Write a Brief a Writer Can Start From
Added 2026-11-01
Goal, reader, boundaries and a sample — the four things that stop rework.
I am handing an article to a writer (details below). Write a brief: 1) the one goal this piece serves, in one sentence; 2) who the reader is and what they are thinking before reading; 3) three things it must include and three it must avoid; 4) a short sample showing the tone and density expected; 5) three checkable acceptance criteria; 6) the deadline and what material I will supply. Do not write unverifiable requests like "make it engaging".
Site original
Chinese original
How to use
brief 的价值在「验收标准」，不在形容词。
Try tweaking it
- Ask for three openings in different tones, then pick one.
- Replace "make it better" with concrete limits: length, reader, facts to keep.
What you should get
- A publishable draft, not an outline
- A short changelog: what changed and why
Common mistakes
- Letting it guess the facts, so plausible-looking sources get invented.
- Dumping the whole text with just "polish it" — the result still has no point.
How to check the output
- The conclusion comes first; deleting the opening paragraph does not break it.
- Every fact, number and quote traces back to the source text.
Where it works
- Good for: turning a rambling draft into a conclusion-first, shorter version.
- Watch out: keep sources and figures verbatim — do not let it invent citations.