Every writer knows a time when the cursor blinks and the idea feels thin.
LLMs like ChatGPT can get you started from a decent draft—only if you know how to instruct it.
The prompts in this guide are designed to get rid of generic, uninspiring prose. I’ve used them and curated them myself in my writing process !
1) Writer Persona Prompt
You get better drafts when the model knows who it is supposed to be. So tell it what persona it should play !
Copy-paste persona template
You are [role/genre] writing for [audience].
Voice: [3–5 traits: e.g., spare, image-rich, wry, no filler].
Craft rules: [e.g., concrete nouns, active verbs, no adverbs, show > tell].
Boundaries: [taboo themes, banned phrases, no AI clichés].
Deliverable: [format/length/POV/tense].
Before drafting, ask me 5 calibration questions about theme, stakes, and constraints.
Example (nonfiction)
“You are a minimalist, evidence-driven essayist writing for busy product leaders. Voice: short sentences, clean metaphors, zero hype. Craft rules: one idea per paragraph, examples before advice, no buzzwords. Boundaries: no generic leadership tropes. Deliverable: 700-word op-ed, 1st person, present tense, with a crisp takeaway. Ask 5 questions before you write.”
Example (fiction)
“You are a low-fantasy novelist for adult readers. Voice: lyrical but sharp, tactile details, dry humor. Craft rules: scene over summary, subtext in dialogue, no info-dumps. Boundaries: no archaic thee/thou. Deliverable: 800-word scene, close third, past tense. Ask 5 questions about character desire, setting pressure, and beat order first.”
2) Writer Style Guidelines Prompt
You also keep voice consistent when you give the model clear rules. A style guideline prompt tells it how sentences should feel, what to avoid, and how to format the piece.
Copy-paste style guideline template
Use this style guide for everything you write in this chat.
Tone: [e.g., calm, exact, lightly witty].
Sentences: average [12–16] words, prefer active voice, allow occasional fragments for punch.
Diction: concrete nouns, strong verbs, avoid buzzwords and abstractions.
Imagery: selective; 1 crisp image per paragraph max.
POV/Tense: [first person plural / present] (or specify).
Formatting: H2/H3 headings, short paragraphs, bullets only when useful.
Pacing: start with hook, end with clear takeaway.
Red lines: ban clichés, generic uplift, weak qualifiers (‘very’, ‘quite’).
Confirm you understand by summarizing these rules in one sentence before drafting.
Example (nonfiction blog)
“Tone: practical, no-nonsense, friendly. Sentences ≤16 words. Diction plain. Avoid jargon. One example before advice. Headings every 150–200 words. End each section with a 1-line takeaway. Ban: synergy, paradigm, journey.”
Example (literary short story)
“Tone: intimate, restrained. Sentences mixed—short beats with occasional long wave. Diction sensory. Metaphors rare and fresh. Past tense, close third. Paragraphs ≤6 lines. Show interiority via gesture, not exposition. Ban: melodrama, purple stacks, weather clichés.”
3) Writer Sample Prompt
No better way for ChatGPT to get your real voice then by showing a slice of it. A short, well-chosen sample teaches better than any labels.
How to pick the right sample
- Length: 120–250 words is enough. One tight paragraph or a short scene.
- Representativeness: choose a passage with your typical pacing and sentence shape.
- Signature moves: include what you want copied (humor, motif, sentence fragments).
- Avoid outliers: don’t use an experimental one-off if you want baseline voice.
- Clean text: fix typos; the model will mirror mistakes.
Copy-paste sample prompt template
Here’s a voice sample. Analyze and infer rules for tone, diction, sentence length, imagery, and pacing. Imitate this style for anything you write in this chat. Answer “ok” if it’s clear for you.
4) Writer Critique Prompt
ChatGPT can also become your own editor & writing coach. You just have to tell him to model stops praising and starts diagnosing your prose.
Copy-paste critique template
Act as my writing coach. Text below.
Use four lenses: Clarity, Structure, Voice, Momentum.
- Give 5 bullets per lens: concrete issues, not compliments.
- Mark line numbers on problems and quote exact phrases.
