Guide
Asking well: prompts that work
Please note: This site is only a guide to help people understand. Consult your IT, security and/or privacy department for clarification.
Be specific
Say who the writing is for, how long it should be, what format you want and what it is for. The more of those you give, the less the tool has to guess.
In the examples, the words in [SQUARE BRACKETS] are placeholders. Fill them in with your own details.
Weaker prompt Write a thank-you letter.
Stronger prompt Write a 150-word thank-you letter to [DONOR FIRST NAME] for their first gift to [PROGRAM NAME]. Warm, plain language, no jargon. Mention one result: [RESULT].
Why it works better: It names the reader, the length, the tone and one real detail to include.
Give context
The tool only has what you give it in the chat, so tell it who you are, what happened and which facts to use.
If you do not give the facts, it may fill the gap with guesses.
Weaker prompt Write a post asking for volunteers.
Stronger prompt We are [ORGANIZATION TYPE], and we need volunteers for [EVENT] on [DATE]. We need [NUMBER] people to work as [ROLE]. Write a friendly social media post of under 60 words for [AUDIENCE]. Use only these facts.
Why it works better: It gives the event, the date, the role and the audience. It also says to use only those facts.
Word choice matters
Small changes in the words you pick can change the answer a lot. Pick words that can be measured or checked.
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| "Summarize" | "List the three decisions and who owns each" |
| "Short" | "Under 100 words" |
| "Simple" | "For a reader at a 6th-grade level" |
| "Professional" | "Warm and respectful, like a note from a program director" |
Weaker prompt Summarize these meeting notes.
Stronger prompt From the meeting notes below, list the three decisions made and who owns each one. Then list any open questions. Keep it under 120 words. Notes: [PASTE NOTES HERE]. Remove private names and details first.
Why it works better: "Summarize" could mean anything. This asks for specific parts, an owner for each and a length.
Try again
The first answer is a draft, not the final answer. If it is not right, try again.
You can ask for changes, such as "Make it warmer," "Cut it to three bullets" or "Use fewer numbers." Or you can start a fresh chat and ask in a different way. Trying again usually takes only a minute. Small changes in your words can give you a very different result.
Weaker prompt That is not right. Do it again.
Stronger prompt Keep the opening, but make the tone warmer and cut it to [NUMBER] sentences. Remove the second paragraph. Replace the word "beneficiaries" with "neighbors" (use whatever word your community prefers).
Why it works better: It says what to keep and what to change, so the next try moves in the right direction.
Show an example
If you want a certain style, paste a short sample of it. Use something from your own public material, such as a newsletter paragraph that is already published.
Then say, "Match the style of this example." Never paste a private email or a client note as your sample.
Weaker prompt Write in our voice.
Stronger prompt Here is a paragraph from our public newsletter: [PASTE PUBLIC SAMPLE]. Match its tone and sentence length. Now write a 100-word update about [TOPIC].
Why it works better: The tool cannot guess your voice. A real sample shows it.
Ask it to flag gaps
Tell the tool what to do when it is missing something. Try, "If you need information I haven't given you, ask me first." Or, "If a fact is missing, write MISSING INFO."
That can make gaps easier to see. It does not catch everything, so still check the draft against your facts.
Keep private details out
Use [PLACEHOLDERS] for names, addresses and case details. Put the real ones in after you have the draft, on your own computer.
Not sure what to leave out? The checker can help you spot common things to remove. It cannot catch everything, so read your text before you paste.