Why templates > magic prompts
The problem: People chase the "perfect prompt" like it's a spell. It's not.
Bad assumption: "There's one magic prompt that works for everything."
Reality: Good prompts follow patterns. Once you know the pattern, you adapt it for your need.
Why this matters:
You can't memorize 100 prompts.
You can learn 5 patterns and generate infinite variations.
A template is 10x more useful than a one-off prompt because you own the logic, not just the words.
What this post does: Teach you the 5 patterns I use 80% of the time, with real examples so you see how to adapt them immediately.
The 5 meta-prompts (with real examples)
Template 1: "Summarize in [style] for [audience]"
When to use: Research → Blog outline, Long article → Tweet thread, Meeting notes → Exec summary, Code → Documentation.
The structure:
Summarize [content] in [style] for [audience].
Keep it [tone]. Focus on [what matters to them].
Format as [output format].Summarize [content] in [style] for [audience]. Keep it [tone]. Focus on [what matters to them]. Format as [output format]. Real example 1: Research → Blog outline
Summarize this 5000-word article on RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) in bullet-point style for busy developers. Keep it technical but skip the math. Focus on: what it is, why it matters, when to use it. Format as a 3-section outline with subpoints. Real example 2: Meeting notes → Exec summary
Summarize our product roadmap meeting notes in executive style for non-technical stakeholders. Keep it concise. Focus on: timeline, risks, budget impact. Format as a 1-page summary with bold key decisions. Real example 3: Long article → Tweet thread
Summarize this 2000-word article on AI model safety in conversational style for X/Twitter. Keep it punchy and link-friendly. Focus on: the problem, why you should care, what's next. Format as 8 connected tweets with a hook and CTA. Template to copy:
Summarize [CONTENT/LINK] in [STYLE: bullet-points/prose/tweets/slides] for [AUDIENCE: developers/executives/students/creators]. Keep it [TONE]. Focus on [TOP 3 THINGS]. Format as [OUTPUT FORMAT]. Template 2: "Critique this like a [role]"
When to use: Product copy → Marketing lens, Code → Senior engineer lens, Article → Editor lens, Idea → Investor lens.
The structure:
Critique [content] like you're a [specific role with context]. Look for [specific problems]. Don't hold back. Give 3 actionable fixes. Real example 1: Product copy → Marketing lens
Critique this landing page copy like you're a growth marketer for a B2B SaaS company. Look for: missing emotional hook, weak CTA, unclear value prop. Don't hold back. Give 3 concrete rewrites that would improve conversion. Real example 2: Code → Senior engineer lens
Critique this Python function like you're a senior engineer doing code review. Look for: performance issues, edge cases, readability, security holes. Flag each issue. Suggest fixes for the top 3 problems. Real example 3: Article → Editor lens
Critique this blog post like you're a harsh tech editor at a top publication. Look for: weak headline, vague examples, bad pacing, missing nuance. Give 3 rewrites that would get this past editorial review. Real example 4: Idea → Investor lens
Critique this startup idea like you're a VC who sees 100 pitches a week. Look for: unclear market, weak moat, unproven founder, questionable unit economics. Be brutally honest. What would you ask in follow-up questions? Template to copy:
Critique [CONTENT] like you're a [SPECIFIC ROLE/CONTEXT]. Look for [SPECIFIC PROBLEMS]. Don't hold back. Give [NUMBER] actionable [rewrites/fixes/improvements]. Template 3: "Explain this to someone with [knowledge level]"
When to use: Concept → Beginner, Technical topic → Non-technical, Code → Junior dev, Research → General audience.
The structure:
Explain [concept] to someone with [knowledge level]. Use [metaphors/examples] from [relevant context]. Avoid [jargon]. End with a real-world application. Real example 1: LLM concept → Beginner
Explain how LLMs (Large Language Models) work to someone with zero AI background. Use everyday metaphors. Compare it to how you'd guess the next word in a sentence. Avoid technical jargon like "transformer" or "tokenization." End with: "Why this matters for you in 2026." Real example 2: API → Non-technical founder
Explain how APIs work to a non-technical startup founder. Use a restaurant metaphor or real business analogy. Avoid: endpoints, REST, HTTP status codes. End with a concrete example of how your app would use an API. Real example 3: Database query → Junior dev
Explain SQL JOINs to a junior developer who knows SELECT basics. Use a real example from a blog/user/posts database. Avoid: set theory, relational algebra. End with: "When to use INNER vs LEFT JOIN in your next project." Template to copy:
Explain [CONCEPT] to someone with [KNOWLEDGE LEVEL]. Use [METAPHORS/EXAMPLES] from [RELEVANT CONTEXT]. Avoid [JARGON/CONCEPTS]. End with [REAL-WORLD APPLICATION]. Template 4: "Turn this into [format]"
When to use: Article → Email sequence, Blog post → Social clips, Transcript → Outline, Notes → Presentation slides.
