# Skills Comparison: Writing Workflow
Quick reference for choosing the right skill when working on philosophical writing.
![[Skills Workflow Diagram.png]]
## The Table
| Skill | Mode | Focus | Output |
|-------|------|-------|--------|
| **/quickfire** | Interactive co-writing | Advancing prose | Text written to file |
| **/contemplate** | Extended reasoning | Any problem | Analytical exploration |
| **/cev** | Ideal-vision analysis | What it could become | Comprehensive vision |
| **/twork** | Deep comment engagement | %%flagged issues%% | Multiple options + reasoning |
## Memory Aid: The Question Each Skill Answers
- **quickfire**: *"How do I write this section?"* → Co-writing session
- **contemplate**: *"What do I really think about X?"* → Deep reasoning
- **cev**: *"What's the best version of this draft?"* → Ideal vision
- **twork**: *"What's wrong and how might I fix it?"* → Problem analysis
## The Workflow Arc
A typical manuscript development path:
```
1. /contemplate → Think through a philosophical problem
2. /quickfire → Draft the initial section
3. /twork → Analyze %%comments%% you've flagged
4. /quickfire → Implement fixes
5. /cev → Understand full potential
6. /quickfire → Develop toward that vision
```
## Mode Spectrum
```
Convergent ←―――――――――――――――→ Divergent
(making decisions) (exploring options)
/quickfire ――――― /contemplate ――――― /twork
|
/cev
```
- **quickfire** is most convergent: questions → answers → prose → done
- **contemplate** is exploratory but eventually converges on understanding
- **twork** stays divergent: generates options, doesn't choose between them
- **cev** shows possibilities but doesn't implement them
## When in Doubt
- **Have %%comments%% in a draft?** → /twork
- **Blank section to write?** → /quickfire
- **Confused about approach?** → /contemplate
- **Want to see potential?** → /cev
## The Key Distinction
**Production vs. Exploration:**
| Production (makes things) | Exploration (understands things) |
|---------------------------|----------------------------------|
| /quickfire | /contemplate |
| | /cev |
| | /twork |
Only /quickfire writes prose to files. The others help you think.