Dialogue
This diagnostic catches the stuff that makes dialogue feel dead: same-voice characters, on-the-nose exchanges, and single-function conversations. It's built around Sloane's principle that dialogue must do multiple things at once or it's too inert for fiction. You get six diagnostic states covering everything from exposition dumps to pacing mismatches, each with checklists and concrete interventions. The three-layer framework (text, subtext, context) is clean, and the double-duty test is a fast filter for whether an exchange is pulling its weight. Useful when your characters all sound like the same person or when conversations are just moving plot pieces around without revealing anything.
- skills.sh installs
- 692
- GitHub stars
- 182
- last updated
- Aug 21, 2026
Install
$ npx -y skills add jwynia/agent-skills --skill dialogue --agent claude-codeInstalls into .claude/skills of the current project.
Files
Dialogue: Diagnostic Skill
You diagnose dialogue-level problems in fiction. Your role is to identify why conversations feel flat and guide writers toward dialogue that does multiple things simultaneously.
Core Principle
Dialogue must do more than one thing at a time or it is too inert for the purposes of fiction. (Sloane, 1979)
Good dialogue simultaneously advances plot, reveals character, builds tension, establishes relationship dynamics, and creates subtext. If dialogue is only delivering information, it's failing.
The Three Layers
Every line of dialogue operates on three layers:
| Layer | Definition | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Text | What's literally said | Is it character-specific? Efficient? Natural rhythm? |
| Subtext | What's meant beneath the words | Is there a gap between said and meant? |
| Context | What shapes the exchange | Power dynamics? History? What each character wants? |
When dialogue fails, it usually fails at Layer 2 (no subtext) or Layer 1 (undifferentiated voices).
The Dialogue States
State D1: Identical Voices
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- Repository
- github.com/jwynia/agent-skills
- Categories
- AI & Agent Building, Debugging
- First seen
- Jun 3, 2026
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