> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://ponder.ai/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to write a brief

You don't need a template. Tell Ponder what you want in your own words, the same way you'd explain it to another editor. A rough idea is enough to get going, and you can keep giving notes from there.

## What helps

Not every project needs all of these, so use the ones that matter and skip the rest:

* **Purpose:** who it's for, where it's going, and what it needs to do.
* **Deliverables:** the length, the shape (like 9:16 or 16:9), and how many versions you need.
* **The story:** the sections, in the order you picture them.
* **What to use and what to avoid:** specific clips, folders or takes, and anything to leave out.
* **Creative direction:** how it should look, sound and feel, from the color and music to the titles, on-screen text and pacing.

You can drop a reference link anywhere in your brief, like a grade you love or a title style you want to copy. Just say what you want to match. See [Matching a style](/docs/using-ponder/reference-videos-and-briefs).

## Example

```text theme={null}
Purpose: A 60-second social ad for a coffee shop's new location. It should make people want to visit this weekend.
Deliverables: 60 seconds, 9:16. One version.
The story: Open on the barista's pour, then the owner's story, then the space, then end on the address card.
What to use / avoid: The interview in the "Owner" folder and B-roll from Cards A and B. Skip the drone footage.
Creative direction: Warm, natural color, use this as reference: [link]. Upbeat acoustic music, cut on the beat. Simple white titles like this: [link].
```

## A few more tips

If you have scripts, shot lists or PDFs, import them with your footage and wait for them to finish before you send your brief. You can point at a specific file with [@](/docs/using-ponder/referring-with-at).

If you'd like to see a plan before anything gets built, say something like "Plan the story first. Don't build anything until I say go."

And you can always talk instead of typing. See [Talk instead of typing](/docs/using-ponder/chats-and-models#talk-instead-of-typing).


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