| name | drafting-with-copilot |
| category | waza |
| description | Drive Copilot through a structured draft section-by-section after CLARIFY, PLAN, and CONTEXT are done. Use when producing any multi-section deliverable — memo, brief, deck, status, recap. Triggers: "draft section", "fill in the section", section-by-section authoring. |
Drafting With Copilot
The draft is cheap. Treat it as a starting block, not a finish line.
Quick Reference
| Step | Prompt shape |
|---|
| Section 1 | "Draft . Source: . Length: . Include: . Exclude: ." |
| Read | Read the section before requesting the next |
| Section 2 | Same shape; reference earlier section if it constrains this one |
| Stitch | After all sections drafted, ask for transitions only |
| Don't | Don't ask for "the whole thing" up front |
When to Use
- Any deliverable longer than 2 paragraphs.
- After plan-before-prompt has produced a skeleton.
- When you have sources mapped to sections.
How to Use
- Confirm the intent frame is pinned.
- Confirm the context sources are attached and Copilot can list them.
- Prompt section-by-section, not "draft the whole thing." For each section:
- Name the section, its purpose, the sources, and the length.
- Specify what to include and what to leave out.
- Read each section before requesting the next — early errors compound.
Examples
| Don't: One-shot | Do: Section-by-section |
|---|
| "Write the whole memo." | "Draft section 2 (Risks). Use [risk log]. 4 bullets. Each bullet: risk -> owner -> mitigation. No invented owners." |
| "Make it creative." | "Draft the exec summary. ≤80 words. Lead with the recommendation." |
| "Fill in the deck." | "Draft slide 4 only. One chart: revenue by region. Reference [Q3 workbook -> Region tab]." |
Critical Rules
- Section-by-section. Each section gets its own prompt and its own source.
- Read before next. Errors compound; catch them at the section.
- Be boring on purpose. Structured deliverables don't want creativity.
- Specify what to exclude. As important as what to include.
- You picked the structure in
plan-before-prompt. Don't let Copilot rewrite it.
Common Pitfalls
- Asking for "the whole thing" — drift compounds.
- Letting Copilot expand into adjacent sections it wasn't asked for.
- Skipping the read between sections to "go faster."
- Inventing constraints mid-draft instead of in the plan.
- Asking for "tighter" without a number.
Anti-Patterns
- "Write the whole memo." You'll spend more time fixing than drafting.
- Asking for "creative" output for a structured deliverable. Be boring on purpose.
- Letting Copilot pick the structure. You picked it in
plan-before-prompt.
- Editing while Copilot is still drafting — race conditions in your head.
Verify After Each Section
Related
