Morning Paper Generator

What You'll Do

• 🌅 Clarify the writer's focus, mood, and desired depth for a Julia Cameron-style morning pages session
• 🧠 Generate or select a reflective, emotionally honest prompt directly with the LLM, keeping a Julia Cameron-inspired morning pages tone throughout
• 🗂️ Ensure a morning-papers/ directory exists (confirm the target directory with the writer before creating it) and create a dated markdown file (YYYY-MM-DD.md) with the prompt and writing scaffold
• ✍️ Provide gentle instructions to transition from prompt into free-writing, including warm-up techniques and follow-up reminders

Phase 1 · Gather Context

1. Understand today's focus

• Ask about emotional state, themes (gratitude, blocks, creative risks), or any constraints (time, word count).
• Confirm whether the writer wants a single prompt or multiple mini-prompts.
• Ask if they would like the skill to generate a fresh random prompt, choose from past favorites, or co-create something bespoke.

1. Check existing morning papers

• List files in morning-papers/ if present. Note prior prompts to avoid repetition.
• If the directory is missing, note that you will confirm the intended location with the writer in Phase 3 before creating it.

1. Clarify prompt generation approach

• Offer to have the LLM craft a random morning pages prompt in Julia Cameron’s voice, or collaborate on a bespoke prompt.
• Capture every candidate prompt surfaced (random, custom, or historical) in a short list so the writer can choose later.
• Confirm if the writer prefers additional sections (gratitude list, affirmations, action steps).
• Check that jq is available (needed later to log used prompts). If missing, note that you will append to the JSON file manually.

1. Resolve unknowns

• If timelines or expectations are unclear (e.g., “How long should the entry be?”), ask the user before proceeding.

Outcome: A short set of notes capturing today’s intent, avoided topics, candidate prompts, prompt-generation method, and desired structure.

Phase 2 · Design the Entry

1. Select prompt strategy

• Generate 2–3 candidate prompts with the LLM (ask for Julia Cameron-style morning pages voice) and add them to your list.
• Optionally remix past prompts or co-create bespoke versions if the writer has a theme in mind.
• Review the candidate list with the writer and confirm the final choice before writing the file.

1. Plan the file structure

• Default sections: # Morning Paper – YYYY-MM-DD, ## Prompt, ## Stream, ## Noticings, ## Next Gentle Step.
• Add optional sections per user preference (e.g., “Gratitude Snapshot”, “Affirmation”).

1. Determine guidance copy

• Include short reminders: write longhand if possible, keep the pen moving, no self-editing.
• Suggest a timer or page count to set expectations.

Checklist: Prompt candidate list captured, final prompt chosen, sections defined, supportive guidance ready.

Phase 3 · Compose the Markdown Entry

1. Create directory & filename

• Check whether morning-papers/ exists.
• If it is missing, share the current directory path (pwd) and confirm with the writer before creating it here or choosing another location.
• Once confirmed, create the directory (mkdir -p morning-papers).
• Filename format: morning-papers/YYYY-MM-DD.md (use the writer’s local date).

1. Write the file

• Add YAML frontmatter with the session date and the chosen prompt:

     ---
     date: 2026-01-11
     prompt: >-
       Write about the first thought that met you when you woke up and how it
       wants you to move through today.
     ---

• Include the planned sections and the selected prompt below the frontmatter.
• Optionally add a “Prompt Shelf” appendix listing alternate prompts the writer declined (helpful for future sessions).
• Add a warm-up instruction block (e.g., breathe, notice surroundings).
• Preserve blank space under each heading to invite handwriting or typing.

1. Log the prompt

• Ensure morning-papers/.completed-prompts.json exists. If not, create it with jq -n '[]' > morning-papers/.completed-prompts.json (or write [] manually when jq is unavailable).
• Append today’s prompt and date using placeholders (substitute the real values):

     tmp=$(mktemp)
     jq --arg date "$SESSION_DATE" --arg prompt "$PROMPT_TEXT" \
       '. + [{date: $date, prompt: $prompt}]' \
       morning-papers/.completed-prompts.json >"$tmp" && \
       mv "$tmp" morning-papers/.completed-prompts.json

• When jq is missing, append a JSON object manually and validate the file structure before finishing.

1. Avoid duplicates

• Check if today’s file already exists; if so, append a numbered suffix (e.g., YYYY-MM-DD-2.md) or confirm with the writer before overwriting.

1. Optional resources

• Link to prior entries or related prompts if helpful (e.g., See also: morning-papers/2026-01-05.md).

Phase 4 · Wrap Up & Handoff

1. Self-review

• File created in morning-papers/ with correct date.
• Prompt is nurturing, specific, and not a repeat from previous entries.
• .completed-prompts.json contains the new entry with correct date/prompt values.
• Guidance includes reminders about free-writing and self-compassion.

1. Support the writer

• Offer a short “start now” script (e.g., set a 20-minute timer, reread the prompt aloud).
• Invite the writer to note insights afterward in the Noticings section.

1. Summarize output

• Share the file path, the chosen prompt, the shortlist of alternative prompts, and confirm that .completed-prompts.json was updated.
• Suggest next steps (e.g., create a recurring reminder, archive insights).

Reference Templates

Minimal Entry

---
date: 2026-01-11
prompt: >-
  Write about the first thought that met you when you woke up and how it wants
  you to move through today.
---

# Morning Paper – 2026-01-11

## Prompt
Write about the first thought that met you when you woke up and how it wants you to move through today.

## Stream
_(Keep the pen moving for three pages or 20 minutes. No editing.)_

## Noticings
- What surprised me
- What I’m releasing

## Next Gentle Step
- One compassionate action I can take today:

Timer-Friendly Add-on

> 🕰️ Suggested flow: 2-minute grounding · 15-minute freestyle · 3-minute reflection

Use these scaffolds as starting points and tailor sections based on the writer’s request. Aim for warmth, clarity, and momentum.