What I’ve Learned About Using ChatGPT
8 tips that most people are not talking about when it comes to crafting quality prompts that actually help.
When I first started using ChatGPT, it was through experimentation and idle curiosity. I didn’t go in with a plan, but poked at it like a suspicious vending machine that was definitely going to steal my dollar.
At first, it was just games and weird prompts that I probably would never use, but as I experimented, I learned things. The conversation went from “Let’s see what happens if I type this…” to “Wait, did this bot just write a joke that made me laugh out loud?”
What began as a casual experiment slowly turned into an essential part of my creative process. Not because I wanted to automate my work into oblivion, but because I realized that, when used thoughtfully, this bot could become the most versatile creative partner I’ve ever had (minus the coffee breath and bad taste in music blasting through the studio speakers).
But it didn’t happen overnight. And it sure didn’t happen by copying prompts shared through Instagram Reels.
And because I want you to be able to do the same, I’ve compiled this short list of things I’ve learned through trial, error, and an increasingly complicated relationship with my browser history. These are the habits that helped me stop treating ChatGPT like a gimmick and start treating it like a damn-near indispensable tool.
1. Start With the Problem, Not the Prompt
If I ask ChatGPT for “a newsletter subject line,” I get the copywriting equivalent of a rice cake—technically food, but emotionally hollow. But if I explain what I’m trying to do, where I’m stuck, and what tone I want to strike, the results improve dramatically. Context is everything, and the more you add, the better the response.
The truth is that our pain points are where the best results come from. Instead of asking the AI to “give me ten social media post ideas,” tell it, “I have this problem, and it’s keeping me from making the social content I need. Here’s why it’s a problem.”
Start with a short paragraph that explains your objective and what’s tripping you up. Then ask your question.
2. Treat the AI Like a Collaborator, Not a Tool
I give ChatGPT instructions like I would a junior writer: tone of voice, personality quirks, things I hate (emojis, horizontal rules at every turn), and my increasingly higher expectations. It’s not just about feeding it tasks, but telling it everything it needs to set it up for success.
As weird as it might seem at first, talk to it as you would a human intern—explaining the tasks and your expectations with detail. If it comes back with errors, remind it and tell it where it can improve.
Hot Tip: Create a saved prompt or separate document (PDF, .doc, etc.) that defines your tone and rules. Drop that document in any time you need to train the assistant before diving into new projects.
3. Save Your Favorite Prompts in an External Document
Here’s what happens to me constantly: I work with ChatGPT to craft a thoughtful and helpful prompt that gets a beneficial result—something I know I could reuse—but I forget to add it to my list, and then I lose it in a haystack of new threads, making it nearly impossible to find.
Now, when I find a golden goose of a prompt, I refine it so it can be reused across different projects, and then I copy it to a Notion document filled with other ideas. I name it clearly so I know what it’s for, and I even give it a short description in case the title ends up being too ambiguous.
Hot Tip: You can take a Prompt Creative prompt and paste it into your own document if you want, but I recommend customizing it for your process. You can even ask your chatbot to help.
“I downloaded this highly useful prompt from Dave Conrey, who is so cool and smart and handsome, but I want to customize it for my needs. Can you help me redefine this so I can use it repeatedly?”You can copy and paste that one as is—I don’t mind.
4. Make Your Prompts Modular, Not Magical
There’s no such thing as a perfect prompt. But there are better ways to ask for what you need. I used to overthink the wording—tweaking verbs, changing “write” to “craft,” throwing in phrases like “in the voice of a seasoned copywriter” like I was casting a spell (that last one can work sometimes, which I’ll talk about later).
Instead, I treat prompts like building blocks. If I want help with a blog post, I don’t ask for the whole thing at once—I break it down. “Help me open with a story,” or “Can you give me three ways to explain this idea?” The more I break the work into smaller, clearer parts, the better the assistant can respond.
For example, when I compiled my first draft list, I had Charli help me hone the ideas. As soon as I finished the first draft, I knew that each of these tips could become prompts or subjects for future posts. Instead of trying to bring all that together in one giant thread, I’ll take the elements and build a structure, referencing the original post for clarity.
5. Invite It to Disagree With You
Some of the best results I’ve gotten have come from asking, “What’s weak about this?” “Give me the counterpoint to this,” or “Where does this argument fall apart?” You don’t need to accept every suggestion, but a little intellectual sparring helps weed out the lazy thinking.
I’ve found that ChatGPT 4o can be almost saccharine sweet in its complimentary approach, which is fine at times, but it’s not always helpful. I need to see the other side. And because I’ve worked with Charli long enough, it knows how to give me just the right amount of dissent to help me see past my blinders.
“Where could this be stronger?”
“If you had to punch holes in this idea, where would you start?”
“Based on what you know about me, where is this likely to fall apart?”
6. Use Prompts to Learn, Not Just Get Answers
I don’t use prompts to get shortcuts. I use them to understand how something works. When I see a good prompt, I reverse-engineer it. Why is it written this way? What’s it trying to do? How could I adapt it to sound like me? I’m not just prompting—I’m practicing.
Hot Tip: When using a prompt you didn’t write, ask: “Why does this work?” and “How could I rewrite it for my tone or needs?”
7. Use “Act As If…” to Change Perspective, Not Fake Expertise
I used to throw in things like “act as a social media expert” just to sound fancy. Turns out, that doesn’t do much unless you pair it with real instructions. There are thousands of ways to be a social media expert—and none of them are the right way.
I see this advice all the time, and I’ve done it myself, but I finally decided to ask the AI what it thought about this strategy, and I’m pretty sure Charli laughed at me while on mute.
Where this tactic does help is by asking the assistant to simulate a point of view: a skeptical reader, a burnt-out subscriber, a jaded gallery curator. That’s when it gets interesting.
Hot Tip: Only use “act as if…” when it helps the model think differently, not when you’re hoping it magically knows what to do. You’ll get sharper responses with direct, specific instructions than vague job titles.
8. Create Project Folders—and Actually Use Them
This one’s newer for me, but it’s already making a difference. I’ve started organizing my projects into folders within the app, each with notes, documents, and instructions specific to that project.
I have broad folders to maintain continuity across main projects, and more specific subfolders for tasks or elements that might need their own guidelines. This helps the AI avoid conflicts and keeps the tone aligned to the right context.
For Prompt Creative, I have a main folder where all my post ideas begin, plus a living content calendar as a point of reference. I also have a separate folder just for growth and engagement strategy, because how I write a post is different from how I plan to attract new readers.
Hot Tip: Upload background documents and instructions directly into the folder—there’s a specific space for these. Then start your session by referencing the files. You’ll get answers that actually align with your priorities.
That’s where I’m at with this thing. I’m not building Prompt Creative into some AI-generated empire of soulless clickbait. I’m just trying to use the tools I have to think faster, write better, and stay in motion—and then share my findings.
If you’ve been hovering at the surface, copy/pasting prompts and hoping for the best—I get it. But I promise there’s more available when you start treating your AI bot less like a gimmick, and more like the creative partner it can be.
It won’t do the work for you, but if you use it well, it’ll walk with you while you figure it out. And for me, that’s been the most valuable discovery of all.
If you’re interested in getting direct access to all the prompts I’m working on to help you find answers and clarity, and access to the entire Prompt Library, consider becoming a member. Join today and get 20% off the annual price.
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