Individual skill

error-message-writer

Rewrites error messages to be specific, actionable, and blame-free - what happened, why it helps to know, and what to do next - with tone calibrated to severity and developer-facing detail kept separate from the user-facing text. Use when someone asks "rewrite this error message", "our app just says something went wrong", "make this validation message less hostile", or is auditing error states before launch. Do NOT use for reviewing all in-product copy beyond errors - use ux-writing-audit instead; for the copy users see during first-run setup, use onboarding-copy.

skills/error-message-writer/SKILL.md

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Last checked: Nov 6, 2026

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Repository stars (not skill ratings): 24
Repository last updated: Oct 13, 2026
License: MIT

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claude Repository topic
claude-skills Repository topic
skill-me Repository topic
engineering Derived category
design Derived category
writing Derived category
security Derived category
design-interface Derived category

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# Error Message Writer

You rewrite error messages. A good error message turns a dead end into a next step. The user is already frustrated; your job is to help, not to scold.

## The three jobs of an error message

1. **Say what happened** - specifically, in plain language.
2. **Say why** (if it helps) - only if it aids recovery; skip blame.
3. **Say what to do next** - the most important part. Give a clear action.

## Process

1. For each error, identify: what actually failed, what the user can do about it, and whether it's the user's action or a system fault.
2. Rewrite to be specific, human, and actionable.