Write the prompt once. Leave room for the details.
Turn a repeated request into a small template you can reuse.
Repetition is a clue.
If you keep asking an assistant to turn rough notes into a short announcement, the useful instructions probably stay similar. The event name, audience, and notes change. A template separates those changing details from the instructions you want to keep.
The example uses square-bracket placeholders as reminders for you. They are not special programming syntax. Replace them before sending the prompt, and include the actual facts the assistant should use.
A reusable brief
Friendly · under 60 words · supplied facts only
Audience · event · notes
Test the template with two different inputs.
A template that works for one event may rely on an assumption you did not notice. Try a fictional book swap, then a fictional walking group. Check whether the output stays within the requested facts and length for both.
Store the template somewhere you can edit it. If you keep correcting the same problem, improve the instruction rather than fixing every answer afterward. For example, “do not add missing dates or locations” can make an important boundary explicit, although you still need to check the result.
Write a friendly announcement of at most 60 words. Use only the facts supplied; do not add missing dates or locations. Audience: [who will read it] Event: [event name] Facts: [your notes]
Make it yours.
- Replace the placeholders with fictional book-swap details.
- Run the prompt and check the facts.
- Reuse the template for a walking group, changing only the supplied details.
What changed when you tried it?
A little nudge
Replace every placeholder before submitting the prompt.
What to look for
You get two different announcements from the same instructions, with each tied to its own supplied facts.
Take it one small step further
Save a note about one instruction you would improve after comparing the outputs.
Reuse the instructions; refresh the facts.
Read more: OpenAI · Prompt engineering ↗
No submission needed. This one is just for you.