When people first use ChatGPT or any other language model, there’s often this weird moment where they type something like “Write a poem” or “Tell me something interesting”, and then feel underwhelmed by what comes out. It’s not that the AI is bad—it’s that most people aren’t used to the idea of giving detailed instructions to something that’s not human, but still understands us in a surprisingly deep way. That’s where prompting comes in. Always remember – “Garbage in, Garbage out”

Think of a prompt like giving directions. If you ask someone to draw a house, they might just scribble a square with a triangle on top. But if you ask them to draw a cozy log cabin in a snowy forest, with smoke coming out of the chimney and a dog lying on the porch—now you’re going to get something a lot more vivid. It’s the same with prompting AI. The more you feed it with context, tone, intent, and even the format you want, the more likely you’ll get something close to what you had in mind.

You don’t need to be a coder or tech person to write a good prompt. In fact, it’s more about thinking clearly and communicating well. Want a motivational quote that sounds like it could be tattooed on someone’s arm? Say that. Want a productivity checklist that feels like it was written by a Navy SEAL? Just ask. The key is to imagine the result you want and describe it like you’re explaining it to a really fast, really eager assistant who can do almost anything—as long as you’re clear enough.

A big mistake people make is being too vague. Let’s say you type “Give me a business idea.” Okay—but for what industry? What’s your budget? Do you want it to be online or physical? Passive income or hands-on? The more info you add, the more customized and actually useful the answer becomes. Here’s a quick trick: write the prompt like you’re making a wish from a genie, but without the risk of things going wrong. Be specific, because AI doesn’t assume things the way a human would.

Here’s another tip that works wonders: give examples. If you want an email written in a casual but professional tone, say something like: “Write me a follow-up email like this one: ‘Hey Sarah, just checking in on the project! Let me know if you need anything from me. Cheers!’” Now the AI knows exactly what kind of voice you’re aiming for. It’s like showing a stylist a photo before getting a haircut.

Also, don’t be afraid to use bullet points, numbered instructions, or even say things like “Write in a confident, witty tone. Use short paragraphs. Avoid buzzwords.” It’s okay to “boss” the AI around—it actually helps.

And if the result still isn’t quite right? Just keep iterating. A small tweak in your prompt can make a big difference. One cool trick is to literally say: “Make this more detailed” or “Can you rewrite this like it’s a Twitter thread?” or even “Pretend you’re a marketing expert.” You can layer in all sorts of roles or personas.

Finally, a note on using tools like this blog (and LearnAI24 in general): we’re working on building a prompt library where every example includes not just the prompt, but also the logic behind it. What it’s doing, how it works, and when to use it. That way, you can learn by doing and understanding.

So, if you’ve ever felt like AI isn’t reading your mind—good news: it’s not supposed to. But with the right prompt, it’ll feel like it is.