Prompt Engineering: Why Your AI Prompts Aren’t Working (and How to Fix Them)

Prompt engineering sounds complicated, right? Shouldn't be! It's just giving clear instructions to your AI to get the results you want. Think of it like telling a friend exactly what you want so they don’t mess up your coffee order. Simple.

If your AI prompts haven't exactly been hitting the mark, this guide's for you. We'll keep it short, sweet, and actionable. Let's dive in ⤵️

What's Prompt Engineering, Really?

Prompt engineering is the skill of writing clear, precise instructions so your AI knows exactly what you want.

Why Your Prompts Aren’t Working

Most people struggle with getting the results they want from AI because AI doesn't totally understand what the prompter is looking for.

Good news: Improving your prompts is way easier than you think.

Let’s first go over some common mistakes (and simple improvements you can make to instantly upgrade to a better prompt):

✘ You're Being Too Vague:

• Bad Prompt: Tell me something about marketing.

• Improvement: Give me three simple social media marketing tips for beginners.

Why? Without specifics, the AI is grasping at straws to understand what you want. Be precise.

✘ Information Overload:

• Bad Prompt: Summarize this super-long document. [Pastes entire thing]

• Improvement: Summarize this document in 3 short bullet points. Here's the main idea: [short excerpt].

Why? Too much info confuses the AI. Give context, but keep it concise.

✘ Ignoring Format:

• Bad Prompt: Explain AI ethics.

• Improvement: Explain AI ethics in two clear, beginner-friendly paragraphs.

Why? Without format instructions, the AI improvises. Often ends up answering things you didn't even ask for or were hoping to see.

✘ No Role or Context:

• Bad Prompt: Write sales copy.

• Improvement: As an expert copywriter, create engaging sales copy for eco-friendly sneakers aimed at college students.

Why? Setting a clear context and role gives the AI instructions on what dataset to draw from. This dramatically increases the relevance of the response.

✘ Too Many Requests at Once:

• Bad Prompt: Write a funny blog about cats, history, health tips, and finish with a summary.

• Improvement: Break it down ⤵️
  - Write a humorous intro about cats.
  - List three historical facts about cats.
  - Share two quick health tips for cat owners.
  - Write a concise summary combining the above.

Why? Overloading the prompt leads to confusion. Shorter prompts = better clarity. Think of it like telling your intern what kind of coffee you want.

Easy instructions to consistently write good prompts:

① Context & Role: Who is the AI supposed to be? E.g., “You're a nutrition expert helping busy college students.”

② Request (Clear Task): What exactly do you want the AI to do? E.g., “Create a simple weekly meal plan.”

③ Audience & Style: Who’s it for, and how should it sound? E.g., “Use an upbeat, casual tone perfect for beginners.”

④ Format & Length: Exactly how should it look? E.g., “List meals as bullet points for breakfast, lunch, dinner."

⑤ Tighten with Constraints: Any boundaries? E.g., “Meals must be quick, under 15 minutes prep, simple ingredients only.”

Putting It All Together: Example Prompt

Here's what your prompt should look like:

You're a nutrition expert helping busy college students. Create a simple weekly meal plan, listed clearly in bullet points for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Keep the tone upbeat, casual, and beginner-friendly. All meals should take less than 15 minutes to prep with simple, easy-to-find ingredients.

Here's how powerful of a tool AI can be if you know how to prompt correctly:

Sup GPT? Need help writing an article.

Pretend you're a nutrition expert helping busy college students.

Create a simple weekly meal plan, listed clearly in bullet points for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Keep the tone upbeat, casual, and beginner-friendly.
All meals should take less than 15 minutes to prep with simple, easy-to-find ingredients.

Sup Auny! You got it — here’s a beginner-friendly weekly meal plan designed for busy college students who want to eat decent without blowing their budget or burning out in the kitchen. Every meal takes less than 15 minutes, uses simple ingredients, and won’t leave you hangry halfway through class.

⸻

🥑 Easy Weekly Meal Plan for Busy Students

⌛ All meals under 15 mins | 💡 No fancy tools needed | 🛒 Cheap + simple ingredients

⸻

🍳 Breakfast (same options each day — rotate as you like)
    •	Greek yogurt bowl → Yogurt + banana slices + honey + granola
    •	Microwave egg scramble → 2 eggs + cheese + spinach + salt → zap for 1.5 mins
    •	Overnight oats → Oats + milk or almond milk + chia seeds + peanut butter (prep the night before)
    •	Toast & fruit combo → 2 slices whole grain toast + almond butter + apple slices on the side
    •	Smoothie → Frozen berries + banana + Greek yogurt + milk → blend and go

⸻

🥪 Lunch (grab-and-go style, minimal cooking)

MON: Turkey & cheese wrap + baby carrots + hummus
TUE: Tuna salad sandwich (mix with Greek yogurt or mayo) + pickle + chips
WED: Caprese quesadilla → mozzarella, tomato, and spinach in a tortilla → pan-fry 5 mins
THU: Chicken Caesar salad (use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken)
FRI: Egg salad wrap + grapes or a protein bar
SAT: Peanut butter + banana sandwich + trail mix
SUN: Avocado toast (add a fried egg if you’re feelin’ fancy)

⸻

🍲 Dinner (hot meals that feel cozy but stay simple)

MON: Stir-fry → Frozen veggies + pre-cooked chicken + soy sauce + serve over instant rice
TUE: Pita pizza → Pita bread + marinara + shredded cheese + toppings → 10 min oven or toaster
WED: One-pan quesadillas → Black beans + corn + cheese in a tortilla
THU: Pesto pasta → Boil pasta + jarred pesto + cherry tomatoes (add chicken if you have some)
FRI: Breakfast for dinner → Scrambled eggs + toast + avocado or hash browns
SAT: Ramen glow-up → Instant ramen + egg + spinach + frozen dumplings
SUN: Lazy chili → Canned beans + diced tomatoes + corn + taco seasoning → heat & eat

⸻

💡 Pro Tips:
    •	Batch prep: Cook extra rice, pasta, or eggs and reuse them through the week.
    •	Frozen is your friend: Frozen veggies, fruit, and protein save time and cash.
    •	Snack smart: Keep trail mix, fruit, hard-boiled eggs, and protein bars on hand.
    •	Hydrate! Don’t forget water (and coffee, let’s be real ☕).

⸻

Let me know if you want a grocery list to go with it!

Prompt Quick-Fix Checklist ✅

Before you hit send, do a quick quickly check (saves you from going insane and smashing your fists on the table because AI doesn't understand):

• Did I provide enough context?

• Is my task specific enough?

• Did I mention the format and length I want?

• Is the tone suitable for my target audience?

• Anything important I DON'T want the AI to mention?

If YES, you're good to go.

Here's Some Example Prompts for Everyday Use:

• Creative Writing: You're a fantasy author. Write a suspenseful intro (just 3-5 sentences) set in a mysterious, magical forest. Start with an intriguing hook that instantly makes readers curious to know more.

• Business Emails: You're a professional HR rep. Write a concise, polite rejection email to applicants, with a professional but empathetic tone.

• Simplified Learning: Explain quantum computing simply, using everyday analogies and casual language, in 4 concise bullet points.

Your Next Move: Just Start!

Prompt engineering is all about practice and tweaking. Train your AI to understand you, your style, your tone and your language. Dive in, experiment and soon you'll effortlessly craft prompts that deliver exactly what you need: every time.

Keep prompting simple, clear and purposeful. That's all there is to it.

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