Writing Your First Good Prompt

A prompt is simply the instruction you give an AI assistant. Most disappointing answers come from missing information, not from the AI being weak. This guide gives you a five-part recipe that works on every major assistant.

The five parts

You do not need all five every time, but when an answer disappoints, check which part was missing.

1. Role or perspective: who should the AI act as?
2. Task: what exactly do you want done?
3. Context: what background does it need?
4. Format: how should the answer look?
5. Constraints: what should it avoid or keep within limits?

Before and after

Weak prompt:

Write something about our new product.

Stronger prompt:

You are a friendly marketing copywriter.
Write a 100-word announcement for our new reusable water bottle.
Audience: office workers who care about reducing plastic.
Tone: warm and a little playful, no hype words.
Format: one short paragraph plus a one-line subject line.
Do not mention prices.

The second version removes the guesswork. The model no longer has to decide the length, audience, tone or format for you.

Be specific about the goal

"Help me with my resume" could mean proofreading, rewriting, tailoring to a job, or deciding what to cut. Say which one. If you are not sure what you want, tell the assistant that and ask it to interview you first.

Give it the material

Paste the text, data or notes it should work from. Models cannot read your mind or your files unless you provide them. When you paste material, mark where it starts and ends:

Summarize the text between the markers in three bullets.

<text>
[PASTE YOUR TEXT HERE]
</text>

Show an example

If you want a certain style, include one example of it. A single sample often beats a paragraph of description.

Rewrite my product names in the same style as these examples:
- "Sunrise Roast" (a morning coffee blend)
- "Late Night Library" (a dark chocolate bar)

My products: [LIST YOUR PRODUCTS]

Ask for the format you need

Common requests that save editing time:

• "Answer in a table with columns X, Y and Z."
• "Give me three options, each in one sentence."
• "Use plain language suitable for a 12 year old."
• "Start with the answer, then explain."

Iterate instead of starting over

Your first prompt is the opening move. Follow up with short corrections:

• "Shorter, and cut the jargon."
• "Keep the second paragraph, rewrite the rest."
• "Now give me a more skeptical version."

If a conversation has drifted badly, copy the best result into a fresh chat with a cleaner prompt.

Common mistakes

• Too vague: "Make it better." Better how?
• Too many tasks at once: split big requests into steps.
• Hidden assumptions: the model does not know your industry, audience or history unless told.
• Accepting the first answer: ask for improvements or alternatives.

Quick checklist

Before sending, ask yourself:

• Did I say what the output is for?
• Did I say who will read it?
• Did I give it the facts it needs?
• Did I say how long and in what format?
• Did I say what to avoid?

Try it now

Take a task you did this week, such as an email, a plan or a summary. Rewrite your request using the five parts, run it, and compare with how you would have asked it before. The difference is usually obvious, and it is the fastest way to build the habit. When you are comfortable, move on to the guide on prompt patterns.