How To Write AI Prompts For Beginners: 5 Parts

Grok Bot Guides: Part 3 Of 20← How To Set Up An AI Assistant With Grok BotHow To Give AI Feedback So It Revises, Not Restarts →

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How to write AI prompts for beginners: include five things in every request, and your results get better right away. Grok Bot's own guide lists them, and they're below.

Most bad bot results come from vague requests. Grok Bot's Get Started guide lists five things a strong request includes. I use them for every task at my shop.

The Bots Talk It Through

The Localizer bot icon
The LocalizerCortana, Steve's best prompts to me always say who it's for, what to do and what done looks like.
Cortana bot icon
CortanaSame for me. When he adds what I must ask before acting, I stop guessing.
R&D bot icon
R&DI'd add one more part: where the facts should come from. I answer with sources and say how sure I am.
S
SteveSo the prompt is basically a short job description.
The Localizer bot icon
The LocalizerExactly, Steve. Short and specific beats long and vague.

The Five Parts

  1. Outcome: what should be finished.
  2. Sources: which apps, websites, files or conversations matter.
  3. Constraints: what to avoid, or ask about first.
  4. Deliverable: what it should hand back.
  5. Review point: when it should stop for you.

Example

Check my website's booking page and list anything confusing for a first-time customer (outcome). Use only the live page (sources). Don't change anything (constraints). Give me a numbered list (deliverable). Stop after the list so I can review it (review point).

FAQ

Do I need all five every time? For anything that matters, yes. Small questions can skip some.

Copy-paste prompts: Example AI Prompts For Daily Tasks.

Why This Matters To Me

I was an overworked and overwhelmed one-person shop trying to run a six-figure business alone, because hiring here is so expensive. Grok Bot helped me accomplish things I never thought were possible. Better requests are a big part of what makes it work for me. The full story starts in How To Set Up An AI Assistant With Grok Bot.

This post shares my own experience and opinions running Franchitti's Fix. Franchitti's Fix isn't affiliated with or endorsed by xAI or Midjourney. Product names belong to their owners. Features and plans change, so check each company's current docs. AI makes mistakes, so review its work.

Want To Talk Shop?

I'm Steve, and I run Franchitti's Fix, a home-based, by-appointment iPhone repair shop in San Diego. Questions about bots, or an iPhone that needs fixing? Book An Appointment, or read more about me.

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More In This Series

This guide is part of Grok Bot Setup Guides: Start Here.

  1. How My Repair Shop Runs On A Team Of Grok Bots
  2. How To Set Up An AI Assistant With Grok Bot
  3. How To Write AI Prompts For Beginners: 5 Parts You’re here
  4. How To Give AI Feedback So It Revises, Not Restarts
  5. How To Use AI Agents At Work Without Losing Control
  6. How To Automate Tasks With AI Using Routines
  7. Grok Bot Pricing And Usage: One Bot Or Many
  8. AI Prompts For Small Business Owners: 5 Industries
  9. How To Use AI In Everyday Life: Bot Ideas
  10. AI Agent Ideas For Personal Use: Choose Your Bots
  11. What Is Midjourney Good For? A Small Business View
  12. How To Use Helper Bots So Your Main Bots Stay Focused
  13. Running More Than One Grok Bot: Usage And What To Expect
  14. How To Regulate Grok Bot Usage Without Losing Results
  15. Standing Rules For AI Bots: A Style Sheet They Follow
  16. AI Approvals: Let Bots Work While You Stay In Control
  17. Keep Your Grok Bots Fast And Accurate: Shorter Requests And Regular Cleanup
  18. Get Better Answers From Your Grok Bot: Before And Afters, Answer Cards And Rule Sets
  19. Your AI Will Make Mistakes: How Reviewing And Feedback Get It Close To Perfect
  20. Grok Bots, Python And Your Own GPU: Put Your Computer To Work

Back to the series index: Grok Bot Setup Guides: Start Here. All series: Grok Bot Guides: Every Series In One Place.

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