The structure:
Turn [source content] into [target format]. Tone: [style]. Length: [size]. Focus on [key message]. Include [elements]. Real example 1: Blog post → Email sequence
Turn this 2000-word blog post on AI productivity into a 5-email sequence. Tone: conversational, helpful. Length: 150-200 words per email. Focus on: practical workflows readers can use today. Include: one actionable takeaway and a link back to the full post in each email. Real example 2: YouTube transcript → Blog post
Turn this 15-minute YouTube video transcript into a 1200-word blog post. Tone: clear and scannable. Length: 1200 words. Focus on the 3 main ideas. Include: headers, bullet points, a summary box. Add 2-3 relevant outbound links and a CTA to watch the full video. Real example 3: Meeting notes → Presentation slides
Turn these meeting notes into 10 presentation slides. Tone: professional but not stuffy. Focus on: decisions made, next steps, who owns what. Include: 1 key stat per slide, clear headers, speaker notes. Real example 4: Long thread → Short thread
Turn this 12-tweet thread into a 4-tweet thread that keeps the core insight. Tone: punchy. Keep the hook and CTA. Focus on the single biggest idea. Make each tweet share-worthy on its own. Template to copy:
Turn [SOURCE] into [TARGET FORMAT]. Tone: [STYLE]. Length: [SIZE]. Focus on [KEY MESSAGE]. Include [ELEMENTS]. [Optional: Add/Remove/Emphasize SPECIFIC THINGS]. Template 5: "Find the 3 biggest gaps in this [thing]"
When to use: Article → Missing angles, Product → Missing features, Strategy → Missing risks, Code → Missing tests.
The structure:
Find the 3 biggest gaps in [content/thing]. Context: [what this is meant to do]. Be specific: [examples of what's missing]. For each gap, suggest [what should be there instead]. Real example 1: Article → Missing angles
Find the 3 biggest gaps in this article about AI for SEO. Context: It's meant to be a practical guide for content teams. Be specific: List what's mentioned vs. what's missing (no tools, no ROI metrics, no implementation timeline). For each gap, suggest: concrete additions that would make this complete. Real example 2: Product → Missing features
Find the 3 biggest gaps in our product roadmap for Q1 2026. Context: We're trying to compete with [competitor name]. Be specific: What can they do that we can't? For each gap, suggest: the simplest feature or change that closes it. Real example 3: Strategy → Missing risks
Find the 3 biggest gaps in our content strategy for 2026. Context: We're trying to hit 100K newsletter subscribers. Be specific: What could fail? What are we not thinking about? For each risk, suggest: a backup plan or mitigation. Real example 4: Code → Missing tests
Find the 3 biggest gaps in test coverage for this authentication module. Context: This powers login and signup for all users. Be specific: What happens if [edge case], [edge case], [edge case]? For each gap, suggest: the test case that should exist. Template to copy:
Find the 3 biggest gaps in [THING]. Context: [WHAT IT'S MEANT TO DO]. Be specific: [EXAMPLES OF WHAT'S MISSING]. For each gap, suggest: [WHAT SHOULD BE THERE INSTEAD]. Section 3: How to build your own library
Don't just copy these—remix them.
Step 1: Identify your repeating problems
What do you do over and over?
Turning raw ideas into outlines?
Rewriting for different audiences?
Finding gaps in your own work?
Evaluating tools/ideas/content?
Step 2: Extract the pattern
Look at what worked last time you solved it. What was the structure underneath?
Example: You rewrote a blog post for email 3 times last month.
Pattern: "Turn [long form] into [short form] for [new medium]."
