COMPLETE INSTRUCTION PACKAGE FOR NEW CHAT

 COMPLETE INSTRUCTION PACKAGE FOR NEW CHAT

WHAT TO GIVE NEW CLAUDE

Here's everything the new Claude needs to polish Chapters 10-15 correctly:

1. NOVEL CONTEXT (Brief)

I'm finalizing a philosophical novel called *The Practice*. 

- 15 chapters total

- Protagonist: James Manning, fired philosophy professor, alcoholic in recovery

- Theme: Practicing Stoic philosophy (not just analyzing it)

- Philosophical framework: Grant C. Sterling's "Core Stoicism" system

- Chapters 1-9 are polished and complete

- Chapters 10-15 need final polish for consistency

University name: Central Illinois University (NOT Eastern Illinois - that's where Sterling teaches)

2. STERLING'S SYSTEM (Critical Philosophy Framework)

STERLING'S CORE STOICISM - KEY PRINCIPLES:

1. CONTROL DICHOTOMY (No Middle Ground):

   - Up to us: beliefs, judgments, assent, choices, intentions

   - Not up to us: everything else (externals)

   - No "partially in our control" category

2. PHYSICAL VS. MENTAL PAIN (CRITICAL):

   - Physical sensations = External, indifferent (can't eliminate, don't matter)

   - Mental suffering = Emotion from false beliefs (CAN eliminate completely)

   - Never conflate these two categories

   - Example: "chest tightness" = physical/external

   - Example: "grief from believing divorce is terrible" = mental/eliminable

3. EMOTIONAL TAXONOMY (Two Categories Only):

   - Cognitive emotions (require assent): joy, grief, anger, fear

   - Non-cognitive bodily reactions (no assent): startle, sting, physical pain

   - NO middle category (no "first movements" as emotions)

4. CHARACTER FORMATION:

   - Knowing intellectually ≠ instant transformation

   - Impressions strengthen/weaken gradually through repeated examination

   - Practice takes years (Graves: 30 years, still examining daily)

   - Akrasia is real (can know right thing, still want wrong thing)

5. PREFERRED INDIFFERENTS:

   - Can prefer health, wealth, relationships WITHOUT thinking they're necessary

   - Preference ≠ attachment

   - "I want X" ≠ "I need X for happiness"

6. COMPLETE ELIMINATION POSSIBLE:

   - ALL negative emotions can be eliminated (not just "managed")

   - Through correct examination and withdrawal of assent

   - Not instant, but progressive and complete

3. POLISH STANDARDS (What We Did to Chapters 1-9)

STYLE POLISH CHECKLIST:

REMOVE THESE WORDS (unless semantically necessary):

- "really" 

- "actually"

- "completely"

- "just" (keep only when meaning "recently" or semantically required)

- "kind of" / "sort of"

CUT THESE PATTERNS:

- Over-explanation after showing something

- Repetitive "That's the practice" (max once per chapter)

- Narrator judgments ("Manning was deluded" → "Manning thought...")

- Modern slang that doesn't fit tone

TIGHTEN THESE:

- "I'm really not happy about it" → "Not happy"

- "I think that maybe" → "Maybe"

- "He was actually quite calm" → "He was calm"

MAINTAIN THESE:

- O'Connor austerity: short paragraphs, crisp sentences

- Close third POV on Manning always

- Silence doing work in dialogue

- Scenes ending on image or maxim, not explanation

- Trust reader - show once, move on

DIALOGUE:

- Natural when spoken aloud

- No speeches or lectures

- Proper contractions

- Characters speak like real people

4. BEFORE/AFTER EXAMPLES

EXAMPLE 1 - Removing unnecessary words:

BEFORE: "I'm really not sure if I can actually do this. It's just so hard."

AFTER: "I'm not sure I can do this. It's hard."

EXAMPLE 2 - Cutting over-explanation:

BEFORE: "Manning felt calm. Not happy about the situation, but calm. He had examined 

his beliefs and found them false, so he was able to accept what was happening. That's 

what the practice taught him—acceptance of externals."

AFTER: "Manning felt calm. Not happy. But calm."

