Writing & Editing Prompts

Templates for rewriting, editing, summarizing, and drafting. These cover the most common writing tasks that come up at work.

Rewrite for a Different Tone

When to use it: You have a draft that’s too casual, too stiff, or aimed at the wrong audience.

Rewrite the following text in a [formal/casual/executive] tone.

Keep the same core information and length. Don't add new content — just adjust the voice and word choice.

Text to rewrite:
[PASTE YOUR TEXT HERE]

!!! example “Filled-in example” Rewrite the following text in a formal tone.

Keep the same core information and length. Don't add new content — just adjust the voice and word choice.

Text to rewrite:
Hey team, just wanted to flag that the project is running a bit behind. We hit some unexpected stuff last week and are working through it. Should be back on track by Friday hopefully.

!!! tip Options for tone: formal, casual, executive, empathetic, direct, conversational. Mix them — “formal but warm” works fine.

Edit for Clarity and Conciseness

When to use it: Your draft is too wordy, hard to follow, or buries the main point.

Edit the following text for clarity and conciseness.

Goals:
- Remove unnecessary words and filler phrases
- Make the main point obvious within the first two sentences
- Break up any sentences longer than 25 words
- Keep the original meaning intact

Text:
[PASTE YOUR TEXT HERE]

!!! tip Add a word count constraint if you need it: “Keep the final version under [X] words.”

Summarize a Long Document

When to use it: You have a long article, report, or document and need the key points fast.

Summarize the following document.

Format: [choose one: 3-5 bullet points / one paragraph / executive summary with key takeaways]
Length: [brief (under 100 words) / medium (100-200 words) / detailed (200-400 words)]
Focus on: [key findings / action items / main arguments / all of the above]

Document:
[PASTE DOCUMENT TEXT HERE]

!!! example “Filled-in example” Summarize the following document.

Format: executive summary with key takeaways
Length: medium (100-200 words)
Focus on: key findings and action items

Document:
[paste the document]

!!! tip For very long documents, paste section by section and ask Claude to build a running summary.

Draft a Professional Email

When to use it: You need to write a work email and want a solid first draft quickly.

Write a professional email with the following details:

To: [RECIPIENT NAME/ROLE]
Subject: [WHAT THE EMAIL IS ABOUT]
My goal: [what I want the recipient to do or understand]
Key points to include:
- [POINT 1]
- [POINT 2]
- [POINT 3]
Tone: [formal / friendly-professional / direct]
Length: [short (3-4 sentences) / medium (1-2 paragraphs) / as needed]

Sign it as: [YOUR NAME]

!!! tip Tell Claude your relationship to the recipient (“we’ve worked together for years” vs “I’ve never met them”) and it will calibrate the warmth appropriately.

Write a Persuasive Argument

When to use it: You need to argue for or against something — a proposal, a decision, a position.

Write a persuasive argument [for/against] the following position:

Position: [STATE THE POSITION CLEARLY]

Audience: [WHO WILL READ THIS]
Strongest arguments to include: [any specific points you want covered]
Length: [short / medium / detailed]
Tone: [professional / conversational / assertive]

Anticipate and address the main counterargument.

!!! tip After getting your argument, run it again with “against” to stress-test your position and find weaknesses.

Expand Bullet Points into Paragraphs

When to use it: You have notes or an outline and need to turn them into flowing prose.

Expand the following bullet points into full paragraphs.

Keep the same order and structure. Write in a [professional/conversational/academic] voice. Each bullet should become roughly 2-4 sentences.

Bullet points:
[PASTE YOUR BULLETS HERE]

!!! example “Filled-in example” Expand the following bullet points into full paragraphs.

Keep the same order and structure. Write in a professional voice. Each bullet should become roughly 2-4 sentences.

Bullet points:
- Q3 revenue up 12% year over year
- Customer acquisition cost dropped by 8%
- Two new enterprise clients signed in September
- Q4 pipeline looks strong

Translate Jargon into Plain English

When to use it: You have technical, legal, or industry-specific text that a general audience needs to understand.

Rewrite the following text in plain English for someone with no background in [FIELD/INDUSTRY].

Avoid jargon. When technical terms are unavoidable, explain them in parentheses. Keep the same meaning — just make it accessible.

Text:
[PASTE YOUR TEXT HERE]

!!! tip Works great for legal contracts, medical documents, financial reports, and any technical documentation you need to share with non-specialists.

Proofread and Suggest Improvements

When to use it: You want a second set of eyes on something before sending or publishing.

Proofread the following text and provide two things:

1. A corrected version with grammar, spelling, and punctuation fixes applied
2. A short list of suggestions for improving clarity, flow, or impact (not corrections — recommendations)

Text:
[PASTE YOUR TEXT HERE]

!!! tip Ask for suggestions as a separate list rather than mixed into the corrections — it makes them much easier to act on selectively.

Create an Executive Summary

When to use it: You need a short version of a longer document for a senior audience that won’t read the whole thing.

Write an executive summary of the following document.

Format:
- 1 sentence: what this document is about
- 3-5 bullets: the most important findings or decisions
- 1-2 sentences: recommended action or next step

Audience: [executive team / board / client / general leadership]

Document:
[PASTE DOCUMENT HERE]

!!! tip If you’re summarizing something you wrote yourself, you can describe it instead of pasting it: “I wrote a 10-page technical spec for a new API integration. Here are the key sections: [brief description].”