Iterate, Don't Rewrite

When a prompt gives a bad output, the temptation is to throw it out and type a fresh one. Don't. The first prompt probably had 80% of the right stuff. You just need to fix the 20% that's off.

The diagnostic loop

1. 1Run the prompt. Look at the output.
2. 2Identify exactly what's wrong (too long? wrong tone? missed a constraint?).
3. 3Change only the part related to that problem.
4. 4Run again. Compare.
5. 5If it got worse, undo. If it got better, keep going.

Version diary example

v1: Write a product description for a reusable water bottle.
→ Output: Generic marketing speak.

v2 (added audience): Write a product description for a reusable water bottle targeting eco-conscious college students.
→ Output: Better but still too 'ad-like.'

v3 (added role and tone): You are a copywriter for a zero-waste brand. Write a product description for a reusable water bottle. Tone: warm, punchy, no clichés like 'game-changer.'
→ Output: Much better. Reads like a real brand.

v4 (added format): ...as v3, but output with a hooky headline, 2 short body sentences, and 3 bullet features.
→ Output: Ready to ship.

Each version changed one thing. That means if v3 was much better than v2, you know it was the role-and-tone addition. If you had changed three things at once, you wouldn't know what helped.

Keep a prompt notebook

• Save prompts that worked, with a note on what task they solved.
• Save prompts that failed, with a note on what broke.
• Steal from your past self. The template you tuned last month is gold.