Creating content with AI: a practical guide to writing prompts that work

But if I asked how many of you were fully satisfied with the quality of the text or image you received back from AI, I bet a lot of hands would go down.

Yet more and more companies are relying on AI for business, campaigns and creativity. What do they know that most people don't know about getting quality results in a short time?

The answer is easy. They've figured out how to write effective prompts for generative AI.

Writing a prompt is the equivalent of finding the right words to express your wish to a genie in a bottle or to cast a spell. If you don't do it correctly, it's difficult to get the desired result, and you'll begin to view AI as a tool with no real value.

So how do you write a good prompt? Actually, it's pretty simple. Just stick to some practical rules that we'll take a look at together.

To understand how to write a good prompt, we first need to know what exactly it is.

In simple words, a prompt is the request you give to AI. The good thing is that with AI, you can speak in your natural language, just like you would with a friend. You don't need to learn any specific language or even how to program. You simply need to ask for what you want in a clear and concise way.

The trick to writing a good prompt is finding the right words. You need to be specific but not overly restrictive. And above all, you need to understand that any variation can significantly influence the quality and relevance of AI's response. Let's go into detail and see how it's done.

Now that we have a basic understanding of what a prompt is, it's time to explore what makes it effective. The difference between a mediocre prompt and one that really works magic is surprising, and it's all in the formulation.

A "meh" prompt might look something like this:

Yes, it's clear, but it lacks inspiration and details that could make the generated text more engaging.

Now, let's turn this prompt into a "wow" prompt:

Do you notice the difference? In the second prompt, there's an embedded narration, an intriguing context and a stimulus for creativity. An effective prompt should be like the first chapter of a novel, inviting AI to dive into a world of possibilities.

Here's another example to make the concept even more concrete:

"Meh" prompt:

"Wow" prompt:

In summary, the magic of an effective prompt lies in its ability to inspire, provide context and spark creativity on the part of AI. Experiment with intriguing ideas, and you'll see how your generated texts will go from ordinary to extraordinary.

Let's take a step further to refine the prompt's structure and maximize the effectiveness of the generated text.

Think of the prompt as a map. It should be clear, detailed and orienting, but at the same time, it should leave room for creative exploration. To further define things, follow these practical syntax tips for prompts:

Here's an example of a well-structured prompt:

This prompt is clear, provides intriguing context and contains relevant keywords. In short, it has everything needed for AI to produce an engaging text.

You may not realize it right away, but questions can also play a crucial role in writing an effective prompt. In fact, questions are not just requests for information; they can serve as creative levers, pushing AI to explore new directions.

We suggest using questions in the prompts to:

With the right questions, you can steer AI in the direction you want. Experiment a bit, see how the responses take shape and find your own style, even while writing prompts.

As we've already mentioned, writing a good prompt is a matter of word choice, but it's also a balance between clarity and creativity. Sometimes it's easy to stumble into traps that compromise the quality of the AI-generated response.

First, you'll need to avoid ambiguity and contradiction. Unclear or inconsistent information can end up confusing AI to the detriment of the quality of the text generated. On the other hand, providing too much detail can be a negative as well. In this case, the risk lies in excessively limiting AI's scope when, instead, leaving a certain degree of freedom might lead to better results. Finally, you'll need to avoid asking too many things in one prompt. In this instance, it's much better to break down complex requests into simpler prompts for clearer results.

Remember, clarity and consistency are key when writing a prompt. Try to imagine the process from the other side, as if you were giving instructions to a friend. If your request is understandable and inspiring, there's a high probability that AI will respond with equally engaging text.

Now that you've become familiar with writing effective prompts, it's time to unleash your creative streak and experiment with different styles and tones to discover the vast spectrum of possibilities offered by Artificial Intelligence in terms of text generation.

There are many variables you can play with. For example, you can try requesting texts in different narrative styles. You might use a prompt for an adventure narrative, one for a humorous dialogue, or one for a poetic description. Or you can vary the tone of your prompt and find that a playful one may generate lighter, funnier texts, while a serious one might lead to more thoughtful responses.

It certainly might be worth asking AI to write from alternative points of view. You might ask it to tell a story from the point of view of an animal, an object, or even an abstract concept. Finally, you can experiment with different literary genres by requesting fantasy, scientific, romantic or science fiction texts. This will allow you to discover how AI adapts to different styles and contexts.

The appeal of AI lies in its ability to adapt and create in ways that may surprise you. Don't be afraid to experiment with enthusiasm and an open mind, and you'll soon discover that your interaction with AI can become quite the creative adventure.

At this point, you understand that in order to get the best out of Artificial Intelligence, you must be ready to test, evaluate, modify and try again. Over time, you will gain experience and refine your prompt writing techniques, thus achieving optimal results more quickly.

Remember, however, that AI-generated texts are not set in stone. You can decide that they are perfect as they are, copy them and use them in your official communications. Or you might decide to use them as simple ideas, ladders or more or less elaborate outlines on which to graft your edits. In this case, the content generated will be the result of a "four-handed" approach between you and AI.

You are the director. AI will simply be a trusty helper that allows you to speed up the creation process and improve the quality of your content, in terms of texts and more.

Congratulations! You're officially on the path to becoming a master in the art of creating AI prompts!

At this point, whatever generative Artificial Intelligence system you find yourself using, it'll be easier if you can manage it in the best way possible. For example, by using MagicText, the text generation assistant available in WebSite X5, it'll be child's play, considering that it already guides you in composing the prompts by offering a few choices.

Whether you decide to use MagicText to help create all the text you need to develop a website, blog or e-commerce site, or if you prefer other services for generating content, you now know how to formulate your requests, so you'll have a better chance of being satisfied.

Ready to make a wish?

P.S. Who better than AI to know how to write prompts for AI? Here's another good reason - this post was written with its help!