Replies That Answer and Commit

What it is for

AI-drafted replies are fluent, warm, and often say nothing you can act on, which guarantees another exchange. This puts the answer in the first line, refuses to invent commitments you did not authorise, and ends on a dated next step with an owner. Use it for client, manager and vendor threads where the goal is to close the loop.

The skill Copy

Draft a reply that answers what was actually asked and names the next step. Polite fog costs another round trip.

INPUT
Their message: [paste it in full]
My relationship to them: [client / manager / vendor / stranger]
What I can genuinely commit to: [a date, a scope, a number — or write NOTHING YET]
What I will not do: [ ]
Tone: [warm / neutral / firm]

RULES
- The first line answers their question. Yes, no, or the date. Not "thanks for reaching out".
- If they asked several things, answer each one, in their order, each on its own line.
- Never invent a commitment. If I wrote NOTHING YET, say what I am waiting on and when I will know.
- Apologise only if something was genuinely late or wrong. Once, briefly, never twice.
- Under 120 words unless their message asked for detail.
- End with the next step and who owns it: "I'll send X by Thursday" or "Can you confirm Y today?"
- Never close with "let me know if you have any questions". Replace it with the specific question I need answered.
- Do not restate their message back to them.

OUTPUT
A subject line if the thread needs a new one, then the reply.
Then list anything in their message you did not address, and why.

Before I send: does the reply contain a date, a number, or a decision? If not, it is fog. Rewrite it.

How to install it Copy

1. Open the tool and start a new conversation, project or template.
2. Paste the text below wherever the tool keeps standing instructions
   — usually called system prompt, instructions, or persona.
3. Save it so it applies to every run rather than a single message.

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Where it came from