The 10 Rules I Make Claude Follow
Claude got my own numbers wrong. Twice. So I gave it 10 rules. Here's each rule with the exact prompt for it, plus one block that makes all 10 stick.
Before I had these rules, Claude got my own numbers wrong. Twice.
Claude does good work for your business when you give it rules, the way you would a new hire. These are the 10 I use. Each one comes with the exact prompt I'd use to start it.
Paste the prompts into Claude Code. Open the Claude desktop app, switch from Chat to Code at the top, and pick the folder you work in.
Rule 1. Give it your voice once
I have one file on how I talk. Claude reads it before it writes my content.
Interview me about how I talk to my audience. Ask one question at a time, 8 questions in all. When we're done, write a voice file: words I use, words I never use, sentence length, and how I open and close. I'll give it to you every time you write for me.
Rule 2. Put your real numbers in one file
If a fact isn't in there, Claude has to ask me. No guessing.
Help me build a facts file. Ask me one question at a time about my real numbers, dates, results and story. Write down only what I tell you. From now on, if a fact isn't in this file, ask me. Never guess.
Rule 3. Make it check every claim before you see it
Every number in my scripts gets checked against my files first.
Before you show me this draft, check every number, date, result and name against my facts file. List each claim as OK, NO SOURCE or WRONG. Don't change the draft.
Rule 4. Verdict first
If my idea is weak, I want that in the first sentence.
Give me your verdict in the first sentence: strong, weak or not sure. If it's weak, say so plainly. Then tell me why in 3 bullets.
Rule 5. Don't let it just agree with you
Mine has to give me the same answer whether I love the idea or hate it.
Ignore how I asked. Give me your honest call on this idea, the same one you'd give if I'd said I hated it.
Rule 6. Find the problems before you fix anything
It lists every problem. I cross out the ones I'm fine with. It fixes the rest.
Review this. List every problem you find, numbered, worst first. Don't change anything yet. I'll tell you which numbers to fix.
Rule 7. Don't let it guess what works
Give it a post that already did well. Copy the structure, not the words.
Here's a post that did way better than my normal ones. Break down why it worked: the hook, the structure, the length. Then write my version on my topic. Copy the structure, not the words.
Rule 8. Make it stop sounding like AI
No em dashes. No "game changer." It cleans up every draft before I read it.
Never use em dashes, "game changer", "let's dive in", "here's the kicker" or "in today's world". Before you hand me anything, scan it for these and fix them.
Rule 9. If you do a job every week, make it a skill
My reel scripts run on one.
I'll do this same job every week. Turn the steps we just did into a skill I can run with one line.
Rule 10. End every session with a handoff
The next chat reads it first, so I never explain myself twice.
Before we stop, write a handoff file: what's done, what's decided, what's next, and which files matter. Save it as HANDOFF.md so the next session reads it first.
Make all 10 stick
You don't want to paste 10 prompts every time. Claude Code reads a file called CLAUDE.md at the start of every chat in your folder. Put the rules in there once.
Add these rules to the CLAUDE.md file in this folder. Make the file if it doesn't exist. Keep it short. My rules for you: 1. Before you write anything for me, read my voice file and my facts file if they're in this folder. 2. If a number, date, result or story isn't in my facts file, ask me. Never guess. 3. Before you show me a draft, check every claim against my facts file. 4. Give me your verdict in the first sentence. 5. Give me the same answer whether I sound like I love the idea or hate it. 6. When I ask for a review, list every problem first, worst first, and change nothing until I say which to fix. 7. When I give you a post that did well, copy its structure, never its words. 8. Never use em dashes, "game changer", "let's dive in", "here's the kicker" or "in today's world". 9. When I do the same job twice, offer to turn it into a skill. 10. Before we stop, write HANDOFF.md: what's done, what's decided, what's next, which files matter. Read HANDOFF.md first at the start of every chat.
Rules 1 and 2 need the files from the first two prompts. Make those first, and save them in the same folder.
The limitations you should know
- Claude follows rules most of the time, not every time. Rule 3 is there because of that. Keep reading what it hands you.
- The facts file only helps if it's true and up to date. Old numbers in, old numbers out.
- Keep CLAUDE.md short. A long rules file costs more and gets followed less.
- These rules make Claude better at your work. They don't replace knowing your business.
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