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The reusable template principle.

If you have used Claude to do the same type of task more than three times, you should have a template for it. A template is a saved prompt with variable placeholders – the parts that change each time you use it – clearly marked. You fill in the variables and submit.

Templates save the effort of re-crafting instructions every time. They also encode best practices – once you find a prompt structure that produces great output, you capture it so you get great output every time, not just when you remember to include all the right components.

Anatomy of a prompt template.

A well-built template has three parts:

1. Fixed instructions – the task, role, constraints, and format that stay the same every time
2. Variable placeholders – the parts that change: the content, the audience, the topic, the data
3. Usage notes – optional reminders about what to fill in and what to watch out for

Variable placeholders should be visually distinct. Common conventions: [BRACKETS], {CURLY BRACES}, <<ANGLE BRACKETS>>, or ALL_CAPS labels.

Example template:

ROLE: You are a direct, professional business writer.

TASK: Write a weekly project status update email.

CONTENT TO INCLUDE:
– Project name: [PROJECT_NAME]
– This week's progress: [PROGRESS_THIS_WEEK]
– Planned next week: [PLANNED_NEXT_WEEK]
– Risks or blockers: [RISKS_OR_BLOCKERS – if none, write "None at this time"]
– Action needed from recipient: [ACTION_NEEDED – if none, write "No action required"]

AUDIENCE: [AUDIENCE – e.g., "non-technical executive sponsor"]

CONSTRAINTS: Under 200 words. No jargon. Lead with the most important status, not background. Do not include generic filler sentences.

FORMAT: Subject line, three short paragraphs. No bullet points in the final email.

Good candidates for templates.

Templates are most valuable for:

• Weekly status updates or standups
• Client-facing meeting recaps
• Job application cover letters (with variable sections for company and role)
• Performance review drafts
• Vendor follow-up emails
• Research synthesis requests (paste sources, get structured output)
• Interview question generation for a specific role type
• Social media posts for a specific channel and audience
• Product descriptions with consistent structure

Where to store templates.

Store your templates wherever you can access them quickly when you need them: a notes app, a text file, a document, a dedicated prompt library tool. The format does not matter – what matters is that you actually use them rather than recreating the wheel each time.

Evolving your templates.

Treat templates as living documents. When a template produces a particularly good output, note what made it work. When it produces a weak output, identify which variable or instruction caused the problem and revise the template. Your templates should improve over time – they are a compounding asset.