How many AI prompts have you got saved right now? A messy doc full of them? A notes app you never open? I used to hoard prompts like they were gold, and I almost never reused them.
Then I came across this post from an AI professional who argues you can delete nearly all of them. The original poster’s whole system runs on a single text file that Claude reads before every task. No prompt library. No copy-paste chaos. I was genuinely surprised by how simple the creator made it, so I broke down the full process for you below.
The core idea: instead of feeding Claude a fresh prompt each time, you give it one short file about who you are and how you work. Then your prompts can shrink to a few words because the context already lives in the file.
The step-by-step system the author shared
Here’s the exact process this contributor walks through, with the reasoning behind each move.
- Let Claude interview you instead of writing the file yourself. The expert’s point is sharp: you can’t describe your own voice, nobody can. So flip it. Open a fresh session and have Claude ask you questions one at a time.
- Cut the file down to one page. The creator’s first version was 22,000 words, and Claude re-read all of it before every answer, burning tokens for nothing. Trimming it to under 2,000 words kept the same voice with a fraction of the noise.
- Split it into three short files, not one. The mind behind this setup separates the context into clear roles so Claude knows exactly where to look.
- Point Claude at the files so it reads them every time. Keep them in one folder and tell Claude to read that folder before it touches anything.
- Set your global instructions once. Configure it a single time and it runs every session after that.
Step 1: The interview prompt
This is the part I loved most. Rather than staring at a blank file, the author pastes this into a fresh session and just clicks answers for about 20 minutes:
You are building my about-me .md file. Interview me using AskUserQuestion, 20 questions, one at a time. Push back on every vague answer. Compile it into an about-me .md under 2000 words.
The original poster says Claude pulls out patterns you couldn’t name yourself. By the end, the file knows you better than your own bio does. The push-back instruction matters, because it forces you past lazy, vague answers.
Step 2: Why smaller wins
The lesson from this innovator is blunt. A big file is slow and generic. A small file is sharp. Same personality, ten times less clutter for the model to wade through. If your file is bloated, trim it before anything else.
Step 3: The three files
Here’s how the savvy professional structures the context so each file does one job:
- about-me: who you are, how you think, and how you want Claude to write for you.
- my-voice: your tone, the phrases you can’t stand, and three real samples of your actual writing.
- my-rules: guardrails like ask before executing, show a plan first, and never delete anything without approval.
As the creator puts it, three short files beat a hundred saved prompts.
Step 4: Make Claude actually read them
A file does nothing if the AI ignores it. The author’s fix is to keep everything in one dedicated folder and point your session to it, so Claude reads about you before it starts any work. The original poster also recommends running on the strongest setup available, with thinking and high effort turned on, then leaving it alone.
Step 5: Lock in your global instructions
This is the set-it-once move. The contributor heads into the global instructions and pastes a short standing order so every new session already knows the rules:
I’m [Name], [Role]. Read my files before every task. Ask me questions using AskUserQuestion before you execute. Show a plan. Never guess.
Set once, it runs every session. And that’s the payoff the expert promises: your day-to-day prompts can shrink to ten words because the heavy context is already loaded.
Why this matters
Saved prompts are static snapshots. A living context file is reusable, sharper, and gets out of the way. You stop re-explaining yourself and start getting consistent output from the first message.
What I find smart here is the order of operations. Most people try to write the perfect file from scratch and freeze up. Letting the AI interview you removes that block entirely, and capping the file at one page keeps it fast. If you write a lot with AI, those three small files could replace your entire prompt collection.
This is just my breakdown of the highlights. The original poster shares more nuance on each step, so check out the full LinkedIn post for the complete walkthrough.