Create a set of 10 copy-and-paste AI prompts for an author working on [PROJECT TYPE] in [GENRE OR SUBJECT]. My intended reader is [TARGET READER], the current stage is [MANUSCRIPT STAGE], and the project materials I can provide are [AVAILABLE MATERIALS]. My writing priorities and boundaries are [VOICE AND BOUNDARIES]. Include prompts for premise testing, scene or chapter planning, character or argument continuity, diagnosing a weak draft, line editing while preserving voice, identifying repeated language, research-question planning, fact-checking claims from sources I provide, synopsis writing, and preparing feedback questions for beta readers or an editor. For each prompt, provide: 1. A clear task title and the manuscript material to paste. 2. A ready-to-copy prompt with 2 to 5 square-bracket fields. 3. The exact output format, such as a beat table, issue list with page references, or three revision options. 4. One limitation or failure mode to watch for. Make the prompts useful to a working author, not a generic writing exercise. For fiction, require the AI to track point of view, scene chronology, character knowledge, motive, and cause-and-effect. For nonfiction, require it to distinguish sourced fact, interpretation, and unsupported assertion. Never ask it to imitate a living author’s style; use the characteristics in [VOICE AND BOUNDARIES] instead. Before answering, check that each prompt protects the author’s decision-making and tells the AI not to invent quotations, research, publication credits, legal advice, or manuscript details. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [PROJECT TYPE] | State the kind of project, such as a novel, memoir, business book, or essay collection. | a 90,000-word mystery novel |
| [GENRE OR SUBJECT] | Enter the genre or the subject and central topic of the work. | a coastal-town mystery centered on a volunteer firefighter investigating a suspicious marina fire |
| [TARGET READER] | Describe the intended reader and their likely expectations. | adult mystery readers who expect fair clues and a character-driven investigation |
| [MANUSCRIPT STAGE] | State whether you are outlining, drafting, revising, or preparing submission materials. | revising a complete second draft |
| [AVAILABLE MATERIALS] | List the material you can paste, such as a chapter, outline, research notes, or character sheet. | chapter excerpts, a scene list, a timeline, and character notes |
| [VOICE AND BOUNDARIES] | Describe the voice, content boundaries, and elements you want to retain or avoid. | Close third person, restrained prose, dry humor, no graphic violence, and no imitation of named authors. |
How to use
- Choose prompts based on the manuscript stage; an outline diagnosis needs different material than a line edit.
- Paste the relevant excerpt plus its position in the manuscript, point of view, and what must remain unchanged.
- Ask the AI to point to exact passages or scene numbers when it identifies a problem.
- Send this follow-up after an edit: “For issues 1 through 3, give two revision paths each. Preserve [NON-NEGOTIABLE ELEMENT] and do not write replacement prose yet.”
Variations
Scene diagnosis
Use this when a draft scene feels flat or unclear.
Diagnose this [SCENE TYPE] scene from my [GENRE] manuscript: [SCENE TEXT]. The scene must advance [SCENE PURPOSE], and these are the character’s current knowledge and stakes: [CONTEXT]. Return a table covering goal, conflict, turn, consequence, point-of-view consistency, chronology, and any information the reader receives too early or too late. Quote only short phrases from my text. Give three revision priorities, not a rewrite. Do not invent later plot events. Ask up to 3 questions only if required context is missing.
Nonfiction fact pass
Use this before relying on a nonfiction draft’s claims.
Audit the factual claims in this nonfiction passage: [PASSAGE]. My sources and notes are [SOURCES]. Return a claim-by-claim table with the claim, its support in my sources, its type (fact, interpretation, or recommendation), and a revision note where support is incomplete. Preserve uncertainty rather than filling gaps with outside knowledge. Flag legal, medical, or financial claims that need qualified review. Do not create citations, quotations, or statistics. Ask up to 3 questions only if essential source details are missing.
Query package
Use this when preparing agent-query materials.
Help me prepare a query package for [PROJECT TITLE], a [WORD COUNT]-word [GENRE] manuscript. Here are the premise, protagonist, stakes, and ending information an agent may need: [PROJECT NOTES]. Write a 250 to 350 word query letter, a 25-word logline, and a 150-word synopsis. Use a professional, direct voice and reveal the ending only in the synopsis. Do not invent comparisons, credentials, market trends, or agent personalization. Flag any required information I have not supplied before drafting.
Tips
- Use AI most effectively as a diagnostic reader: ask it to identify evidence in the text before asking for a solution.
- For continuity work, provide a timeline or scene list; otherwise an AI can confidently confuse the order of events and character knowledge.
- Keep a separate source list for nonfiction and require claim-level support, not a general request to “fact-check.”
- Protect your voice by asking for annotated options or issue lists before accepting replacement prose.
FAQ
Can AI help revise a manuscript without flattening my voice?
Yes, when you provide a voice brief and request diagnosis first. Keep final wording decisions with the author, especially on rhythm, point of view, and characterization.
Can I ask AI to research my book?
Use it to make a research plan and organize sources you provide. Verify any factual information in reliable primary or expert sources before putting it in a manuscript.
Should I use AI to write a query letter?
It can help structure and tighten a query, but the premise, stakes, comparisons, and credentials must remain accurate and yours.