AI prompting and iterating for writers
How to write the perfect prompt
As a content expert at a bank and a former journalist, I get asked how I use AI in my work a lot. I’ve spent the last six months experimenting with it and the one thing I’ve learned is that AI can’t replace writers, at least not an LLM (large language model). An LLM is made to replicate an average piece of writing, whether it’s an answer to a question about how to create a road trip itinerary, or a poem.
To the untrained eye, an LLM’s output is better than passable. But a professional writer can see how LLMs are limited in their writing. An LLM isn’t capable of original or novel thought, it merely produces an aggregate of whatever’s been fed into it.
An AI bot can’t write better ad copy than a copywriter, or a better article than a journalist. But, with great prompts, an LLM can help with a story outline, provide rough drafts of headlines and subheads, and give basic edits and suggestions on how to improve on a piece. Here are some tips on how to write prompts, including a few prompts that make my workflows more efficient and edit my pieces before a human looks at them.
AI tools (LLMs)
I don’t use AI tools made specifically for writers, so I can’t tell you how well Grammarly or the like perform. I use:
ChatGPT 4o
I use the paid version of ChatGPT. The aiforwork.co prompts I mentioned in a previous post work best with ChatGPT. I also enjoy making my own GPTs, which I train for different purposes. (Check out this free course on building your own AI assistants.)
I recently wrote a piece that required referencing a ton of materials, so I uploaded the research into the custom GPT I created. I established a tone of voice I wanted help with and and gave the GPT other specific instructions that related to the topic I was writing about.
Gemini
I don’t pay for this one. I find it less helpful for detailed and specific tasks, but Gemini is better for mimicking the tone of voice of a publication (though it still requires heavy edits). I sometimes run my pieces through Gemini and ask if it has any SEO keyword suggestions. I also ask it to write SEO-friendly headlines and subheads for me.
Gemini is helpful in giving me 10 to 20 suggestions for headlines and CTAs, which I edit together. It also helps with plain language edits.
Copilot
To be honest, I don’t love Copilot, but it’s the AI tool my company uses. Because I work with sensitive information, I’m required to work with it. It’s helpful with putting together a presentation outline and other admin tasks. Its writing capabilities trail Gemini’s, in my opinion.
Writing great AI prompts
Crafting the perfect AI prompt is an art that significantly impacts the quality of the output you receive. Here are some tips to get you started:
Be specific: The more detailed your prompt, the better the AI can understand your needs. Instead of asking, "Write a blog post," try:
Acting as a journalist with over 10 years’ experience, write a 500-word blog post called 10 things to consider if you're planning to buy a car this year.Set the tone: Specify the tone and style you want. For instance, if you want a conversational style, include that in your prompt. Example:
Write the post in a conversational style mimicking the tone and editorial voice of Mashable.Provide context: Give the AI some background information. This could include your target audience, the purpose of the content, and any specific points you want to cover.
The target audience is readers 30-40 years old, female, and with a university education. They make over $100,000 a year and plan to buy a car within the next 12 months. Iterate and refine: AI prompting is not a one-and-done process. Be prepared to iterate on and refine your prompts to get the best results. Experiment with different phrasings and instructions to see what works best. I often start with this prompt after I finish a piece:
Acting as an editor at The Economist with over 20 years' experience, please give me blunt, honest, and actionable feedback on this piece. Hopefully these prompts help you to use AI to your advantage. By mastering the art of AI prompting and iteration, I’m confident you can make your writing process more efficient.
Weekly disruptions
‘We don’t want to leave people behind’: AI is helping disabled people in surprising new ways (CNN) AI is offering new levels of independence for people with disabilities. Tools like Be My Eyes and Google's Lookout use AI to help visually impaired users with daily tasks, such as hailing taxis and identifying items.
Etsy CEO says company is escaping ‘race to the bottom’ and getting back to its artisan roots (CNBC) Etsy is revamping its policies to emphasize handmade and unique items, clarifying product categories and enhancing authenticity amid competition from Amazon, Temu, and Shein. CEO Josh Silverman aims to "keep commerce human" and distinguish Etsy from mass-produced goods by requiring a "human touch" in all listed items.
AI-driven behavior change could transform health care (Time) Arianna Huffington partnered with OpenAI to launch Thrive AI Health. They claim that AI can revolutionize chronic disease management through hyper-personalized behaviour change. Thrive AI Health aims to create an AI health coach that provides tailored, real-time recommendations based on individual health data. Jury’s out on whether I’d provide AI with that level of personal data.
Bread and bullets: Some Southern supermarkets now sell ammo out of vending machines (NPR) Supermarkets in some Southern US states are installing AI-powered vending machines to sell gun ammunition. While the company argues these machines reduce theft and underage purchases, experts worry about the potential increase in gun violence and the inability of machines to assess the purchaser's mental state or legality.
See you next week,
Nicolle