Give the AI four things
A vague request gets a vague email. Before you ask, have these four things ready. Rough notes are fine. The AI's job is to make them clear.
- Who it is for. Your boss, a customer, a teacher, a landlord. Say how well you know them, since that changes the tone.
- What you want to happen. A yes, a refund, a meeting, a reply by Friday. Say it plainly, even if the email should say it gently.
- The facts. Names, dates, amounts and what already happened. Paste your notes just as they are.
- The tone and length. "Friendly and under 120 words" works better than "professional".
Before
write an email to my landlord about the sink
After
Write a short email to my landlord, Dana. The kitchen sink has leaked under the cabinet since Monday, and I put a bucket under it. I want someone to fix it this week. I'm home after 4 pm on weekdays. Keep it polite and firm, under 100 words, and give me a subject line.
The second prompt names the person, the problem, the goal and the length. The AI has almost nothing left to guess.
Reply to an email or a long thread
To answer an email, paste it in and say what you want to say back in a few rough words, like "yes to Tuesday, no to the rush fee, ask for the file." The AI turns that into a full reply that answers every question.
You are a clear, friendly writer who helps busy people answer email. Here is the email I got: [paste the email] What I want to say back: [your answer in a few rough words] Rules: - Answer every question they asked, in the same order they asked it. - Keep it under 120 words, with short paragraphs. - Use only the facts I gave. Do not promise anything I did not say. - Sound warm and direct. No stiff lines like "I hope this finds you well." Give me the reply, then a shorter version I could send from my phone.
For a long thread, ask for a quick sort first: "Sum up this thread in 3 bullets: what was decided, what is still open, and what they need from me." Then ask for the reply in the same chat. Before you paste, take out anything private the AI does not need, like phone numbers or account details. Here is how to do that.
Make hard emails calm
Saying no, asking to be paid or answering an angry message are the emails people put off. AI helps a lot here, because it does not feel the sting. Write your honest, messy version first. Then ask the AI to keep your point and lose the heat. Add one line to your prompt for the kind of email it is.
| Kind of email | Add this to your prompt |
|---|---|
| Saying no | Say no clearly, offer one smaller thing I can do instead, and say sorry once at most. |
| A complaint | Say what went wrong, what I want them to do, and by when. Stay polite and firm. |
| Asking to be paid | Name the invoice, the amount and the due date, and give an easy way to pay. |
| An apology | Own what I did in one sentence. No excuses. Say what I will do next. |
| A nudge after no reply | Restate what I need in one line, so they do not have to find my first email. |
The prompt library has full prompts for saying no, calm replies to angry emails and polite nudges.
Keep it sounding like you
AI emails can all sound the same: too polite, too long and full of phrases nobody says out loud. Two small fixes help a lot.
- Show it your style. Paste two or three emails you wrote and say "Match how I write: my length, my greetings and my sign-off."
- Ban the stiff stuff. Add a line like "Do not use: I hope this finds you well, please do not hesitate, just circling back."
There is more on this in make AI write like you.
Check it before you send
- Check every name, date and amount against your notes. AI can mix them up.
- Make sure it did not add a promise, a deadline or a discount you never offered.
- Read the first two sentences. They should say what you want.
- Read it out loud. Cut any line you would never say to this person's face.
- Take out anything you would not want forwarded to someone else.
For emails that really matter, like a job offer or a contract question, use the steps in how to check AI answers for mistakes.
Ask for a subject line every time. "Sink leak: can someone come this week?" tells the reader what you need before they even open it.