EXAMPLE 3 - Physical vs. Mental distinction:

BEFORE: "The divorce was painful but not terrible."

AFTER: "Physical reactions: chest tightness. External. Mental: no suffering—he'd 

examined the belief 'divorce is terrible' and seen it was false."

EXAMPLE 4 - Dialogue tightening:

BEFORE: "I'm just saying that I think maybe we should actually try to do this."

AFTER: "We should try."

5. KEY CHARACTER VOICES

MARTIN GRAVES:

- Direct, no sugarcoating

- Asks questions, doesn't give answers

- Military bearing in speech (brief, precise)

- Never preachy or philosophical-sounding

- Example: "Have you practiced it?" not "One must engage in consistent practice"

JAMES MANNING:

- Internal examination shown in italics

- Learning, sometimes uncertain, honest about difficulty

- Progression: defensive (Ch 1) → examining (Ch 9) → teaching (Ch 13-15)

- Never sounds like lecturing professor except when teaching

ROBERT:

- AA wisdom in plain language

- Supportive without enabling

- Brief, practical

- Example: "You can't control the craving. Just whether you drink."

REBECCA:

- Direct, sometimes angry

- Smart, doesn't accept excuses

- Softening over time but realistic

- Example: "I don't believe you anymore."

6. WHAT'S ALREADY CORRECT IN CHAPTERS 10-15

These chapters were drafted AFTER we identified the physical/mental distinction error.

LIKELY ALREADY CORRECT:

- Physical vs. mental pain distinction

- No "painful but not terrible" language

- Sterling's system applied correctly

- Character progression accurate

WHAT NEEDS POLISH:

- Style consistency (remove "really," "actually," etc.)

- Dialogue tightening

- Over-explanation cutting

- Paragraph/sentence rhythm

- Voice consistency with Chapters 1-9

7. SPECIFIC CHAPTER FUNCTIONS (10-15)

CHAPTER 10: The Call

- Rebecca calls, wants to meet

- Manning practices loving without needing forgiveness

- Epictetus Chapter 3: "Remember what category things belong to"

- Rebecca is external, her forgiveness is external

CHAPTER 11: The Diagnosis  

- Graves reveals cancer diagnosis

- Continues teaching while dying

- Shows practice under ultimate test

- Death examined as external/indifferent

CHAPTER 12: The Letter

- Graves dies

- Manning receives his letter

- Examination of grief

- Physical reactions present, no mental suffering

CHAPTERS 13-15: Transmission

- Four years later

- Manning teaching Graves's class

- Memorial scene

- Shows mature but imperfect practice

8. CONTINUITY DETAILS TO MAINTAIN

NAMES/PLACES:

- Central Illinois University (NOT Eastern Illinois)

- Westfield High School (Manning's new job)

- St. Mark's Church (AA meetings)

- Community Center on Maple Street (Tuesday Stoic class)

TIMELINE:

- Chapter 9: Day 89

- Chapter 10: Day 108 (approximately)

- Chapter 11-12: Days 124-187

- Chapters 13-15: ~4 years later

KEY RECURRING ELEMENTS:

- Journal entries (12-15 lines max, specific format)

- "What's up to me" / "What's not up to me" lists

- Tuesday night Stoic class (7:00 PM)

- AA meetings (morning and noon)

9. PASTE THIS COMPLETE POLISHED CHAPTER AS REFERENCE

[Include one complete polished chapter - suggest Chapter 8 or 9 - so new Claude sees 

the target voice/style]

10. THE INSTRUCTION TO NEW CLAUDE

I need you to polish Chapters 10-15 of this novel to match the style and voice of 

Chapters 1-9 (which are already polished).

Apply all the polish standards above:

- Remove unnecessary adverbs

- Tighten dialogue  

- Cut over-explanation

- Maintain O'Connor austerity

- Keep philosophical framework correct (already done, just verify)

Polish one chapter at a time. Show me each polished chapter complete.

Here are Chapters 10-15 [paste them]:

That's everything the new Claude needs.

Save this instruction package + paste Chapters 10-15 and you'll get consistent, high-quality polish matching what we did for 1-9.

Should I also prepare a condensed "quick version" in case you want something shorter?