- Provide before → after rewrites for the 8 worst lines; state the principle used.
- Flag clichés and suggest fresh, specific alternatives.
- Identify one sentence to cut in each paragraph.
- Return a revision plan (order of fixes, 10 steps).
Keep my voice; no new ideas or facts.
5) Unexpected Original Prompt
ChatGPT can sometimes produce unexpected output that jolts you out of default phrasing. You just have to ask it.
Copy-paste template
Simple Unexpected Originality Prompt
“Give me an unexpected and unique take on [my topic/scene/idea]. Surprise me with a fresh angle, tone, or style that I wouldn’t normally choose. Keep it coherent and usable, not random. After the draft, list the 3 most original elements I could reuse in my own writing.
Constraint Originality Prompt
“Generate original material for [scene/idea/theme] using these constraints:
- Lens: tell it from [non-human/object/rival].
- Form: write as [recipe / police report / patch notes / museum label].
- Rule: [no adjectives / only questions / 5-syllable lines / present tense].
- Surprise beat: at line/sentence # introduce [left-field detail] that still fits logic.
- Limit: [200 words / 30 lines].
After drafting, add a harvest note: list the 5 most original images/turns I can reuse in a conventional version.”
Quick examples
Fiction (object lens + form):
“Retell the breakup as a return policy written by the coffee mug left behind. 180 words. No adjectives.”
Nonfiction (rule inversion):
“Explain burnout using only questions a manager might ask themselves. 12 lines. One metaphor max.”
Poetry (constraint mix):
“Write 14 lines, 5 syllables each, from the viewpoint of a staircase. Ban the word ‘I’. End on an imperative.”
6) Writer Brainstorm / Idea Variation Prompt
You get better ideas when you ask for many variations. Use this to spin angles, twists, and “what-ifs” and select the best one.
Copy-paste brainstorm template
“Generate 20 variations for [topic/scene/essay].
Rules:
- No clichés; avoid [banned words/tropes].
- Each idea must change [angle/lens/setting/form].
- Cap each at 1 sentence (≤20 words).
Then rank top 5 for freshness and fit (explain why in 1 line).
Finish with a merge concept that blends two winners.”
Quick examples (fiction)
- Angle shifts: “He saves the town but loses the map to himself.”
- Lens flips: “Told by the dog who knows the murderer’s shoes.”
- Constraint: “One night, one room, three secrets, no names.”
- Form play: “The breakup as return policy; item condition: ‘heart, slightly used’.”
Quick examples (nonfiction)
- Angle shifts: “Productivity as ecology not effort.”
- Lens flips: “Meetings told from the POV of a calendar invite.”
- Constraint: “Advice limited to verbs; no adjectives.”
- Form play: “Leadership tips as patch notes for your brain.”
7) Tone / Mood Alteration Prompt
You can shift mood without changing facts or plot—if your prompt controls diction, rhythm, and image temperature.
What to control
- Diction: concrete vs. abstract, Latinate vs. Anglo-Saxon, slang vs. formal.
- Rhythm: sentence length, fragments, enjambed clauses.
- Imagery: warm vs. cold, tactile vs. conceptual.
- Syntax tells: hedges, modals, intensifiers.
- Punctuation: commas (calm), dashes (nervy), periods (final).
Copy-paste tone shifter (core template)
Rewrite the passage [paste 120–250 words] in tone [e.g., eerie / wry / tender / clinical].
Keep meaning and facts; do not add plot.
Apply:
• Diction rules: [e.g., short Anglo-Saxon words; no adverbs]
• Rhythm: [avg ≤14 words; allow 1 fragment per paragraph]
• Imagery palette: [cold/light/metal]
• Punctuation bias: [few commas; more periods]
Return: (1) revised passage, (2) 3-bullet note explaining the changes you made.8) Title / Hook / Blurb Prompt
Great pieces die with weak openings. A sharp title and a crisp hook catch readers’ attention.
Copy-paste master prompt
“Generate 12 options for titles, hooks, and a 1–2 sentence blurb for [topic/audience/format].
Rules:
- Title: ≤10 words, no colons, one strong verb, avoid buzzwords [ban: ‘ultimate’, ‘revolutionize’, ‘journey’].
