Think of ChatGPT/Gemini/Claude (choose your favorite AI chatbot) as a practice partner.
Just like you wouldn’t expect a basketball teammate to score every point, you shouldn’t expect AI to hand you flawless drafts.
You’ll get the most value from these tools with a bit of back-and-forth → part of what is known as the 10-80-10 rule.
Try this sequence when you’re stuck:
- “I need an opening paragraph for an email to [specific person] about [specific problem]. They care about [what they actually care about], not [what you think they should care about].”
- “Take version 2 and make it less formal. I sound like a robot right now. You can use my style guide as reference.” [attach style guide]
- “Trim this to just two sentences. Keep the part about [the thing that matters]. Cut everything else.”
By stacking continuation prompts (see AI Quick Tips #27), you refine your draft the way a coach refines a play: step by step, until it works.
We Cover The 10-80-10 Rule In This Video: