Writing Templates
Copy-paste prompt templates for the most common writing tasks. Each template has a standard structure — fill in the brackets with your specifics and get consistent, well-formed outputs.
Draft Template
Use when starting from scratch:
You are [role, e.g. "an experienced business writer"].
Write a [document type, e.g. "project proposal"] about [topic].
Audience: [who will read it, e.g. "senior management with no technical background"].
Tone: [e.g. "formal and authoritative" / "conversational and direct"].
Length: [e.g. "400–600 words" / "one page" / "3 paragraphs"].
Must include: [any required elements, e.g. "a summary table", "a next steps section"].
Context: [background information Claude needs to write accurately].
The "must include" field is important — without it, Claude uses its judgment about structure, which may not match your requirements.
Edit Template
Use when you have existing content that needs targeted improvement:
Edit the following [document type] to [specific improvement, e.g. "improve clarity" / "fix grammar" / "make it more concise"].
Preserve: [what must not change, e.g. "the author's voice and any technical terminology"].
Do not: [what to avoid, e.g. "rewrite sections that are already clear" / "add new content not in the original"].
[Paste the content here]
Always specify what to preserve — without this, Claude may make changes beyond the scope you intended.
Rewrite Template
Use when you need to convert content from one format to another:
Rewrite the following [source format, e.g. "technical documentation"] as [target format, e.g. "a plain-English FAQ"].
Target audience: [who the new version is for].
Keep: [what must be preserved, e.g. "all the technical accuracy and specific steps"].
Remove: [what should not carry over, e.g. "jargon and assumed knowledge"].
[Paste the content here]
Tone Adjustment Template
Use when the content is right but the tone needs to change:
Rewrite the following to [target tone, e.g. "sound more confident and direct" / "be warmer and more conversational" / "match the professional tone of the attached example"].
Do not change: [what must stay the same, e.g. "the factual content, structure, or length"].
[Paste the content here]
For tone matching, giving a concrete example is more reliable than describing the tone in words: "Match the tone of this example: [paste example]."
Long-Form Template
Use for multi-section documents that need to be built incrementally:
Step 1 — Outline: I need to write a [document type]. Topic: [topic]. Audience: [audience]. Goal: [what the document should achieve]. Draft a section-level outline with one-line descriptions of each section.
Step 2 — Section drafting (repeat for each section): Write Section [N]: [section name]. Based on our outline, this section covers [description]. Tone: [tone]. Length: approximately [X] words. [Any specific requirements for this section.]
Step 3 — Review: Review all sections for consistency in tone, terminology, and logical flow. Flag any gaps or contradictions.
Checklist: Do You Understand This?
- Draft template: role + document type + audience + tone + length + must-include elements + context
- Edit template: specify the exact change + what to preserve + what not to touch
- Rewrite template: source format → target format, with explicit keep/remove instructions
- Tone template: providing a concrete example is more reliable than describing tone in words
- Long-form: outline first → section-by-section drafting → consistency review — never ask Claude to write the whole document at once