By now, you already know that ChatGPT can be a godsend when you’re struggling to write. But how powerful is it really? Well, you’ll soon find out as we go over the best ChatGPT prompts for writing, including prewriting and revision!
Prewriting Stage
Prefer to use ChatGPT to get your creative juices flowing and finally beat the dreaded writer’s block? Well, you can!
During the prewriting stage (this is the first phase of the 3×3 writing process, by the way), ChatGPT can give you blog topics, essay ideas, and even a book outline.
1. Brainstorm Blog Topic
Imagine you are a writer for a gardening website. You’ve already covered lawn maintenance, indoor plant care, and greenhouse gardening. What else can you write about? ChatGPT can pin down your next big story using this prompt:
I write for a [insert niche website]. I already wrote [topics you already wrote]. Can you provide me with 5 fresh new topics I can explore next? Please tailor the ideas to my niche and [target audience]. 2. Brainstorm Book Ideas
There’s a misconception that ChatGPT is only for blog and essay creation. But, as we’ve covered in our free AI story generator guide, ChatGPT also works best for fiction writing, and one of the best ways to use it is to brainstorm book ideas.
I want to write about a [insert genre] story. Please provide me with five story ideas that do not fit the typical genre plot.3. Brainstorm Essay Ideas
Not writing a book but an essay? ChatGPT can also step in and give you a hand, particularly if you are assigned a broad topic or if you are trying to come up with new ideas.
I need to write a [type of essay] about [general idea/assigned topic]. Can you suggest some subtopics I could explore? My audience is [insert audience]. Tip: For more ChatGPT essay writing prompts, follow our smart way to use an AI essay creator.
4. Creating an Outline
What if you already have a topic in mind but are struggling with how to structure it? ChatGPT can help you create outlines, too. But don’t give it a generic prompt like ‘Give me an outline for this topic.’ Add more specific details (like your target audience and the purpose of your content) to get better outline recommendations.
Tip: If you would like any additional information or need any changes, you can give ChatGPT additional feedback, and the initial outline will be adjusted.
I wan to write a piece about [insert topic] for [target audience]. Can you create a detailed outline that will address my article's purpose, which is [insert purpose].5. Summarizing Content
Instead of taking more vague content and using ChatGPT to expand on it, you can do the opposite. For example, say you are writing an essay and have a lot of scholarly sources to sort through. ChatGPT can break them down and give you a summary of the key points.
Tip: Summarizing and paraphrasing are different!
I wan to write a piece about [insert topic] for [target audience]. Can you create a detailed outline that will address my article's purpose, which is [insert purpose].6. Creating Book Characters
So, you already have your book idea and structure, what about the characters? ChatGPT can create them for you, too! All it takes is giving ChatGPT details about your book.
I am writing a [genre] novel about [book idea]. Can you create a character profile for a [character type] with traits [insert character traits] and a backstory suited for my book idea. Writing
Already have a structure and topic in mind? You can go ahead and use these best ChatGPT writing prompts for faster AI writing.
Tip: Remember, while ChatGPT and AI tools can assist with writing, it’s essential to use it responsibly and ethically.
7. Write Dialogues
A fiction novel wouldn’t be complete without dialogues! You can tell ChatGPT about the tone or pacing you had in mind. Giving background information about the characters can help, too!
I need a dialogue for a novel scene between [character 1] and [chracter 2] in a [setting]. I'd like the tone to be [insert tone] 8. Suggest Book Titles
Book titles don’t need to be boring. You can ask ChatGPT to suggest book titles that are beyond the standard norm of your chosen genre.
I am writing a [insert genre] novel about [insert your book's theme or plot] but subvert standard expectations.9. Generate Blog Post Titles
If ChatGPT can produce book titles, you bet that it can also generate blog post titles for you! All you need to do is use this blog post title prompt:
I am writing a a blog post about [insert topic]. My audience is [insert info about your target audience]. I want you to generate blog post title ideas that is perfect for blog post topic and target audience. 10. Suggest Essay Titles
Say your teacher asks you to write an essay on the impact of social media on students’ mental health. You may have already done your research and written the essay. You have one thing left to do—add in a title. Here’s a prompt that you can use:
Please brainstorm title ideas for my [insert type of essay] about [essay topic]11. Set Language and Tone for Your Target Audience
Matching the language and tone for your target audience is not about showing off your writing prowess. It exhibits how well you know your readers.
