Draft a difficult message (say no, push back, deliver bad news)

Prompt of the DayDraft a difficult message (say no, push back, deliver bad news)

You need to send something awkward and want it firm but not damaging.

Help me write a message that is honest and firm but preserves the relationship. Context: [situation]. What I need to convey: [the hard part]. Make it respectful, take responsibility where fair, avoid over-apologizing, and end constructively. Give me a shorter version and a slightly softer version.

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Word of the DaySystem Prompt

A system prompt is a persistent instruction that sets the model's role, rules, and behavior for the whole conversation.

Every Word of the Day becomes a permanent page. Full definition →

Try ThisTry This

Show, don't just tell. Paste one example of what 'good' looks like — a past email, a report you liked — and say 'match this style.' One example beats a paragraph of instructions.

Don't Do ThisDon't ship the first draft

The first output is the model's average answer, not its best one. Shipping it is why AI writing is recognisable — it reads like the midpoint of everything ever written on the topic.

Instead: Say: "Rate this draft out of 10 against the brief, name the three weakest lines, then rewrite it." The second pass is usually the one worth sending.