# Using the writing guides with an AI assistant Ready-made setups for common editorial jobs: which files to give an AI assistant, what instructions to paste and what to ask it. For editors drafting or reviewing content for undrr.org and PreventionWeb. > **About this guidance:** this page explains how to use the writing guides with AI tools and states no writing rules of its own. The guides summarize guidance maintained elsewhere, for reference; the [sources](README.md#sources) take precedence. Found a problem? Report it in the [Mangrove issue queue](https://github.com/PreventionWeb/undrr-mangrove/issues). - **Last reviewed:** 30 September 2026 ## Two ways to use the files The UNDRR editorial Copilot agent reads the guides from a folder on SharePoint. Depending on your licence and tool, the agents you can build may not be able to connect to SharePoint. You can get the same result by giving the files to the tool yourself, in one of two ways: - **Build an agent.** Create an agent, for example with the agent builder in Microsoft 365 Copilot, a custom GPT or a Claude project. Upload the files for the recipe as the agent's knowledge instead of linking a SharePoint folder, and paste the recipe's instructions into the agent's instructions. Set it up once and reuse it. - **No agent.** Start a new chat, attach the files for the recipe and paste the recipe's instructions at the start of your first message, followed by your request. Repeat this in each new chat. Names of menus differ between tools; look for options such as "knowledge", "files" or "instructions". If your tool limits how many files you can upload, start with the [core set](#core-set) and add the guide for your content type. ## Where to get the files - **Word files:** the [Copilot Chat LLM AI web writing folder](https://unitednations.sharepoint.com/sites/UNDRR-DRR-COMMS/Corporate/Forms/AllItems.aspx?id=%2Fsites%2FUNDRR%2DDRR%2DCOMMS%2FCorporate%2FSOPs%2FCopilot%20Chat%20LLM%20AI%20guidance%2FCopilot%20Chat%20LLM%20AI%20web%20writing) on SharePoint (UNDRR staff only) has a Word copy of every guide and of the Mangrove editorial manual. Download the files you need and upload them to your tool. - **Web pages:** the same guides are published on assets.undrr.org as Markdown. Give the addresses to tools that can read web pages, or save the pages as files for tools that can't. | Guide | Word file | Web page | |---|---|---| | Instructions for AI writing assistants | `UNDRR-writing-agent-instructions.docx` | [ai-agent-instructions.md](https://assets.undrr.org/docs/editorial-guides/ai-agent-instructions.md) | | Mangrove editorial manual | `UNDRR-editorial-manual.docx` | [llms-editorial-manual.txt](https://mangrove.undrr.org/llms-editorial-manual.txt) | | Index of the guides | `UNDRR-writing-guides-index.docx` | [README.md](https://assets.undrr.org/docs/editorial-guides/README.md) | | News | `UNDRR-writing-guide-news.docx` | [news.md](https://assets.undrr.org/docs/editorial-guides/news.md) | | Events | `UNDRR-writing-guide-events.docx` | [events.md](https://assets.undrr.org/docs/editorial-guides/events.md) | | Publications | `UNDRR-writing-guide-publications.docx` | [publications.md](https://assets.undrr.org/docs/editorial-guides/publications.md) | | Blogs | `UNDRR-writing-guide-blogs.docx` | [blogs.md](https://assets.undrr.org/docs/editorial-guides/blogs.md) | | Metadata | `UNDRR-writing-guide-metadata.docx` | [metadata.md](https://assets.undrr.org/docs/editorial-guides/metadata.md) | | Taxonomy reference | `UNDRR-taxonomy-reference.docx` | [taxonomy.md](https://assets.undrr.org/docs/editorial-guides/taxonomy.md) | | Methodology | `UNDRR-writing-guides-methodology.docx` | [methodology.md](https://assets.undrr.org/docs/editorial-guides/methodology.md) | ## Core set Every recipe starts with these two files: - `UNDRR-writing-agent-instructions.docx`: how the assistant should work, which guide answers which question and what wins when guidance conflicts - `UNDRR-editorial-manual.docx`: spelling, capitalization, punctuation, numbers, dates, terminology and inclusive language Each recipe adds the one or two guides its job needs. Add `UNDRR-writing-guide-metadata.docx` only when you want suggestions for themes, hazards and countries, and `UNDRR-taxonomy-reference.docx` only when you need term IDs, for example to configure a search widget. ## Recipes Each recipe gives its purpose, the files to upload, the instructions to paste and some prompts to start with. The instructions are short on purpose: the rules are in the files, and the instructions tell the assistant to follow them. Replace anything in square brackets in the prompts with your own text. ### News reviewer Reviews a draft news item against the [news guide](news.md) and the editorial manual, and returns an edited version with a short list of changes. **Files:** the core set and `UNDRR-writing-guide-news.docx`. For tagging suggestions, add `UNDRR-writing-guide-metadata.docx`. **Instructions to paste:** ```text You review draft news items for undrr.org and PreventionWeb. Follow the uploaded files: the instructions for AI writing assistants for how to work and what wins when guidance conflicts, the Mangrove editorial manual for mechanics and the news writing guide for news types, titles, structure, quotes and tone. Don't restate their rules; name the file each change comes from. For each draft: - Return the edited draft in full, showing deletions as ~~struck-through~~ text and additions in **bold**. - Then list the main changes (no more than ten), each with its reason and the file it comes from. - Keep the facts, quotes and figures as they are. Query anything that looks wrong instead of changing it. - If the draft is missing something the news guide expects, say what is missing. ``` **Starter prompts:** - "Review this draft news item: [paste the text or attach the file]" - "Suggest three titles for this news item and say which one you recommend." - "Check only the opening paragraph and the quotes in this draft." ### Publication summary writer Drafts the two-paragraph web summary and the short description for a report or other document, following the [publications guide](publications.md). **Files:** the core set and `UNDRR-writing-guide-publications.docx`. For tagging suggestions, add `UNDRR-writing-guide-metadata.docx`. Attach the document itself to each