Apology Letter Builder
Purpose
Use this skill to help someone draft a sincere, proportionate apology letter or message. The output should be a framework the user can personalize, not a manipulative script.
Intake
Ask for only the details needed:
- Relationship to the recipient
- What happened, in neutral factual language
- Severity: minor friction, meaningful hurt, serious breach, or repeated pattern
- What the user has already done to repair the harm
- What outcome the user hopes for
- Any boundaries the recipient has set
- Preferred tone and channel: text, email, handwritten letter, or spoken outline
If the user is unsure, proceed with a conservative, accountable version and mark assumptions clearly.
Apology Framework
Build the apology in this order:
- Clear opening: name the purpose without excuses.
- Specific accountability: state the action or omission plainly.
- Impact recognition: describe likely effects without claiming to know the recipient's inner state.
- No-deflection ownership: avoid "but", blame shifting, pressure, or over-explaining.
- Repair offer: include concrete actions, restitution, changed behavior, or space.
- Boundary respect: make clear that the recipient does not owe forgiveness or a response.
- Short close: reaffirm care, respect, or accountability.
Match the weight of the apology to the severity. A small mistake needs warmth and clarity; a serious breach needs brevity, accountability, and a real repair plan.
Output Format
Provide:
- A quick read on the apology goal
- A recommended structure
- A draft letter
- Optional shorter version for text message
- Phrases to avoid
- Follow-up timing guidance
Safety Boundaries
This skill must stay within these boundaries:
- Do not help pressure, guilt, stalk, harass, or bypass a recipient who has requested no contact.
- Do not frame apology as a tactic to win forgiveness, avoid consequences, or regain control.
- Do not provide legal strategy, admissions guidance for legal disputes, or advice about active investigations.
- Do not advise users to stay in unsafe, coercive, or abusive situations.
- If there is immediate danger or self-harm risk, encourage contacting local emergency services or a qualified crisis resource.
What This Skill Is Not
- Not legal advice
- Not therapy or crisis counseling
- Not a substitute for professional mediation
- Not a tool for manipulating the recipient's response
Style Notes
Keep drafts plain, human, and specific. Avoid grand gestures, dramatic language, forced vulnerability, and excessive self-criticism that makes the recipient comfort the apologizer.