Begin with the document’s job
Explain what the document is meant to do. A report may support a decision, a book may develop an argument, and a website may help a visitor choose a service. The intended action or understanding gives the editor a way to evaluate the writing.
Then describe the reader. State what they already know, why they are reading, and what constraints shape their attention. “Business readers” is broad; “department heads comparing three implementation options before a meeting” gives the brief a more practical center.
Describe the draft as it exists
Include the approximate word count, file format, current stage, and any sections still being written. Say whether the structure is open to change. An editor needs to know whether a difficult paragraph can move or must remain within a fixed submission form.
Identify previous work on the document. If a subject specialist has already reviewed the facts, say so and explain whether their comments have been resolved. If multiple authors contributed, name the person who will decide between conflicting preferences.
Explain the problem in ordinary language
You do not need to diagnose the service perfectly. “The argument becomes hard to follow in the middle” is actionable. “Make it professional” can mean many things, from correcting typos to changing the whole voice. Give examples of the effect you want to improve.
Separate essential requirements from preferences. A mandatory character limit is different from a preference for concise prose. A required citation style is different from a request for a generally consistent presentation. This distinction helps define the work and avoid unnecessary changes.
Make timing and deliverables concrete
Provide the date you need the edited file as well as the publication or submission date. Leave room for your review, questions, revisions, and production. If the deadline is fixed, explain what makes it fixed so the scope can be discussed realistically.
Ask what will be returned: tracked changes, an editorial letter, a style sheet, an annotated PDF, or an issue list. Clarify whether a follow-up discussion or second review is included. Do not assume that similarly named services produce identical deliverables.
Close the gaps before work starts
List tasks that may need separate agreement, such as fact checking, source retrieval, permissions, layout review, or specialist terminology checking. A precise exclusion can be as useful as an inclusion because it identifies who must do the remaining work.
Use the brief builder in the toolkit to gather the essentials. For the first inquiry, a summary is enough. Agree on an appropriate sharing method before sending confidential manuscripts or source material.