS_LOG_TEMPLATES.md, IMPROVEMENTS_LOG_TEMPLATE.md
• CHAPTER_DONE_CHECKLIST.md, END_OF_SESSION_CHECKLIST.md (rinse/repeat guardrails)
• WORLD_BIBLE_SYNC_CHECKLIST.md, OPEN_QUESTIONS_TEMPLATE.md (canon sync + parked decisions)
• WORKSPACE_LAYOUT.md, CLUE_LEDGER_TEMPLATE.md (workspace map + clue economy)
• REVERSE_ENGINEERING_CHECKLIST.md (turn an existing draft into a synopsis + canon updates)

Agents (Claude-style prompts)

Located in phantom_scribe/.claude/agents/ and mirrored into the Codex skill assets:

• story-orchestrator (thumbnail → full plan)
• character-sketcher (write-safe sketch + labeled headcanon hooks)
• worldbible-builder, canon-keeper, timeline-keeper
• constraint-designer, retcon-manager
• character-profiler, character-roleplay, dialogue-editor

See phantom_scribe/AGENTS_USAGE.md for when/how to use each.