Build Your First Tool

A good prompt solves a problem once. A tool solves it forever.

The difference is simple: a tool takes an input and produces an output, and you use it repeatedly for a recurring task. You write it once, then reach for it every time that task comes up.

Let's look at three real examples before you build your own.

Maya's commission intake

Maya is an illustrator who takes commissions. Every time a new client messages her, the same thing happens: 5-10 back-and-forth DMs asking about size, style, budget, deadline, reference images. It's exhausting and it's the same conversation every time.

She doesn't need a good prompt. She needs a system that takes a messy client message and spits out a clean brief she can act on.

You are an intake assistant for Maya's illustration commissions.

When given a client message about a commission, extract:
- Size (print size or digital dimensions)
- Style (watercolor, ink, digital — reference Maya's portfolio)
- Budget (if mentioned; note "not discussed" if not)
- Deadline (flag if under 2 weeks — rush fees apply)
- Reference images (note if provided)
- Subject/concept (what they want drawn)

Output: A clean brief Maya can read in 10 seconds.
Flag anything missing so she can follow up in ONE message.
Flag if budget seems too low for the scope.

Now watch what happens when a client message goes through the tool:

One messy DM → clean brief in 10 seconds. Maya uses this for every single client now. That's a tool, not a prompt.

Priya's recipe converter

Priya finds recipes on Instagram and food blogs, then manually writes ingredients on a notepad. Half the time she forgets something and has to go back to the store. The input is always the same (a recipe), the output is always the same (a shopping list). Perfect candidate for a tool.

Take a recipe (pasted text or description) and produce:
1. Clean ingredient list with quantities
2. Grouped by grocery store section (Produce, Dairy, Pantry, Meat, Frozen)
3. Adjusted for a family of 4
4. Flag anything I might already have (basics like salt, oil, butter)

Keep it scannable — I'm reading this in the store on my phone.

Jake's reading summarizer

Five classes, never enough time for all the readings. Same problem every week.

Take an article or PDF text and give me:
1. 5-minute summary (what's the argument, what evidence, what conclusion)
2. 3 questions I should be able to answer after reading
3. One thing that would be smart to bring up in class discussion

Write for a business major, not an academic.

The pattern

Notice what all three tools have in common: