Write an email using the details below. RECIPIENT AND RELATIONSHIP: [RECIPIENT AND RELATIONSHIP] PURPOSE AND REQUEST: [PURPOSE AND CLEAR ASK] FACTS TO INCLUDE: [FACTS AND CONTEXT] TONE: [TONE]
DRAFT OR THREAD CONTEXT: [DRAFT OR THREAD CONTEXT]
First determine the practical point of the email: what the recipient needs to know, why it matters now, and the single action or decision requested. Then write a subject line and one finished email in 120 to 220 words unless my context calls for a shorter reply.
Use this structure when appropriate: a specific subject line; a greeting suited to the relationship; the main point in the first two sentences; only the background needed to understand the request; one concrete call to action with a date, choice, or next step; and a sign-off. If I am requesting something, make it easy to answer by proposing a response deadline or two workable options when the facts support them. If I am declining, apologizing, or delivering bad news, state the decision plainly before explaining it.
Do not repeat my entire draft, pad the email with pleasantries, use vague phrases such as “circling back,” or imply commitments, pricing, approval, legal terms, or deadlines I did not provide. Do not invent names, attachments, meetings, shared history, or outcomes. Preserve any sensitive detail only if it is necessary for the recipient.
Before answering, check that the requested action is unmistakable and that every factual claim, date, and promise is supported by my inputs. If a required detail is missing, ask up to three targeted questions; otherwise provide the email only.Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [RECIPIENT AND RELATIONSHIP] | Name the recipient and explain your working relationship. | Priya Shah, a client-side marketing manager; we have worked together for six months. |
| [PURPOSE AND CLEAR ASK] | State why you are writing and the response or action you need. | Ask Priya to approve the revised webinar landing-page copy by Thursday so design can begin Friday. |
| [FACTS AND CONTEXT] | Provide the accurate dates, decisions, background, and details the email needs. | Her team requested a shorter headline and removed the customer logo strip; the revised copy is in the shared document. |
| [TONE] | Describe the appropriate tone, such as warm and direct or formal and firm. | Professional, collaborative, and concise. |
| [DRAFT OR THREAD CONTEXT] | Paste a rough draft or summarize the relevant prior exchange. | Priya said Tuesday that legal was reviewing the testimonial language and she would send edits this week. |
How to use
- Fill in the recipient, purpose, facts, tone, and any thread context.
- Paste the prompt into the AI and keep the resulting email as a draft until you verify dates and commitments.
- Check the first two sentences and the call to action; each should be understandable without rereading the thread.
- Follow up with: “Make this 90 words, retain the Thursday approval request, and give Priya two response options.”
Variations
Polish rough draft
Use when you have written the email but its tone or structure is off.
Rewrite this email for [RECIPIENT AND RELATIONSHIP]: [ROUGH DRAFT]. My intended outcome is [OUTCOME], and the tone should be [TONE]. Keep every factual claim that is supported, remove repetition and unsupported assumptions, and make the requested action explicit. Return a subject line and a finished email of no more than [WORD LIMIT] words. Before answering, flag any ambiguous date, promise, or fact that needs my confirmation.
Difficult message
Use when you need to decline, correct, or raise a problem without obscuring the decision.
Draft an email to [RECIPIENT] communicating [DECISION OR PROBLEM]. The relevant facts are [FACTS]. I need them to [NEXT STEP], by [DATE IF KNOWN]. Start with the decision or issue, explain only the necessary basis, acknowledge the impact without over-apologizing, and offer only remedies I have authorized: [AUTHORIZED OPTIONS]. Do not assign blame or invent policy. Return a subject line and 120-180 word email; check that no commitment exceeds my inputs.
Executive update
Use when a senior leader needs a short, decision-ready status email.
Write a concise executive update to [LEADER] about [PROJECT OR ISSUE]. Use these facts: [STATUS FACTS]. State the current status, the one or two material risks or decisions, the recommendation, and the exact approval or input needed. Keep it under [WORD LIMIT] words and use short bullets only if they improve scanning. Do not bury a decision request in background or invent confidence levels. Verify that dates, owners, and reported results are supported.
Tips
- Put the requested action and the response deadline in the same sentence when you need a decision.
- For a reply, include the prior thread only when it changes what you can accurately say; otherwise summarize the one relevant point.
- Avoid “just checking in” when the real ask is approval, a decision, or missing information.
- Have the AI produce a shorter alternative when the recipient is senior or the message is likely read on mobile.
FAQ
Can AI write an email from a few bullet points?
Yes, if you supply the recipient, the outcome, and the accurate facts. Check any date, commitment, and claim before sending.
How do I make an AI email sound less generic?
Give the real relationship and the practical reason for writing, then require a concrete action rather than a vague closing.
Should I paste an entire email thread?
Paste the relevant messages or summarize them. Remove private details that do not affect the reply.