Your AI prompt cheat sheet (fill in the blanks + save) 🐾
The 3-part formula that makes every AI request better — with 5 ready-to-use examples you can customize right now.
Yesterday I talked about why AI sometimes sounds confused — and the short answer was: it’s usually the ask, not the AI.
Today I want to give you the fix. Something simple you can keep on your phone, pin to your fridge, or save right here in your Substack app. A formula that makes almost every AI request better, almost instantly.
Ready? Here it is.
🐾 The 3-Part Prompt Formula
[ Who ] + [ What ] + [ How ]
Who — Tell AI who you are, or who this is for
What — Tell AI exactly what you need (topic, task, format)
How — Tell AI the tone, length, or style you want
That’s it. Three parts. You don’t need all three to be long — sometimes one sentence covers all three at once. The point is to make sure all three pieces of information are somewhere in your request before you hit send.
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5 fill-in-the-blank examples — make them yours
Here are five ready-to-use prompts built on the formula. The blanks are yours to fill in. Copy whichever ones fit your life right now.
Example 1 — For Writing
“I’m [your name or brief description of yourself] and I write a [newsletter / blog / journal] for [your audience or just yourself]. Please write a [length] post about [your topic] in a [warm / funny / straightforward] tone.”
Works for: Substack posts, blog articles, personal essays
Example 2 — For Emails
“Write a [short / detailed] email to [who you’re writing to] about [what it’s regarding]. The tone should be [friendly / professional / casual] and it should be no more than [number] sentences.”
Works for: thank-you notes, follow-ups, business emails, hard conversations
Example 3 — For Ideas & Brainstorming
“I’m [brief description] and I’m looking for ideas for [what you’re planning — a trip, a project, a gift, a recipe]. My situation is [any helpful context]. Please give me [number] ideas with a short explanation of each.”
Works for: gift ideas, travel plans, meal planning, hobby ideas, business concepts
Example 4 — For Explaining Something
“Explain [topic or concept] to me as if I’m [a complete beginner / someone who knows a little / a curious 10-year-old]. Use simple language, no jargon, and give me a real-life example I can picture.”
Works for: understanding tech, medical terms, financial concepts, anything confusing
Example 5 — For Planning
“Help me plan [what you’re planning]. I have [your constraints — time, budget, number of people] and I want it to feel [relaxed / special / practical / fun]. Give me a simple step-by-step plan.”
Works for: events, trips, weekly routines, meal prep, decluttering projects
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One small thing to try today
Pick any one of those five examples, fill in the blanks with something real from your life, and paste it into ChatGPT or Claude. It doesn’t have to be important — it can be something as simple as planning dinner or figuring out what to write in a birthday card.
The goal isn’t a perfect result. The goal is to feel what it’s like when the formula works. Once you feel it once, you’ll use it every time.
🎬 Watch today’s Mini Lesson video:
I walk through my actual Substack writing workflow using AI — the prompts I use, how I edit so it sounds like me, and the one thing I always change before I publish.
👉 Watch: How I Write My Substack Posts Using AI (Without Losing My Voice)
Save this post. Screenshot it. Share it with a friend who’s been curious about AI but doesn’t know where to begin. This formula is the place to start — and now you have it. 🐾
— Debbie
AI Puppy Playbook