Briefs and Prompts That Work

Introduction

The quality of what AI writes depends on what you tell it. A short, vague request gives a generic answer. A clear brief gives it the context it needs.

The content brief

Write this once, and reuse it in every prompt. It also helps you stay focused.

Reader: beginner home bakers in the UK
Goal: they can make a simple sourdough starter this week
Tone: friendly, plain English, no jargon
Length: about 800 words
Must include: my own tip about using rye flour; a daily feeding schedule
Do not include: health claims, brand names

Prompt 1: the outline

Using this brief, suggest an outline for an article with 5 to 7 headings.
For each heading, give one sentence on what it covers. Ask me about anything
you are unsure of before writing.

[paste your brief and your notes here]

Review it. Remove generic sections, and add what only you know.

Prompt 2: the draft

Write one section at a time. This gives better control than asking for the whole article at once.

Write the section "Feeding your starter" in the tone from the brief.
Use only the facts in my notes below. If something is missing, say so
instead of inventing it.

[paste your notes for this section]

The line "use only the facts below" greatly reduces made-up details.

Prompt 3: the edit

Here is my draft. Do not rewrite it. List problems with clarity, repetition and
tone, and suggest specific small fixes. Mark any claim that needs a source.

[paste your draft]

Using AI as an editor keeps your words as your own.

Follow-ups that improve results

• "Make this shorter and more direct."
• "Replace general statements with a concrete example."
• "This sounds generic. What details would make it more specific?"
• "Give me three alternative headlines, each under 60 characters."
• "What questions would a beginner still have after reading this?"

Keep your prompts

Save your best prompts and your brief template in a document. Free tools come and go, but your prompts work in most of them.

Try it yourself

Write a brief for one article. Ask AI for an outline, change it with your own knowledge, then draft one section using only your notes.

Summary

• A brief with reader, goal, tone and must-haves makes every prompt better.
• Use separate prompts for outline, drafting and editing, and write section by section.
• Tell AI to use only your facts, and keep your prompts in your own files.