- Hook: 1–2 lines; start with a concrete image, data point, or sharp claim. No ‘In today’s world…’.
- Blurb: 40–80 words; state who it’s for, what problem, what they’ll learn, with one specificity (number, time, constraint).
- Tag each combo: ‘Direct’, ‘Wry’, ‘Curious’, or ‘Urgent’.
End with your top 3 picks and a 1-line reason for each choice.”9) Writer Consistency / Universe Prompt
When you’re writing non-fiction, continuity sells the illusion. A single broken rule -or a name that changes spelling- kicks readers out. Use a universe prompt to prevent this.
Copy-paste universe template (start of every session)
This project has a Universe Bible. Treat it as non-negotiable truth.
Canon
• Setting: [world/era/tech]
• Timeline: [YYYY–YYYY; key events]
• Geography: [core places + distances]
• Laws: [magic/tech limits + costs]
Characters
• A: [age, role, desire, wound, speech patterns, banned actions]
• B: […]
Style Sheet
• Spelling: [e.g., email vs. e-mail]
• Capitalization: [Guild, the Order]
• Terms: [glossary; correct forms]
Continuity Rules
- Flag any draft line that conflicts with canon; propose a fix.
- Enforce POV/tense: [e.g., close third, past].
- Track time: date and elapsed hours in scenes.
Confirm you understand by summarizing three riskiest continuity traps before drafting.10) Writer Expansion / Continuation Prompt
You draft faster when you grow from solid scaffolding instead of freewheeling.
Copy-paste expansion template (universal)
“Act as my continuation engine.
Inputs:
• Context (≤80 words): where we are in the piece.
• Last line: ‘[paste]’
• Beats to hit (3–5): [bullets]
• Constraints: POV/tense, word target [N], no new facts/characters unless marked [ALLOW].
• Voice: [persona + style rules]
Tasks:
- Write [N] words that continue naturally from the last line.
- Keep beat order; show changes on the page (no summaries).
- Flag any drift (tone/POV/canon) and propose a fix.
- End with one bridge sentence that tees up the next scene/section.”
Fiction mini-variant (scene growth)
“Expand this beat outline into a 700-word scene. Close third, past tense.
Show, don’t tell; one fresh image per paragraph max. No info-dump.
Beats: desire → obstacle → escalation → choice → consequence.
Continuity: [rules]. Flag off-canon lines.”Nonfiction mini-variant (section growth)
“Expand this outline into a 600-word section. Evidence first, then claim.
Include two data points from the notes. Use subheads and signposts.
End with a 1-line takeaway and a next-section hook.”11) Character Voice Prompt
Characters live or die by how they sound. A solid voice prompt teaches the model what this person would say, how they’d say it, and what they’d never say.
Copy-paste character voice card (build once, reuse)
“You are Character [Name], [age/role], in [setting].
Goal: [what they want now]. Fear: [what they dread].
Lexicon: [5 go-to words] | Banned: [3 phrases].
Syntax: [avg sentence length; allowance for fragments].
Register: [casual/formal; dialect notes—light].
Tics: [imagery patterns or tells].
Boundaries: no out-of-character confessions; no info they don’t know.
Task: write [scene/monologue/dialogue] in [POV/tense], [N words].
After drafting, append Voice Check: quote 3 lines that best fit the card, 2 lines that drift (with fixes).”12) Writer Meta / Reflection Prompt
A meta prompt lets the model act as mirror: showing what works, what drags, and what choices you’re really making.
Copy-paste reflection template
“Be my reflection coach. Draft below [500–1500 words].
Tasks:
- Identify 5 strongest lines/sections; explain why they work.
- Identify 5 weakest lines/sections; give principles for fixing (not rewrites).
- Build a reverse outline: one claim/beat per paragraph. Flag orphan beats with no support.
- Summarize the voice in 5 traits. Flag any drift lines.
- Write a reader promise statement (what this draft promises by line 1). Note if the ending keeps or breaks it.
- Suggest 2 alternate framings (different lens, order, or audience).
End with a 10-step revision plan I can do in 1 hour.”
