How long should a thank you note be?

Around eighty words. Brevity reads as sincerity in this format; length reads as effort, which is not the same thing and is often obvious.

What makes a thank you note feel genuine?

One specific detail and one consequence. Naming exactly what the person did and what it changed proves you noticed, which is the entire message a thank you note carries.

Which AI model is best for writing a thank you note?

All of them handle this; what changes is the packaging. This page shows the same prompt written for Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini. Claude follows XML-delimited structure most reliably, ChatGPT works best with markdown headings, and Gemini prefers the task stated before the material. The content of the prompt is identical in each.

Can I change this prompt for my own situation?

Yes, and you should. Replace the placeholders with your own details, then open it in the builder to add context specific to you. The builder scores what you supply and tells you exactly which missing piece would improve it most.

Why does this prompt include rules I did not ask for?

Because writing tasks carry requirements that experienced practitioners apply automatically and rarely write down. The compiler adds them so the output does not fail on something obvious. Every added rule is listed on the how it works page.

AI prompt for writing a thank you note

This is a ready-made AI prompt for writing a thank you note, written for Claude and free to copy. Thank you notes are short, which makes every generic sentence proportionally more damaging. A note that could have been sent to anyone reads as an obligation discharged rather than gratitude expressed. The prompt below handles that: it is compiled as a writing task, so it carries the structure and the constraints that kind of work needs.

The prompt

Written for Claude. Compiled as a writing task — producing original prose: articles, essays, stories, letters, and long-form copy.

<role>
You are a senior writer and editor with a decade of experience in this exact form.
</role>

<context>
Our relationship: {{relationship}}. The specific thing they did: {{specific_action}}. What it meant: {{impact}}.
</context>

<task>
Write a thank you note to {{recipient}} for {{reason}}.
</task>

<constraints>
- Name the specific thing they did, not the category of thing.
- Say what difference it made.
- Do not offer to reciprocate unless you mean it.
- Avoid i just wanted to say.
- Avoid words cannot express.
- Avoid so much.
- Write in plain, direct prose. Do not restate the prompt, and do not open with a throat-clearing sentence.
- Vary sentence length. Do not begin consecutive sentences with the same word or structure.
- Do not invent facts, statistics, quotations, or attributed opinions.
</constraints>

<output_format>
Respond in Markdown. Use descriptive headings, and keep paragraphs to three sentences or fewer. Tone: warm and specific, not formal. Length: 80 words. Treat this as a requirement, not a suggestion.
</output_format>

Now, write a thank you note to {{recipient}} for {{reason}}.

Open this in the prompt builder to add your own context and see what would improve it most.

What makes writing a thank you note hard to prompt for

Thank you notes are short, which makes every generic sentence proportionally more damaging. A note that could have been sent to anyone reads as an obligation discharged rather than gratitude expressed.

Why this prompt works

Background comes before the instruction: The model reads the situation before it learns what to do with it, which stops the instruction being diluted by everything that follows. The task is then restated as the final line, where models weight it most heavily.
Rules a writing task assumes but nobody writes down: Write in plain, direct prose. Do not restate the prompt, and do not open with a throat-clearing sentence. Vary sentence length. Do not begin consecutive sentences with the same word or structure. These are added automatically because leaving them implicit is the most common reason this kind of output disappoints.

What to replace

Placeholder	What to put there
{{relationship}}	Your relationship.
{{specific_action}}	Your specific action.
{{impact}}	Your impact.
{{recipient}}	Your recipient.
{{reason}}	Your reason.

Check the output before you use it

Does it name something specific enough that only this person could have done it?
Does it say what difference it made, not just that you are grateful?
Is it short enough to read in one breath?

The same prompt for other models

Identical content, packaged the way each model reads most reliably.

ChatGPT

## Role

You are a senior writer and editor with a decade of experience in this exact form.

## Context

Our relationship: {{relationship}}. The specific thing they did: {{specific_action}}. What it meant: {{impact}}.

## Task

Write a thank you note to {{recipient}} for {{reason}}.

## Constraints

- Name the specific thing they did, not the category of thing.
- Say what difference it made.
- Do not offer to reciprocate unless you mean it.
- Avoid i just wanted to say.
- Avoid words cannot express.
- Avoid so much.
- Write in plain, direct prose. Do not restate the prompt, and do not open with a throat-clearing sentence.
- Vary sentence length. Do not begin consecutive sentences with the same word or structure.
- Do not invent facts, statistics, quotations, or attributed opinions.

## Output format

Respond in Markdown. Use descriptive headings, and keep paragraphs to three sentences or fewer. Tone: warm and specific, not formal. Length: 80 words. Treat this as a requirement, not a suggestion.

Now, write a thank you note to {{recipient}} for {{reason}}.

Gemini

**Task**

Write a thank you note to {{recipient}} for {{reason}}.

**Role**

You are a senior writer and editor with a decade of experience in this exact form.

**Context**

Our relationship: {{relationship}}. The specific thing they did: {{specific_action}}. What it meant: {{impact}}.

**Constraints**

- Name the specific thing they did, not the category of thing.
- Say what difference it made.
- Do not offer to reciprocate unless you mean it.
- Avoid i just wanted to say.
- Avoid words cannot express.
- Avoid so much.
- Write in plain, direct prose. Do not restate the prompt, and do not open with a throat-clearing sentence.
- Vary sentence length. Do not begin consecutive sentences with the same word or structure.
- Do not invent facts, statistics, quotations, or attributed opinions.

**Output format**

Respond in Markdown. Use descriptive headings, and keep paragraphs to three sentences or fewer. Tone: warm and specific, not formal. Length: 80 words. Treat this as a requirement, not a suggestion.

Now, write a thank you note to {{recipient}} for {{reason}}.

Common questions

How long should a thank you note be?: Around eighty words. Brevity reads as sincerity in this format; length reads as effort, which is not the same thing and is often obvious.
What makes a thank you note feel genuine?: One specific detail and one consequence. Naming exactly what the person did and what it changed proves you noticed, which is the entire message a thank you note carries.
Which AI model is best for writing a thank you note?: All of them handle this; what changes is the packaging. This page shows the same prompt written for Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini. Claude follows XML-delimited structure most reliably, ChatGPT works best with markdown headings, and Gemini prefers the task stated before the material. The content of the prompt is identical in each.
Can I change this prompt for my own situation?: Yes, and you should. Replace the placeholders with your own details, then open it in the builder to add context specific to you. The builder scores what you supply and tells you exactly which missing piece would improve it most.
Why does this prompt include rules I did not ask for?: Because writing tasks carry requirements that experienced practitioners apply automatically and rarely write down. The compiler adds them so the output does not fail on something obvious. Every added rule is listed on the how it works page.

Browse all ready-made prompts, the full prompt library, or read the guides.