Your template: "Turn [blog post] into [email] for [your subscriber type]."
Step 3: Build your template
[Verb] [content type] [way] for [person/context]. Keep it [tone]. Focus on [priorities]. Format as [output]. Include [elements]. Step 4: Test it twice, add to your library
Save it somewhere you'll actually use it:
Google Doc (searchable, shareable).
Notion database (tag by category, searchable).
Plain text file + Raycast/Alfred (fastest to access).
Notes app with folders.
Section 4: The template library (copy-paste ready)
Here are all 5 templates + 3 bonus ones I use constantly. Save this section, copy what you need.
Core 5 (from above)
1. SUMMARIZE Summarize [CONTENT/LINK] in [STYLE] for [AUDIENCE]. Keep it [TONE]. Focus on [TOP 3 THINGS]. Format as [OUTPUT FORMAT].
2. CRITIQUE Critique [CONTENT] like you're a [SPECIFIC ROLE/CONTEXT]. Look for [SPECIFIC PROBLEMS]. Don't hold back. Give [NUMBER] actionable [rewrites/fixes/improvements].
3. EXPLAIN Explain [CONCEPT] to someone with [KNOWLEDGE LEVEL]. Use [METAPHORS/EXAMPLES] from [RELEVANT CONTEXT]. Avoid [JARGON/CONCEPTS]. End with [REAL-WORLD APPLICATION].
4. TRANSFORM Turn [SOURCE] into [TARGET FORMAT]. Tone: [STYLE]. Length: [SIZE]. Focus on [KEY MESSAGE]. Include [ELEMENTS]. [Optional: Add/Remove/Emphasize SPECIFIC THINGS].
5. FIND GAPS Find the 3 biggest gaps in [THING]. Context: [WHAT IT'S MEANT TO DO]. Be specific: [EXAMPLES OF WHAT'S MISSING]. For each gap, suggest: [WHAT SHOULD BE THERE INSTEAD]. Bonus 3 (you'll use these constantly)
6. COMPARE Compare [THING A] and [THING B] for [AUDIENCE]. Show: pros/cons of each, when to use which, cost/effort/outcome. Format as a simple table. Be honest about trade-offs.
7. SIMPLIFY Simplify this [complex thing] for [audience]. Remove [jargon/unnecessary details]. Keep only [essential info]. Use [metaphor/analogy] to explain. Write in [tone]. Max [length].
8. IDEATE Generate [NUMBER] [TYPE OF IDEAS] for [GOAL/PROBLEM]. Constraints: [budget/time/audience/format]. Each idea should [one key requirement]. Format as [list/descriptions/titles]. Section 5: How to use these (the workflows)
Workflow A: Writing daily
Raw idea
→ Summarize (clarify your thinking)
→ Transform into outline
→ Write draft
→ Critique (like an editor)
→ Transform into social clips Workflow B: Content repurposing
Blog post
→ Transform into email
→ Transform into tweets
→ Transform into LinkedIn post
→ (Same content, 3 audiences, 10 min work) Workflow C: Improving anything
Your draft
→ Critique (like your target audience)
→ Find gaps
→ Explain (to someone new)
→ Iterate Workflow D: Learning quickly
New topic
→ Summarize articles
→ Explain to beginner
→ Find gaps in your understanding
→ Critique common takes on it Section 6: Why this matters (the close)
Most people treat prompts like magic spells—hunt for the perfect one, hope it works.
Better approach: Learn the patterns. The prompt isn't the magic. The structure is.
Once you know these 5 templates, you stop copy-pasting random prompts. You build them. You own them. You adapt them for your specific problem because you understand the why underneath.
In 2 weeks of using these, you'll:
✅ Get better outputs (because your inputs are clearer).
✅ Save time (no more "let me try 5 variations" chaos).
✅ Feel confident with any AI tool (the structure works everywhere).
✅ Build your own templates (and share them—they'll be 10x better than generic ones).
The smallest edge: Most people wait for someone else's perfect prompt. You'll be the person who writes better prompts because you understand the pattern.
CTA + Sign-off
"Save this post. Pick one template. Use it tomorrow. Then remix it for your next problem. After a week, you won't think about prompts the same way. You'll just think: structure."
What template are you going to steal first? Hit reply - I read every one.