Chapter Zero · Beginner FAQ

How Do You Actually Write a Good Prompt?

The internet is full of "god-tier prompt templates," often hundreds of words long. The skeleton that actually works has just three parts — everything else is icing on the cake.

One-sentence answer

Cover three things clearly — background, request, and constraints — and your prompt already beats nine out of ten. A prompt isn't a magic spell; it's simply a clear briefing.

The Universal Skeleton · Three Things to Cover
1

Background: who I am, what's the situation

It doesn't know you. Your industry, your audience, the occasion — only when you say them does it know which direction to answer in.

"I handle admin at a 20-person renovation company, and I need to send a schedule-adjustment notice to all my colleagues…"
2

Request: what I want

A paragraph? A checklist? A plan? The more specific the verb, the more on-target the result.

"…help me write this notice: we're off October 1–8, with a make-up workday on the 9th…"
3

Constraints: what counts as good

Tone, length, format, what to avoid. This is your "acceptance criteria" — give it and you'll redo far less.

"…keep the tone light, under 200 words, and end by reminding everyone to book tickets early."
Try It Yourself · Feel the Difference Each Puzzle Piece Makes

The task: get the AI to write a social media post announcing a bakery's grand opening. Pick one piece from each group (or none), and watch how the assembled prompt — and the AI's answer — changes.

🧩 Group 1 · Background: how much will you tell it?
🧩 Group 2 · Request: what do you want it to do?
🧩 Group 3 · Constraints: what counts as good?
Your assembled prompt:
Feel the difference? Same AI — the quality of the answer depends entirely on the puzzle pieces you hand it. This skeleton also shows up in another scenario in the "Treat it like a new coworker who doesn't know you" lesson. Below are three bonus tricks for leveling up.
Three Bonus Tricks · Once You Try Them, There's No Going Back
📎

Trick 1: One example beats ten adjectives

You say "make it lively," but its idea of "lively" may be far from yours. Paste a sample you like and say "write it in this vibe" — the style locks in instantly.

"Help me write a product intro. Match the style of this line: 'This umbrella's greatest talent is fitting two people's shoulders under it.'"
🔄

Trick 2: If you can't explain it, let it ask you first

Not sure what to brief it on? One line — "Before you start, ask me a few questions" — turns it into your interviewer. Every question it asks is quietly ruling out the wrong answers for you.

"I want to plan my kid's summer vacation. Before you start, ask me a few questions you need answered."
🎯

Trick 3: If you're not happy, say exactly where

A rough first draft is normal — don't scrap the whole thing. Point at the specific spot: "the second paragraph is too formal, make it conversational," "don't open with a question." Two or three rounds gets you close to what you want.

"Pretty good overall. But 'Dear esteemed colleagues' is way too stiff — we all go by nicknames at our company. Change that."

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