How to Write Prompts That Actually Work.

Stop Blaming ChatGPT—Start Asking Better Questions

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Why This Article Matters

Most people don’t get the answers they want from ChatGPT.

But it’s usually not ChatGPT’s fault.

It’s the “prompt”.

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What is a Prompt?

A “prompt” is the instruction or question you give to an AI.

Think of it like a request you type into a search bar—but smarter, deeper, and more flexible.

Good prompt = good answer.
Bad prompt = confusion, general advice, or worse: nothing useful.

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The Problem Most Users Face

People say:
“I asked ChatGPT and it didn’t help.”
But what they really did was:

Typed something vague.
Gave no context
Expected a magic result

Example of a “bad prompt” :

“`
Help me.
“`

Example of a “clear prompt”:

“`

“I’m writing an email to a customer about a late delivery.”
Can you write a professional but friendly apology message?
“`

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Commanding ChatGPT vs. Prompting ChatGPT

There’s a difference.

A command is short and lacks detail:

> “Write me a blog post.”

A “prompt” includes instructions, tone, structure, context:

> “Write a 300-word blog post for small business owners about how to reduce email overload. Use a friendly tone. Include 3 tips.”

ChatGPT isn’t a mind reader.
It follows patterns.
It needs direction.

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What Makes a Prompt Effective?

Here’s what to include:

✅ Context — What is this for? Who is it for?
✅ Objective — What do you want the AI to do exactly?
✅ Format — Bullet points? List? Script? Paragraphs?
✅ Tone — Casual? Professional? Excited? Calm?
✅ Length — Short answer? 100 words? 3 examples?

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Real Example

Weak Prompt:

“`
Explain marketing.
“`

Strong Prompt:

“`
Explain the basics of digital marketing in simple language for a beginner starting an online store.
Keep it under 200 words and give 3 examples of tools they can use.
“`

Which one will give you a useful, focused answer?
Always the second one.

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Use This Prompt Template

Here’s a fill-in-the-blank guide:

“`
You are a [role or tone].
Your task is to [specific goal].
Give the answer in [format/length].
Here is what I need:
[Your input, problem, or topic]
“`

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Sample:

“`
You are a productivity coach.
Your task is to suggest 5 practical habits to improve focus for remote workers.
Give the answer in a bulleted list.
Here is what I need:
I keep getting distracted while working from home.
“`

This kind of prompt gives you high-quality answers.
Every time.

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AI doesn’t think like a human.
It doesn’t guess your intention.
It looks for “patterns in your words”.

So your prompt becomes the “entire instruction manual”.

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❌ One-liners with no detail
❌ Open-ended commands with no context
❌ Asking multiple unrelated things in one line
❌ Skipping tone or format requests
❌ Typing like you’re texting a friend

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The better you ask, the better it answers.

Before you say “ChatGPT didn’t help me,”
ask yourself:

👉 Did I give it enough information?
👉 Did I guide it properly?
👉 Would a stranger understand what I’m asking?