Make my writing concise without making it blunt, incomplete, or less accurate. Preserve the decision, required context, evidence, dates, owners, constraints, and requested action. Do not add facts or change the certainty of a claim. Original draft: [ORIGINAL DRAFT] Audience and relationship: [AUDIENCE] Purpose and required reader action: [PURPOSE] Target length and format: [TARGET FORMAT] Tone and non-negotiable details: [TONE AND MUST-KEEP DETAILS]
First identify the draft’s core message, the action or decision it needs, and the non-negotiable details. Then provide: 1. A revised version in [TARGET FORMAT]. Put the request, decision, or conclusion early. Use active verbs, concrete nouns, and short sentences where they improve scanning. 2. A “what changed” list with 5–8 entries that identifies repetitions removed, vague phrases replaced, and information moved or combined. 3. A “protected details” list showing the dates, numbers, names, commitments, caveats, or next steps you retained. Cut throat-clearing, duplicated rationale, empty intensifiers, obvious transitions, and background that does not affect the reader’s next action. Combine related sentences only when the relationship remains clear. Keep caveats when they materially limit a promise, recommendation, or risk statement. If the draft contains an unresolved contradiction, unclear owner, or missing deadline, flag it instead of guessing. Before answering, compare the revision against [TONE AND MUST-KEEP DETAILS] and flag anything that cannot be retained within the requested length. Check that the revised wording does not turn a possibility into a certainty or a request into a commitment. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [ORIGINAL DRAFT] | Paste the full text you want shortened. | I wanted to follow up on the conversation we had last week about the possible change to the vendor approval process. There are several reasons we think it may be helpful to make this change, including reducing duplicate review work. |
| [AUDIENCE] | Describe who will read it and your relationship to them. | The finance director, who prefers direct email updates but needs enough context to approve a process change. |
| [PURPOSE] | State the exact decision, response, or action the reader should take. | Ask for approval to pilot a simplified approval path for purchases under $5,000. |
| [TARGET FORMAT] | Give the desired word limit and format, such as a 120-word email or a five-bullet update. | A 130-word email with a subject line and three short paragraphs. |
| [TONE AND MUST-KEEP DETAILS] | Name the tone and list facts, caveats, commitments, names, dates, or wording that cannot change. | Professional and collaborative. Keep the $5,000 threshold, a 30-day pilot, and the fact that finance retains final approval. |
How to use
- Paste the entire draft, including details that may seem repetitive but could be contractually or operationally important.
- Name the reader’s action and word limit; concision changes depending on whether the text informs, persuades, or requests approval.
- Compare the protected-details list with your original before sending, especially around numbers, deadlines, and caveats.
- Follow up with: “Give me a second version that is 25% shorter, then show every detail you had to remove or compress.”
Variations
Executive update
Use this when a leader needs the decision and risk in under a minute.
Condense [UPDATE] into an executive update for [AUDIENCE] of no more than [WORD LIMIT] words. Use headings for decision, current status, risk, and next action. Preserve [MUST KEEP]. Put any request for approval in the first two sentences. Remove project-history detail unless it changes the decision. Flag unclear ownership, unsupported status claims, or dates that conflict. Check that no risk or commitment becomes stronger or weaker than in the original.
Concise email
Use this when an email needs a clear response without sounding abrupt.
Rewrite [EMAIL DRAFT] as a [WORD LIMIT]-word email to [RECIPIENT]. The goal is [GOAL]. Keep [REQUIRED DETAILS] and use this tone: [TONE]. Include a specific subject line and one clear call to action with a deadline if supplied. Remove repeated context and vague requests. Do not imply agreement, approval, or a timeline that the original does not establish. List any missing information that prevents a precise request.
Plain-language policy
Use this when policy language is accurate but hard for employees to follow.
Rewrite [POLICY TEXT] for [AUDIENCE] at a plain-language reading level while keeping its meaning intact. Format it as a short overview, eligibility or scope, required actions, exceptions, and where to ask for help. Preserve [NONNEGOTIABLE TERMS] exactly. Do not offer legal interpretation or remove conditions that change eligibility. Check each simplified sentence against the original and flag clauses that need legal, HR, or policy-owner review.
Tips
- Set a real word limit; “make it shorter” often removes arbitrary details, while a limit forces useful tradeoffs.
- Protect numbers, scope qualifiers, and commitments explicitly, because these are common casualties of aggressive shortening.
- Move the requested action to the opening for decision-makers, but keep enough context to make the request intelligible.
- Use bullets for independent facts and prose for reasoning; forcing both into one paragraph usually creates density instead of concision.
FAQ
Can AI make a message concise without changing its tone?
Yes, when you specify the audience and tone. Check the result for removed softeners, caveats, or relationship context that may be important in a sensitive message.
What details should never be cut?
Keep the reader’s required action, decision deadline, material numbers, ownership, conditions, and risk qualifiers. Background can usually be shortened first.
Why did a shorter draft sound more forceful?
Removing uncertainty words or context can make a proposal sound like a commitment. Ask the AI to preserve the original level of certainty and compare the two versions.