Reader prompts, fixed — can you spot the difference? 🐾
A few real-life prompts (before and after) that show exactly what a clearer ask does. Plus — I want YOUR prompts next week.
This week we’ve been talking about how to talk to AI so it actually helps — and by now you know the formula: Who + What + How.
But there’s something about seeing it applied to a real, messy, everyday prompt that makes it click in a way the formula alone can’t quite do.
So today I’m doing something different. I’m sharing a few prompts that readers like you might actually type — the kind of thing someone writes when they’re new to this and just hoping for the best. And then I’m showing you what happens when we fix them.
See if you recognize yourself in any of these. 😊
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From the community — Reader Prompt #1From Margaret, 68, retired teacher in Florida:
“I’ve been wanting to ask AI to help me write something but I don’t even know where to start. I just type something and it gives me back this huge long thing I didn’t ask for.”
Margaret’s Prompt: Before & After
❌ What Margaret Was Typing
“Write something about my garden for my family newsletter.”
No length, no tone, no context about the family. AI fills every blank it’s given — which is why it writes a novel when you just wanted a paragraph.
✅ The Fixed Version
“Write a short, cheerful 3-paragraph update about my vegetable garden for my family’s monthly newsletter. Keep it warm and personal, like I’m talking to people who know me. Mention that the tomatoes are finally coming in.”
Now AI knows the length (3 paragraphs), the tone (warm and personal), the context (family newsletter), and even a specific detail to include. The result will feel like you wrote it.
From the community — Reader Prompt #2From Robert, 71, recently retired in Ohio:
“I asked AI to help me figure out Medicare and it gave me so much information I felt more confused than when I started.”
Robert’s Prompt: Before & After
❌ What Robert Was Typing
“Explain Medicare to me.”
This is like walking into a library and asking for “a book.” AI will give you everything it knows — which is overwhelming — because you didn’t tell it what slice of the topic you need.
✅ The Fixed Version
“I’m 71 and retired. I’m trying to decide between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare for the first time. Explain the difference in simple, plain language — no jargon — and tell me the top two or three things I should think about when choosing. Keep it under 300 words.”
Robert told AI his situation, his exact question, his preferred format, and his word limit. Now AI can give him exactly what he needs — a clear, focused answer instead of a textbook chapter.
From the community — Reader Prompt #3From Linda, 64, starting a small Etsy shop:
“I asked AI for product descriptions and they all came out sounding like every other shop on Etsy. There’s nothing special about them.”
Linda’s Prompt: Before & After
❌ What Linda Was Typing
“Write a product description for my handmade candle.”
AI has no idea what makes Linda’s candle special, who her customers are, or what feeling she wants to evoke. So it writes something generic — because generic is all it has to work with.
✅ The Fixed Version
“Write a product description for my handmade soy candle called ‘Sunday Morning.’ It smells like fresh coffee, vanilla, and a little bit of cinnamon. My customers are women in their 50s and 60s who love cozy, nostalgic things. The description should feel warm and story-like — as if it takes them somewhere. About 60–80 words.”
Linda gave AI her product’s story, her customer, the feeling she’s going for, and the length. The result will sound like her shop — not everyone else’s.
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Now I want YOUR prompt
Here’s what I’d love to do next week: feature real prompts from this community — fixed and explained, just like the ones above.
If you’ve tried asking AI something and got a confusing, unhelpful, or just plain weird answer — hit reply and send me your prompt. Tell me what you asked and what you were hoping to get back. I’ll pick a few and we’ll fix them together in next Wednesday’s post.
No prompt is too simple or too silly. Some of the best “before and after” examples come from the most everyday questions — the ones you’d never expect to be interesting. Your prompt might be exactly what someone else needed to see.
📬 Catch up on this week’s lessons:
🎬 Sunday: How I Plan My Entire Week of Content in 20 Minutes Using AI
🎬 Tuesday: How I Write My Substack Posts Using AI (Without Losing My Voice)
And come back Thursday for this week’s lecture — I’m showing you how to take one single idea and turn it into a full week of content using AI. It’s the system behind everything you’ve seen this week.
Reply and send me your prompt. I read every single one. 🐾
— Debbie
AI Puppy Playbook