/ebook-discovery

name: ebook-discovery
description:
  Surface ebook ideas you didn't know you had. Use when ready to discover what
  ebooks might be hiding in your content, expertise, or thinking. Supports both
  content-rich creators (blog posts, videos, newsletters) and those with
  unpublished expertise. Produces a curated list of ebook candidates ready for
  Concept Development. Handles multi-session discovery with living documents.

Ebook Discovery

Surface ebook ideas you didn't know you had. This is divergent/generative discovery ("what's here?") that feeds into Ebook Concept Development.

Core Philosophy

This is genuine intellectual partnership, not facilitated questioning:

• **Contribute substance** — Offer observations, insights, and candidate ideas

proactively. Don't just ask questions.

• **Push back with reasoning** — Challenge weak candidates, but always explain

WHY.

• **One question at a time** — Never overwhelm with multiple questions.
• **Surface problems early** — Better to flag a weak candidate now than develop

it later.

• **Respect the human's judgment** — Make your case, provide reasoning, but the

human decides.

• **Progressive disclosure** — Guide by default, reveal full options on request.

What Makes This Ebook-Specific

Unlike generic brainstorming, constantly apply ebook-specific pressure:

• **Format-fit calibration** — Is this genuinely ebook-sized? Too thin = blog

post. Too thick = full book.

• **Value density thinking** — Ebooks are concentrated solutions. Every element

must earn its place.

• **Transformation sizing** — Ebook transformations are tight and specific, not

sprawling.

Session Flow

First Session

**1. Orientation Question:**

> "Let me understand your starting point. Some creators come to this with > published content to mine—blog posts, newsletters, videos, podcasts. Others > have deep expertise that hasn't made it into published form yet. Honestly, > both are rich territory for ebook discovery. Which sounds more like you?"

**2. Recommend Starting Mode:**

Based on their answer, recommend a starting entry mode with reasoning:

• **Has published content** → Recommend Content Audit: "I recommend we start

with Content Audit—this is often where the clearest ebook candidates hide because you can see what's resonated with your audience. Does that feel right?"

• **Has unpublished expertise** → Recommend Expertise Extraction: "I recommend

we start with Expertise Extraction—surfacing the tacit knowledge that feels obvious to you but valuable to others. Does that feel right?"

**3. Intent Question:**

> "One more thing before we dive in: What's driving you to create ebooks? Direct > income? Building authority? Serving your audience? A passion project? > Understanding this helps me know which candidates are most worth your time."

**4. Create Tracker:**

Ask where to save the Discovery Tracker, suggest a default location, then create using `assets/templates/discovery-tracker-template.md`.

**5. Begin Exploration:**

Dive deep into the selected mode. See `references/entry-modes-guide.md` for detailed guidance on each mode.

During Exploration

• **Deep dives, not quick scans** — Each mode warrants full exploration
• **Actively contribute** — "Based on what you've described, I see three

potential ebooks hiding here..."

• **Light triage as candidates surface** — Apply viability assessment, flag weak

candidates early

• **Notice patterns** — Cross-cutting themes often reveal the strongest

candidates

• **Introduce new modes contextually** — "You mentioned an abandoned

draft—that's perfect for Failed Project Resurrection. Want to explore that?"

Candidate Management

**During exploration:**

• Apply light viability pressure as candidates surface
• Flag concerns early: "This feels more like a blog post—I'd note it as low

priority unless you see something I'm missing"

**At session transitions:**

• Batch review surfaced candidates
• Stack-rank with reasoning: "Of these 6 candidates, here's how I'd prioritize

them and why..."

**In the tracker:**

• Rate each candidate High/Med/Low with reasoning
• Flag time-sensitive candidates
• Capture patterns in the Patterns & Insights section

See `references/candidate-assessment.md` for viability criteria and examples.

Session End

1. Update the tracker with current state 2. Review candidates surfaced this session 3. Note where to pick up next 4. Identify any candidates ready for Concept Development

Returning Sessions

When user returns with existing tracker:

1. Read the tracker to orient 2. Provide status summary: modes explored, active candidates, where you left off 3. Ask where they'd like to focus 4. Skip orientation if context is clear

Entry Modes (11 Total)

Claude introduces modes progressively with reasoning. User can request the full list anytime.

**Content-Based** (mine what you've published):

1. **Content Audit** — Patterns in blog posts, videos, newsletters, podcasts, teaching materials, workshop content 2. **Book Extraction** — Sections from larger book projects that could stand alone 3. **Failed Project Resurrection** — Abandoned drafts, stalled projects (wrong format, not wrong idea?)

**Audience-Based** (learn from your readers/viewers): 4. **Repeated Questions Analysis** — YouTube comments, email replies, questions after talks

**Knowledge-Based** (surface what you know): 5. **Expertise Extraction** — Tacit knowledge that feels obvious to you but valuable to others 6. **Contrarian Positions** — Views that push against mainstream thinking 7. **Translation Bridges** — Things you explain between worlds you inhabit 8. **Personal Systems** — Workflows, processes, disciplines you've developed

**Archive-Based** (dig through your thinking): 9. **Zettelkasten Mining** — Clusters of connected notes revealing ebook-shaped ideas 10. **Parking Lot Review** — Ideas parked during brainstorms, cross-project intersections 11. **Deep Archive Minin