Task System

Audify’s task system lets you control how the LLM transforms your text before TTS synthesis. Each task uses a different prompt that instructs the LLM to produce a specific style of output.

Built-in Tasks

Task

Description

direct

No LLM processing, direct TTS conversion

audiobook

Transform into an engaging audiobook script

podcast

Transform into a comprehensive talk/podcast

summary

Create a concise audio summary

meditation

Transform into a guided meditation script

lecture

Transform into a classroom lecture

List tasks

audify list-tasks

Use a built-in task

audify audiobook book.epub --task podcast
audify audiobook book.epub --task summary
audify audiobook book.epub --task meditation

Custom Prompt Files

Create a text file with LLM instructions and pass it with --prompt-file:

# Create a prompt file
cat > my-prompt.txt << 'EOF'
Transform the following content into a bedtime story.
Use gentle, soothing language. Simplify complex ideas.
Speak directly to the listener. End with a calming closing.
EOF

# Use the prompt
audify audiobook book.epub --prompt-file my-prompt.txt

The --prompt-file flag overrides any --task selection.

Validate a prompt file

audify validate-prompt my-prompt.txt

Writing Effective Prompts

A good custom prompt should:

  1. Define the role – Tell the LLM what kind of writer/narrator it is.

  2. Specify the output format – What should the final text look like?

  3. Set the tone – Professional, casual, calming, energetic, etc.

  4. Include constraints – What to include, what to exclude.

  5. Audio-specific rules – No citations, no URLs, no visual references, only speakable text.

Example: Children’s story prompt

Transform the following content into an engaging story for children ages 8-12.
Use simple vocabulary and short sentences. Replace technical concepts with
relatable analogies. Include moments of wonder and excitement.

Rules:
- Use a warm, friendly narrator voice
- No citations, URLs, or academic references
- Replace numbers and statistics with descriptive language
- Only include text that should be spoken aloud
- Do not include any stage directions or meta-commentary

Example: News briefing prompt

Transform the following content into a concise news briefing.
Present the key facts clearly and objectively. Use the inverted
pyramid style: most important information first.

Structure:
- Lead: The most important fact in 1-2 sentences
- Body: Supporting details and context
- Background: Brief relevant history if needed

Rules:
- Write in present tense where possible
- No editorializing or opinion
- No citations or URLs
- Only include text that should be spoken aloud

Programmatic Task Registration

Developers can register custom tasks in Python:

from audify.prompts.tasks import TaskConfig, TaskRegistry

TaskRegistry.register(
    TaskConfig(
        name="bedtime_story",
        prompt="Transform text into a gentle bedtime story...",
        requires_llm=True,
        llm_params={"temperature": 0.7, "top_p": 0.9},
        output_structure="single",
    )
)