First run
The goal of this step is to set the book’s direction. /start asks for the book type, logline, persona, and tone, plants them in 01_direction_brief.md, and hands off to Tier 1 of book-orchestrator. You don’t write a chapter yet. This is the spot for deciding what book to write first.
1) Run Claude Code in the base folder
Section titled “1) Run Claude Code in the base folder”If you went as far as cd my-book in clone-and-install, run this in the same spot.
claudeWhen the prompt comes up, it quietly reads CLAUDE.md and the automation rules. You may not see much output on screen, which is normal.
2) Start with one line
Section titled “2) Start with one line”/startOr in natural language, 프로젝트 시작, “I want to write a book.” Either way triggers the start router.
3) Environment verification
Section titled “3) Environment verification”/start first checks that git is present, since version is managed with per-chapter commits. A markdown viewer is optional, so it proceeds without one. research and illustration aren’t verified on first entry; they’re guided separately only when needed.
4) git history separation, only if you cloned
Section titled “4) git history separation, only if you cloned”If you got the base with git clone, /start inspects the origin URL and asks once. It’s the spot that asks whether to cut the history before your chapters pile on top of the base’s commit history. If you got it by making your own repository via Template, it’s skipped automatically.
5) Asking the book identity
Section titled “5) Asking the book identity”/start doesn’t guess; it stops and asks. Until all four are filled.
- Book type (
book_type) — one of fiction, practical, essay, technical. This decision splits which skills turn on. - Logline — what this book is in one sentence.
- Persona — whose voice is writing it.
- Tone — the grain of the prose.
The answers are planted in _workspace/{book_slug}/01_direction_brief.md and registered as an index in books.json. The book slug is decided here too, like novel-magic-cost-01 in lowercase letters, digits, and hyphens.
One at a time: /start enters only one book. To start another book, call again with “new book — with slug X.”
6) Handoff to Tier 1 Direction
Section titled “6) Handoff to Tier 1 Direction”Once the identity is set, /start hands off to Tier 1 of book-orchestrator. Tier 1 is the step that finalizes the direction brief.
When this step is done, here’s where you are: the book type, logline, and tone are planted in _workspace/{book_slug}/01_direction_brief.md, and the book is registered in books.json. There’s still no chapter. That’s normal. If the direction brief differs from what you intended, it’s better to ask for a fix right here.
Once the direction is set, go to write-first-chapter. You lay out the outline and write the first chapter.