$ cat prompt.txt — Kindle Publishing (KDP)

Kindle Outline → First Draft — Chapter-by-Chapter in One Voice

Turn a book concept into a full chapter outline, then draft each chapter in one consistent voice.

4–10 hours intermediate Claude Opus, GPT-5, Gemini 2.5 Pro#kindle#kdp#writing

intro.md

The hardest part of a Kindle book isn't writing — it's keeping a 20,000-word manuscript structured and in ONE consistent voice. This prompt builds a complete chapter-by-chapter outline first (so the book has a spine), then drafts each chapter against that outline using a locked style guide, so chapter 12 sounds like chapter 1.

$ cat prompt.txt | pbcopy

The prompt — copy & paste

prompt.txt

You are a non-fiction book editor and ghostwriter who has shipped 40+ Kindle bestsellers. We are going to write my book in two phases — OUTLINE first, then DRAFT. Do NOT start drafting until I approve the outline.

BOOK INPUTS:
- Working title: {{book_title}}
- Core promise (what the reader can DO after finishing): {{core_promise}}
- Target reader (life stage, frustration, what they've already tried): {{target_reader}}
- Target length: {{word_count}} words
- Voice (3 adjectives, e.g. "warm, direct, lightly funny"): {{voice}}

PHASE 1 — OUTLINE (do this first, then STOP and ask for approval)

1. STYLE GUIDE (lock this — every chapter must follow it)
   - Voice: {{voice}}, expanded into 3 concrete writing rules
   - Reader's reading level + sentence-length target
   - Recurring structural device (each chapter opens with X, closes with Y)
   - Words/phrases to NEVER use (AI tells: "delve", "in today's world", "unlock", "game-changer")

2. CHAPTER MAP
   - 8–12 chapters that move the reader from their start-state to the core promise
   - For each: chapter title, one-sentence outcome, the 3–4 key points it covers, the ONE story/example/exercise that anchors it
   - Each chapter must DEPEND on the previous one (a real arc, not a list)
   - Estimated word count per chapter so the total ≈ {{word_count}}

3. FRONT/BACK MATTER
   - Intro hook (the "why read this" in 150 words)
   - A reader promise + a 2-line bio angle
   - Back matter: a call-to-action (email list / next book / review ask)

Then STOP. Ask: "Approve this outline, or what should change?"

PHASE 2 — DRAFT (only after I say "approved")
When I approve, draft ONE chapter at a time (I'll say "draft chapter N"). For each chapter:
- Follow the locked STYLE GUIDE exactly
- Open with the recurring device, hit the key points with concrete examples, close with the recurring device
- Hit the chapter's target word count (±10%)
- End with a one-line bridge to the next chapter
- NO filler, NO repetition of points already made in earlier chapters (you have the full outline — respect it)

After each chapter, give me a 2-line "continuity note" — what was set up that later chapters must pay off.

$ variables_to_fill_in

$ man playbook

Step-by-step playbook

How to actually use this prompt for the best results.

01
Run Phase 1 and pressure-test the outline
Get the full outline first. Read the chapter map out loud — does each chapter truly require the one before it? If it reads like a random list of tips, tell the model to re-sequence into a real arc before you approve.
02
Lock the style guide before drafting
The style guide is what keeps chapter 12 sounding like chapter 1. Tighten the voice rules and the 'never use' list before you say 'approved' — it's far cheaper to fix here than across 12 chapters.
03
Draft one chapter per message
Say 'draft chapter 1', edit it, then 'draft chapter 2'. Drafting one at a time keeps each chapter in full context and prevents the model from rushing/compressing later chapters.
snippet.prompt
Approved. Draft chapter 1 now, following the locked style guide exactly.
04
Do a human editorial pass + add your real stories
AI drafts are scaffolding. Replace the generic examples with YOUR real stories, data, and clients. That's what makes the book worth buying — and what Amazon's reviewers reward.

$ man tips

Pro tips for better output

›Paste the full outline back into each drafting session if the model loses the thread — long books exceed even big context windows over a multi-day write.
›Keep a running 'continuity log' of promises made in early chapters so payoffs land in later ones.
›Disclose AI-assisted content during KDP publishing — required since 2023, and non-disclosure risks account termination.

$ echo $YIELD

What you'll get

output.md

A locked style guide, an 8–12 chapter outline with per-chapter outcomes + word counts + front/back matter, then full chapter drafts on demand — a complete manuscript scaffold ready for your editorial pass.

$ man faq

FAQ

Why outline before drafting instead of just writing?

Because structure is what separates a book that gets finished (and finished by readers) from a rambling 20k-word blob. The outline is the spine; drafting against it keeps every chapter purposeful and prevents the AI from repeating itself across chapters.

How do I keep the voice consistent across a long book?

The locked STYLE GUIDE in Phase 1 is the mechanism. Re-paste it at the top of each drafting session, and the model holds the voice. The 'never use' list is what kills the tell-tale AI flatness.

$ ls /prompts/kindle-publishing