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You start with a solid idea… and end up with a 700-word ramble that somehow quotes Nietzsche.

That’s where AI comes in. Not to write for you, but to help you say what you mean, only better.

I’m all about conciseness, so editing this newsletter used to take me 5–6 hours (sometimes 8). With writing, imagery, formatting, and testing, it started to feel like a full-time job.

Eventually, I had to pause it. It was eating into family time and client work, and the stress was too much.

Now editing takes just 1–2 hours!

AI has been a lifesaver. I use it for everything: research, strategy, planning, and ideation. 

ChatGPT is my go-to, but most tools work if you know what to ask.

Here are some of the exact prompts I use to edit my writing…

Prompts That Save Me Hours Every Week

Use these to edit sections or review full drafts. Just paste your text after the prompt.

Cut the fluff

→ Make this 10-20% more concise without changing my meaning.

→ How could I make this more concise while keeping my voice and meaning? Are there any parts that could be cut or combined? Don’t rewrite the text, just give bullet point suggestions.

Boost impact

→ Make this paragraph hit harder. I want people to feel like I’m speaking directly to them.

→ Push this idea further. What would a bolder version sound like?

Tweak the Tone

→ Rewrite this paragraph in a more approachable tone.

→ How can I make this part sound more confident?

→ Give me 3 versions of the intro: one blunt, one playful, and one weird but intriguing.

→ Of these 3, which intro is best for my brand voice and for catching the reader’s attention?

Find Clarity and Flow

→ What parts of this feel unclear, awkward, or unnatural?

→ Does this flow logically and smoothly from one point to the next?

Brainstorm Headlines and CTAs

→ Give me 5 softer CTA options.

Feel free to use a different adjective here. AI CTAs tend to be pretty salesy and don’t sound like me.

→ Give me 10 title ideas from different angles: emotional, curious, boldness, benefit-driven. 

When brainstorming headlines, I’ll pick a few that I like (or write some of my own), paste them back in, and ask for more similar to those.

→ Rate these headlines based on virality and relevance using real data and reputable marketing sources. Which ones are most likely to get more clicks? Give a concise rationale for each.

I use Deepsearch for this part, to get lots of perspectives from real data. I also ask it to give rationales so I can also get better at writing headlines. (We can’t always rely on AI, can we?)

Critique the Draft

→ Critique this post like a human editor. What feels fake, forced, or like something a smart reader would roll their eyes at? Don’t rewrite the text, just give bullet point suggestions.

I usually do this a few times to make sure I get what I need.

I don’t blindly take every suggestion, but go through them one by one. 

And even after all that, I still make a final pass to tweak the tone, phrasing, and word choice… just enough to make sure it is written in my voice.

Because if it doesn’t sound like me, it doesn’t work for me.

How are you using AI in your writing process?

🟠 Robert

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