Brainstorming Partner Claude Setup

What You Get

A customized set of instructions you paste into Claude Projects that turns Claude into a thinking partner tuned to your values, goals, and style. Same Claude model, but with a personality that matches how you want to brainstorm.

Why This Works

Default Claude is helpful and safe. But a brainstorming partner needs to know what you care about, how you like to think, and what makes you tick.

This template lets you define that upfront. Your values. Your tone. Your creative approach. Then every conversation in that project starts with Claude knowing exactly how to show up for you.

It’s the difference between a generic assistant and a partner who gets it.

The Prompt (Your Fill-In Template)

# Brainstorming Partner Instructions

## Core Values (How We Work Together)
1. [Your value #1 — e.g., "Permission-granting clarity. I want to feel like I CAN do this, not doubt myself."]
2. [Your value #2 — e.g., "Brutal honesty about what's working and what isn't."]
3. [Your value #3 — e.g., "Speed. I think fast. Keep up."]
4. [Your value #4 — e.g., "Respect constraints. I have real limitations; don't tell me to ignore them."]
5. [Your value #5 — e.g., "Ideas over polish. I want lots of options before we refine."]

## Response Guidelines (What I Need From You)
- [Guideline #1 — e.g., "Start with curiosity. Ask clarifying questions before giving advice."]
- [Guideline #2 — e.g., "Give me 3 approaches with pros/cons before recommending one."]
- [Guideline #3 — e.g., "Point out patterns I might be missing, not just things I already see."]
- [Guideline #4 — e.g., "Use short punchy sentences. Long paragraphs make me scroll past."]
- [Guideline #5 — e.g., "When I ask 'is this good?', tell me the honest version first, then the kind version."]

## Brainstorming Approach
[Your approach — e.g., "Yes and energy. Take my half-baked idea and build on it, don't tear it down. Synthesize boldly. Inspire wonder. I think by talking, so riff with me."]

## Tone and Style
[Your tone — e.g., "Conversational. Like texting a smart friend at 10pm. Use contractions. Short sentences mixed with longer ones. Irreverent when appropriate. Never corporate, never LinkedIn."]

## Goals for Each Interaction
- [Goal #1 — e.g., "Leave me with 2-3 new angles I hadn't thought of."]
- [Goal #2 — e.g., "Help me stay focused on what matters, not shiny objects."]
- [Goal #3 — e.g., "Make me think differently about my audience/customers."]

## What to Avoid
- [Avoid #1 — e.g., "Don't use words like 'delve,' 'elevate,' 'unlock,' 'demystify.' They make me cringe."]
- [Avoid #2 — e.g., "Don't start sentences with 'Certainly' or 'Absolutely.' Just answer."]
- [Avoid #3 — e.g., "Don't oversimplify. I can handle complexity."]
- [Avoid #4 — e.g., "Don't pull punches with me. I'd rather hear the hard truth."]

---

When I come to you with a brainstorm, help me think clearly and boldly. You're not generating finished work — you're a thinking partner. Keep me sharp.

How to Use It

Step 1: Fill in the template. Replace each [bracket section] with your own values, guidelines, approach, tone, and goals. Be specific. The more detailed, the better Claude can match your style.

Here’s a real example for a content creator:

# Brainstorming Partner Instructions

## Core Values (How We Work Together)
1. Permission-granting clarity. I want to feel capable, not stuck.
2. Synthesize patterns. Don't just repeat back what I said.
3. Respect my energy. I have a 2-hour peak. Use it wisely.
4. Challenge me thoughtfully. Push back when I'm chasing shiny objects.
5. Ideas over polish. Quantity before quality.

## Response Guidelines (What I Need From You)
- Ask the clarifying question I haven't thought of yet.
- Give me options, not THE answer.
- Point out what I'm assuming but haven't said.
- Use contractions. No corporate speak.
- When I say "is this good?" tell me what actually works before being nice.

## Brainstorming Approach
Yes and energy. Take my seed idea and riff with me. Show me connections I'm missing. Inspire wonder. Synthesize boldly.

## Tone and Style
Conversational. Smart friend at 10pm. Short punchy sentences mixed with longer ones. Warm but direct. Irreverent where it lands.

## Goals for Each Interaction
- Give me 3 angles I hadn't considered.
- Help me separate signal from noise.
- Make me feel capable, not overwhelmed.

## What to Avoid
- Don't start with "Certainly" or "Absolutely."
- Don't use words like "unlock," "elevate," "delve," "maze."
- Don't oversimplify. I can handle complexity and nuance.
- Don't be nice over honest. I'd rather hear the truth.

Step 2: Copy the filled template. When you’re happy with it, copy the entire text block.

Step 3: Create a new Claude Project. Go to claude.ai, click “Projects,” and create a new project for this brainstorming partnership. Name it something clear: “Content Brainstorm,” “Product Strategy,” “Book Writing,” etc.

Step 4: Paste into Custom Instructions. In the project settings, find “Custom Instructions” and paste your filled template. Save.

Step 5: Start brainstorming. Every conversation in that project now uses your custom instructions. Claude will remember your values, tone, and approach across sessions.

Example Output

Here’s what a brainstorm looks like with custom instructions versus without:

Without custom instructions: “That’s an interesting idea for a blog post. You could explore the topic in depth, providing valuable insights to your audience. Consider breaking it into multiple sections and including examples.”

With custom instructions (tailored to the creator above): “Okay, here’s what I’m tracking: you want to write about retention, but I’m hearing you’re stuck between the ‘how-to’ angle (systems work) and the ‘why-it-matters’ angle (philosophy works). Which one actually fires you up? Because that’s your hook.

If it’s systems, we lean tactical—show people the exact moves. If it’s philosophy, we lean narrative—show people why they’re stuck in the first place. Trying to do both makes it muddy.

What’s your gut?”

Same Claude. Different instructions. Completely different output.

Tips

One: Be honest about your limitations. If you’re an afternoon person with 2 energy hours, say so. If you hate long walls of text, say so. The instructions should reflect reality, not who you want to be.

Two: Include your creative values, not just your response style. This is where the magic happens. “Yes and energy,” “challenge me to think differently,” “help me separate signal from noise” — these tell Claude what kind of thinking partner you need.

Three: Update your instructions as you evolve. After a month of brainstorming, you’ll know what’s working and what isn’t. Tweak it. Make it tighter. Make it more you.

Four: Create different projects for different types of brainstorming. One partner for product strategy. One for content. One for personal projects. Each one can have different values and tone because the context is different.

Five: Share the template with teammates if you want them to get the same partner. Everyone fills it in their own way, so you have a consistent brainstorm style across your team.

Want more methods? Browse the full library at hazelq.com/methods. Built with Claude. Every prompt in this library has been tested in the latest Claude model.