How to Write Better Prompts: From Basics to Practice

Give two people the same AI, and one will shrug "eh, not that impressive" while the other cuts their workload in half. The difference almost always comes down to the prompt — the request you hand the AI. The good news: prompt writing isn't a talent. It's a skill, and a few principles are all it takes.

Principle 1: Don't Skimp on Context

The AI knows nothing about your situation. Background details you'd leave out when talking to a person are exactly what you should spell out here.

❌ "Write me some marketing copy"

⭕ "I run a handmade granola brand aimed at working professionals in their 30s. I need copy for an Instagram ad. Rather than pushing the health angle, I want to evoke the feeling of 'a moment of calm in a busy morning.'"

Who (the audience), what (the product or situation), why (the goal), and in what tone — get those four in, and the results change completely.

Principle 2: Assign a Role

Tell it "You're an HR manager with 10 years of experience" or "You're a teacher explaining science to elementary schoolers," and the answer's perspective and level adjust to match. It's a simple technique, but it reliably works.

Principle 3: Specify the Format You Want

Saying up front what shape you want the output in saves you cleanup afterward.

• "Organize it as a table with columns for item / pros / cons."
• "Under 300 words, in a polite, professional tone."
• "Summarize in 5 bullet points, with a one-line conclusion at the end."

Principle 4: Show Examples

Attach one or two examples of the style you want, and the AI will follow the pattern. This is called few-shot prompting. Just paste in a well-written email you've sent before, or a piece of writing whose voice you like, and say "something like this."

Principle 5: Don't Try to Nail It in One Shot

A prompt isn't an exam answer — it's the opening line of a conversation. Getting the first response and then refining it with "shorter," "make the second point more specific," "drop the jargon" is how it's meant to be used. There's no need to pressure yourself into writing the perfect prompt on the first try.

A Template for Real Use

Here's the all-purpose skeleton I actually use. Just fill in the parts you need.

[Role] You are an expert in ___.
[Situation] I'm in ___ situation, and I need ___.
[Request] Please do ___.
[Constraints] The audience is ___, the length is ___, the tone is ___.
[Format] Present the result as ___.

Today's Takeaways

• The more specific the context (audience, goal, tone), the better the result.
• Assigning a role and specifying a format give you the best return for the least effort.
• Show examples and the AI will match the style (few-shot).
• Don't try to finish in one shot — refine through conversation.

The next post wraps up the basics series with a dictionary-style rundown of 30 AI terms you'll run into everywhere.