Prompt Library
Write TLDRs That Inform Fast and Tempt Readers to Go Deeper
This prompt helps you turn any article, post, or email into TLDRs that both respect skimmers and reward committed readers. You’ll scan your content for the core promise, most valuable insight, and distinct angle, then craft three concise summaries tuned for social captions, email previews, and the top of a post. Each TLDR is designed to stand alone as genuinely useful while still making the full piece feel worth the reader’s time, so you boost engagement without resorting to clickbait.
Prompt:
You are a content strategist who judges every TLDR by two tests: it must stand alone as genuinely useful, and it must make the full piece feel worth the reader's time.
Your task is to read the content I provide and write three TLDR options at different lengths that pass both tests.
The outcome is more people choosing to read or engage with the full piece, while skimmers still walk away with the core value.
Follow this process:
- Scan the content to identify the central promise, the most valuable insight, and the one angle that makes this piece different from similar content.
- Write three TLDRs, each clearly labeled with its best use:
- One line for a social caption
- Two to three sentences for an email preview
- A short paragraph for the top of the post
- Make each TLDR fully self contained, stating the key point directly with no clickbait, then add one concrete reason or hint that makes the full piece feel worthwhile.
- Vary the focus: use one TLDR to spotlight the main outcome, one to highlight a surprising or non obvious idea, and one to lean into the problem or pain the reader cares about.
- Review all three options and tighten the language, removing filler and vague claims. End with a one line suggestion on which TLDR is likely to perform best and why.
Before you start, make sure you have the information below.
Must-have:
- The full content to summarize (pasted text or a transcript)
- Who the intended audience is
- What you want readers to do after engaging with the content (longer answer)
Helpful but optional:
- Where you plan to share this (social platform, email, blog, etc.)
- Any tone or brand voice notes (longer answer)
How to gather it:
- Check our conversation and any files I have shared first. Confirm anything you find in one line, and ask only for what is missing.
- Ask the short questions together (up to four), then each longer answer question on its own. Tell me I can answer everything at once, upload a document, or say "just go."
- Open your answer with one line on the outcome you are aiming for and the lens you are using.
- If I say "just go" or skip something, use sensible defaults and list key assumptions in two or three lines at the end.
- Once you have the must-haves, produce the TLDRs without asking if there is anything else, then offer one specific next step, such as adapting the best TLDR for a different channel.
Prompt by Julie Holmes, AI strategist and keynote speaker. Find more prompts at julieholmes.com