chat. **Instructions to paste:** ```text You write the web entries for publications on PreventionWeb and undrr.org. Follow the uploaded files: the instructions for AI writing assistants for how to work and what wins when guidance conflicts, the Mangrove editorial manual for mechanics and the publications writing guide for the summary, the short description and the title. For each document the editor attaches: - Draft the summary and the short description as the publications guide describes. - Work only from the attached document. Never add facts, figures, names or quotes that are not in it. - If the disaster risk reduction angle isn't clear from the document, or the document lacks something the guide asks for, say so after the draft instead of filling the gap. - After the draft, say which sections or pages of the document each paragraph draws on. ``` **Starter prompts:** - "Write the summary and short description for the attached report." - "Here is the publisher's abstract: [paste]. Adapt it to the publications guide, or tell me if it already meets it." - "Check my summary against the attached report. Is anything inaccurate or missing? [paste your summary]" ### Blog editor Edits a blog post, usually by a guest author, to match what the [blogs guide](blogs.md) says a finished post looks like, including its [first-person section](blogs.md#first-person). **Files:** the core set and `UNDRR-writing-guide-blogs.docx`. **Instructions to paste:** ```text You edit blog posts for PreventionWeb and undrr.org, most of them written by guest authors. Follow the uploaded files: the instructions for AI writing assistants for how to work and what wins when guidance conflicts, the Mangrove editorial manual for mechanics and the blogs writing guide for language, sources, structure, focus and the use of first person. For each post: - Return the edited post in full, showing deletions as ~~struck-through~~ text and additions in **bold**. - Keep the author's voice and argument. Apply the first-person section of the blogs guide and explain any first person you change. - Then list the main changes, each with its reason and the file it comes from. - List anything unclear or unsupported, such as unexplained jargon or a claim without a source, as questions the editor can put to the author. ``` **Starter prompts:** - "Edit this guest blog post: [paste the text or attach the file]" - "Check this post only for first person and unexplained jargon." - "Suggest a title and a short description for this post." ### Event page writer Drafts an event page from the details an organizer provides, or updates the page after the event, following the [events guide](events.md). **Files:** the core set and `UNDRR-writing-guide-events.docx`. For tagging suggestions, add `UNDRR-writing-guide-metadata.docx`. **Instructions to paste:** ```text You write and update event pages for undrr.org and PreventionWeb. Follow the uploaded files: the instructions for AI writing assistants for how to work and what wins when guidance conflicts, the Mangrove editorial manual for mechanics and the events writing guide for titles, the opening paragraph, the standard sections and updates after the event. - For a new event, draft the page from the material the editor provides, such as a concept note, an invitation or an email. - For an event that has taken place, update the page as the "After the event" section of the events guide describes, using only the recording links, notes or outcome documents provided. - After the draft, list any details the page needs that you weren't given, such as the time zone or the registration link. ``` **Starter prompts:** - "Draft an event page from the attached concept note." - "This webinar took place on [date]. Update the page below with the recording link and these notes: [paste the page, link and notes]" - "Check this event page before it is published: [paste]" ### Generalist editor One setup for every content type. It picks the right guide for each request and asks which content type the text is for when that isn't clear. Use it if you work across content types and your tool accepts enough files. **Files:** all the files in the [table above](#where-to-get-the-files). If your tool limits how many files you can upload, use the core set, `UNDRR-writing-guides-index.docx` and the guides for the content types you work on most. **Instructions to paste:** ```text You help editors draft, edit and review content for undrr.org and PreventionWeb: news items, event pages, publication summaries and blog posts. Follow the uploaded files. The instructions for AI writing assistants say which file answers which question and what wins when guidance conflicts; the Mangrove editorial manual covers mechanics; each writing guide covers one content type. For each request: - Work out the content type and follow its guide. If the content type isn't clear, ask which it is before you start. - When editing, return the edited text in full, showing deletions as ~~struck-through~~ text and additions in **bold**, then list the main changes with the file each comes from. - Suggest themes, hazards and countries only when the editor asks. ``` **Starter prompts:** - "Should this be a news item or a blog post? [paste the text]" - "Review this text for PreventionWeb: [paste the text or attach the file]" - "What does the guidance say about titles for event pages?" ## Good practice - **Review everything before it is published.** The output is a draft. Check names, dates, figures and quotes against your source material. - **Watch for invented material.** The [instructions for AI writing assistants](ai-agent-instructions.md#rules-for-every-response) tell the assistant never to invent quotes, statistics or sources, but tools don't always comply. Treat anything you can't find in your source material as invented. - **Keep sensitive material out of tools not approved for it.** This includes unpublished reports, embargoed news and internal documents. Follow UNDRR guidance on using AI tools. - **Start a new chat for each piece of content**, so material from an earlier piece doesn't carry over. - **Report problems with the guides.** If the assistant follows a guide correctly and the result is still wrong, the guide may need to change: report it in the [Mangrove issue queue](https://github.com/PreventionWeb/undrr-mangrove/issues).