Writing for Government with AI

Every Government Worker Is a Writer

Here’s something nobody tells you when you join government: you’ll spend a shocking amount of your time writing. Memos, reports, briefings, public notices, constituent letters, meeting minutes, policy summaries, budget justifications. One federal employee survey found that administrative staff spend up to 40% of their work week on document preparation.

AI can cut that time dramatically — but only if you know how to use it for government-specific writing.

Plain Language: It’s the Law

The Plain Writing Act of 2010 isn’t a suggestion. Federal agencies are legally required to write in clear, simple language that the public can understand and use. Many states have adopted similar requirements.

What plain language actually means:

Target reading level: 6th to 8th grade for public-facing documents. That’s not dumbing things down — it’s making government accessible to everyone, including people reading in their second language or scanning on a phone.

✅ Quick Check: Why does the Plain Writing Act exist? Because government documents affect real people’s lives — benefits applications, legal notices, safety instructions. If people can’t understand the document, they can’t comply with it, access services, or exercise their rights.

AI for Government Writing: The Prompt Framework

Generic prompts produce generic results. Government writing needs specific context. Use this framework:

Role: You are a [agency type] communications specialist
Task: Draft a [document type] about [topic]
Audience: [who will read this — residents, legislators, employees, media]
Tone: [professional but accessible / formal / friendly-official]
Requirements:
- Plain language, 8th-grade reading level
- Active voice throughout
- [Any legally required language that must appear verbatim]
- [Specific formatting — headings, bullet points, page limit]
Length: [target word count or page count]
Context: [relevant background, policy details, data]

Try this now. Think of a document you wrote recently — a memo, email, or report. Rewrite the prompt above with your actual details and test it with your preferred AI assistant.

Document Templates That Work

The One-Page Briefing

Government leaders need information fast. The one-page briefing is the most-used format across agencies:

Write a one-page executive briefing for [audience: department head/commissioner/council]:

Subject: [topic]
Key question being answered: [what does the reader need to decide?]
Background: [2-3 sentences of context]
Current data: [relevant numbers, trends, comparisons]

Format:
- BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) — answer the key question in the first sentence
- 3-4 supporting points with data
- Recommendation with clear next step
- Keep under 500 words

Tone: Professional, direct, no jargon. Every sentence earns its place.

BLUF — Bottom Line Up Front — is standard in government and military writing. Put your conclusion first, then support it. Readers who only read the first paragraph still get the essential message.

The Constituent Response

Responding to citizen inquiries is one of the highest-volume writing tasks in government:

Draft a response to a constituent who wrote about [issue].

Their concern: [summarize what they wrote about]
Relevant policy/status: [what your agency is doing about it]
Available resources: [links, phone numbers, office hours]

Requirements:
- Acknowledge their concern in the first sentence
- Explain what's happening in plain language
- Provide a specific next step or resource
- Warm but professional tone
- Under 200 words

✅ Quick Check: What does BLUF stand for, and why is it important in government writing? Bottom Line Up Front — because decision-makers often read only the first paragraph, so the most important information needs to be there.

Meeting Minutes and Agendas

Local governments alone hold thousands of public meetings every week. AI can transform how you handle them.

Before the meeting — agenda preparation:

Create a structured meeting agenda:

Meeting: [name, e.g., City Council Work Session]
Date/Time: [when]
Attendees: [who]
Topics to cover: [list topics with estimated time per item]

Format:
1. Call to order
2. Approval of previous minutes
3. [Topic items with presenter names and time allocations]
4. Public comment period
5. Action items and next steps
6. Adjournment

Include space for notes under each agenda item.

After the meeting — minutes:

Convert these rough meeting notes into formal minutes:

[Paste your notes, recording transcript, or bullet points]

Format:
- Header: meeting name, date, time, location, attendees, absent members
- Each agenda item: discussion summary, motions made, votes (with counts), action items assigned
- Note any items tabled for future discussion
- Footer: next meeting date, adjournment time

Style: Third person, past tense, factual. Record decisions and actions, not every comment. Under [target] pages.

HeyGov’s ClerkMinutes and similar tools show that AI-assisted meeting documentation saves clerks 2-3 hours per meeting while improving accuracy and consistency.

The Review Checklist

Every AI-drafted government document must pass human review. Use this checklist:

Rule of thumb: AI gets you to 80% faster. The last 20% — accuracy checking, policy verification, tone adjustment — is your expertise. That’s the part that makes government writing trustworthy.

Key Takeaways

• The Plain Writing Act requires clear, accessible language — AI can help you achieve it consistently
• Use structured prompts with role, audience, tone, and requirements for government-quality output
• BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) is the standard format for briefings and memos
• AI saves hours on meeting minutes, constituent responses, and routine documents
• Every AI-generated document needs human review for accuracy, legal compliance, and tone

Up Next: You’ll learn to use AI for data analysis and policy research — turning spreadsheets and reports into actionable insights for decision-makers.