Prompt Templates: Write Once, Use Forever

A prompt is a one-off message. A template is a reusable prompt with placeholders you fill in each time. If you're doing the same task more than twice — summarizing articles, translating messages, rewriting emails — make a template.

Your first template

You are a concise news editor.

Summarize the following article for a reader with 2 minutes to spare.

Requirements:
- 3 bullet points.
- Include the main claim, the key evidence, and the biggest caveat.
- Neutral tone, no opinion.

Article:
"""
{{ARTICLE_TEXT}}
"""

Each time you need a summary, you paste a new article into the placeholder. Same structure, same quality bar, different input. Your output stays consistent across hundreds of summaries.

A more advanced template

ROLE: You are a {{TONE}} writing coach for {{AUDIENCE}}.

TASK: Rewrite the user's draft to be {{GOAL}}.

RULES:
- Preserve the original meaning.
- Do not invent new facts.
- Keep the rewrite within {{WORD_COUNT}} words.
- Flag any unclear passages with [UNCLEAR: ...].

DRAFT:
"""
{{DRAFT_TEXT}}
"""

OUTPUT:
1. The rewritten version.
2. Three specific notes on what you changed and why.

• {{TONE}} = 'supportive' or 'tough-love'
• {{AUDIENCE}} = 'high school seniors' or 'startup founders'
• {{GOAL}} = 'more concise' or 'more persuasive'
• {{WORD_COUNT}} = 150 or 500

Template hygiene

1. 1Use a clear placeholder style ({{CAPS}} is common).
2. 2Document what each variable expects.
3. 3Keep an example filled-in version next to the template.
4. 4Version your templates. v1, v2, v3 — with notes on what changed.
5. 5Test with weird inputs (empty, very long, wrong format).