Master Writing Style Sheet · Practice. Build. Publish.

1

Forbidden Constructions

These appear nowhere in any document, article, or narrative — no exceptions.

Pronouns & Vague References

No "it," "its," or "itself" — replace with the specific noun
No "which" — replace with "that" for restrictive clauses; restructure if non-restrictive

Passive & Weak Verbs

No "to be" verbs used as passive constructions: is, are, was, were, been, being
No auxiliary "had" — find the active construction
No auxiliary "would" — find the direct declarative form
No "there is / there are / there was / there were" constructions

Structural Habits to Eliminate

No "subject — long description — verb" em-dash interruptions that separate subject from verb
No front-loaded participial phrases that delay the subject
No sentences that require the reader to restart to find the main verb
When you spot an "ly" word at the end of a sentence, ask: does this modify the verb? If yes, find a stronger verb and cut the adverb. If the "ly" word modifies a noun (friendly, lonely), placement matters less.

✗ Wrong

"Thomas, a man who had crossed two oceans and buried three children, rose at dawn."

✓ Right

"Thomas rose at dawn. He had crossed two oceans and buried three children."

2

Active Voice Rules

Every sentence drives forward with a strong active verb.

Subject performs the action — never receives it
Verbs carry the narrative weight
Short declarative sentences work better than long compound constructions
Subject meets verb within the first five words whenever possible

Examples

✗ Wrong

"The land was cleared by Thomas in the spring of 1692."

✓ Right

"Thomas cleared the land in the spring of 1692."

✗ Wrong

"A covenant had been established between the families."

✓ Right

"The families established a covenant."

3

Genealogical Narrative Standards

Timeline Discipline

Write each generation from within their own time — no anachronistic framing
A man born in 1650 knows nothing of what his grandchildren will face
Attribute knowledge, fear, hope, and language only to what a person of that era and place could access

Dialogue Standards

Colonial New England speech (1620–1750): formal, Biblical cadence, Puritan moral framework
Characters address each other as "thee," "thou," "thy" in intimate contexts
Public or deferential address uses "you," "your"
Speech reflects the King James Bible, not modern idiom
Characters reference Providence, covenant, God's will — not luck or chance
18th-century speech (1750–1800): transitioning from Puritan formality; more commercial, civic vocabulary enters
Avoid modern contractions, slang, or psychological vocabulary in period dialogue

Naming Conventions

First mention: full name — Thomas McLain
Subsequent mentions: first name — Thomas (in narrative flow); full name restated at chapter breaks
Name variants: document spelling variations in brackets — McLain [also MacLean, McLean, MacLaine]
Women: use birth surname on first reference, then married name — "Mary Goodhue, who married John Dennis in 1684 and thereafter appears in records as Mary Dennis"

Marriage Arrangements

Colonial correspondence marriages: agents in colonial towns corresponded with English families
Brides crossed the Atlantic for men they had not met — note this as period-typical practice
Record both wedding location and colony: "Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony"

4

Document Structure Standards

Chapter Architecture

1.Foreword (external voice — optional)
2.Preface (author's personal statement)
3.Introduction (scope, methods, name variants, research standards)
4.Prologue (narrative scene-setter, storytelling mode)
5.Main Narrative (chapters organized chronologically or by family line)
6.Epilogue (generational patterns, legacy reflection)
7.Appendices (family trees, timelines, transcribed documents, maps)

Paragraph Construction

One idea per paragraph in analytical writing
Narrative paragraphs open with action or image, not date or name alone
Transitions carry the reader forward — no orphaned paragraphs
Reading level target: 10th–12th grade for manuscripts; college level for analytical essays

5

Document Production Standards

Apply these standards to all .docx files produced or edited.

Color

ALL TEXT MUST BE BLACK — NO EXCEPTIONS IN FINAL DOCUMENTS. This applies to body text, headings, table text, captions, footnotes, headers, footers, and any other text element. When editing existing documents, remove all non-black font colors and reset to black (automatic color).
Revision exception: when revising to show changes, use color markup — inserted text in blue, deleted text in red strikethrough. This color exists only as a revision-review aid. The final accepted document returns to all-black text.

Typography

Body text: Arial, 12 pt, 1.2 line spacing, Regular weight. Black only.
Headings (before a paragraph): Arial, 12 pt, 1.2 line spacing, Bold. Black only.
Tables: Arial, Regular weight, black only. Use 11 pt as the default; drop to 10 pt when a column carries enough text that 11 pt makes the table excessively long.

Graphics

Use large, bright-white text inside charts and diagrams so labels read clearly. If the graphic cannot accommodate readable text at that size, reduce the text inside and describe the data fully in the body paragraph that precedes or follows it — or add an italicized caption directly below.

Page Numbers

Do not add page numbers to any .docx file. Pagination happens at the PDF stage. Format: "Page X of Y" — bottom center, Arial, 12 pt, black.

6

Analytical Writing Standards

Stellaris Meta-Framework articles, Substack essays, political analysis

Capitalization — Always

Stellaris Meta-Framework Stellaris Framework Fourth Turning Saeculum (first mention only) Prophet Nomad Hero Artist S-curve

Capitalization — Always Lowercase

extraction economy abundance economy feedback loop threshold generational archetype (descriptive)

Abbreviations

ERCOT, BESS, AI — all caps throughout

Sentence Architecture

Front-load the claim, then add evidence
Definitions follow the verb: "A saeculum spans eighty to one hundred years — the length of a long human life."
Never delay the main verb past five words
Short sentences hit harder than compound ones

7

Word-Level Preferences

Avoid	Use Instead
it / its	the specific noun
which	that
had (auxiliary)	past tense direct form
would (auxiliary)	direct declarative
there is / are / was / were	restructure with active subject
was / were (passive)	active construction
in order to	to
due to the fact that	because

8

Primary Family Lines & Key Details

Core Lineages — Colonial New England, 1600s–1700s

McLain / MacLean / MacLaine / McLean Dennis Blossom Goodhue Walker Hussey Choate

Associated Lines

FitzRandolph — heraldic arms: Argent, a chief indented azure; motto: Jamais Arrière — Never Behind
Morrell / Morrill
Brockett / Brocket

Geographic Centers

Essex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony (Ipswich, Salem, Gloucester) Plymouth Colony Connecticut Colony Scottish Highlands (pre-emigration McLain origins)

Key Historical Contexts

English Separatist and Puritan migration, 1620–1660
Strauss-Howe generational framework applied to colonial periods
King Philip's War (1675–1676) — Prophet generation crisis
Salem witch trials (1692) — generational stress marker
Imperial Frontier Wars — Hero generation formation

9

Quick Checklist Before Submitting Any Draft

Zero instances of "it" or "its"
Zero "which" — replaced with "that" or restructured
Zero passive "to be" constructions
Zero auxiliary "had" or "would"
Every subject meets its verb within five words
No em-dash interruptions separating subject from verb
Dialogue matches the correct time period and colony
Names follow first-mention / subsequent-mention protocol
Colonial locations include colony name, not just town
Reading level matches target audience
All text black — no color in final .docx output