I'm writing an article about [insert topic] for [insert target audience]. Can you adjust the tone and language for my target audience? 12. Avoid Common AI-Generated Words
The thing about ChatGPT is that it favors certain words over others, which makes it easier to tell if a blog post or an essay is AI-generated. Luckily, ChatGPT is more than willing to give you a list of common AI-generated words.
Can you list common AI-generated words and phrases together with more natural alternatives? 13. Turning An Article Into a Social Media Post Caption
Are you going to share your blog post with your followers on social media? ChatGPT can generate a caption for you to use. All you have to do is share your article, specify the length of the caption, and state which social media platform you are going to share it on. This prompt is incredibly useful if you are also doing content marketing.
Please turn my article below into a social media post caption that follows the recommended character length for [insert platform]. Focus on capturing the main takeaway of my article in an engaging way.
[insert article] 14. Creating a Newsletter
Struggling to connect with your subscribers? ChatGPT can craft an email for you that is aligned with your brand identity and voice. All you need to do is provide your old email newsletter and key information to be included in the new email.
Analyze my previous email newsletter for tone and style and use your analysis to draft an email about [insert email topic or key points].
[insert previous email]
15. Writing Product Descriptions
Have an e-commerce store that desperately needs a product description that will highlight the items’ key features? Use this AI product description prompt:
You are an e-commerce writer. Please write a product description for [insert product name]. Include [insert item features] that will appeal to my [insert target buyers]. 16. Follow-Up Emails
Tongue-tied when writing a follow-up email? ChatGPT can step in. Just provide the context of your follow-up email, and you will never have to worry again.
I sent an email about [insert topic] and want to send a follow-up? Can you draft a follow-up email that's [insert tone] and reminds the recipient about [deadline, key details, etc.]Revision Stage
Whether you need help fixing grammar, changing the structure, or making your ideas clearer, you can transform ChatGPT into your personal editor with these prompts.
17. Rewriting Content
If you wrote a sentence or paragraph but it doesn’t really capture what you’re trying to convey, you can rely on ChatGPT to rewrite it for you! Depending on what you’re looking to rewrite, ChatGPT can make sentences more concise, change the paragraph structure, or adjust the tone.
I wrote a paragraph about [topic], but it doesn't feel quite right. Can you rewrite it be more [insert style/tone] and make it more appealling for my target audience, who are [insert info about your audience]
My paragraph: [insert here] 18. Adding Keywords for SEO
If you have keywords that you have forgotten to add to your article, you can ask ChatGPT to help with keyword placement in a natural and easy-to-read way.
I have an article about [topic], but I forgot to include some important keywords like [list keywords]. Can you help me naturally incorporate these into the text?19. Formatting and Layout
A layout commonly used in a blog post won’t work for an academic essay. If you want to make sure that you are using the correct format, you can ask ChatGPT to revise your work.
I want to make sure my [type of content] is formatted properly for [platform or purpose]. Can you adjust the structure to fit the right layout?20. Correct Grammatical Errors
ChatGPT is an excellent resource for checking for grammar mistakes you may have missed. You can have ChatGPT do this by giving it your original text and asking it to locate any grammatical errors.
For example, say you have a sentence like, “I ‘have’ a lot of fun on the date last night.” ChatGPT would highlight this sentence and suggest the correction, “I had a lot of fun on the date last night.”
You are an editor/proofreader. Can you please check my [type of content] for grammatical errors while keeping my original tone intact? Tip: There are other ways to use ChatGPT as your personal editor.
21. Make Your Text More Casual
You can also use ChatGPT to turn formal text into a more casual tone. For example, you might have a news story you want to turn into more casual content for social media followers.
Can you rewrite my article into a more casual and conversational tone for [insert target audience].
My article: [insert text] 22. Use a More Formal/Professional Tone
You can also use ChatGPT to convert text into a more formal or professional tone. For example, you might have a casual email that you need to turn into a more professional-sounding email, you can use this prompt:
Can you rewrite my text into a more formal and professional tone for [insert target audience].
My text: [insert text] 23. Simplify a Sentence
Are your sentences too confusing to read? You can ask ChatGPT to simplify any sentence for you.
I have a complex sentence that might be hard to understand: [insert text]
Can you simplify it while retaining the original meaning? 24. Maintain Verb Tense Consistency
It’s hard to maintain verb consistency when you are writing a lengthy article or essay. Luckily for you, you can let ChatGPT read over your text to check for these errors.
For example, say your text is, “She was going to the store when she sees her friend.” ChatGPT can correct this to look like, “She was going to the store when she saw her friend.”
I'm working on an article about [insert topic]. Can you please review my text and correct verb tenses inconsistencies.
My article: [insert article]25. Reduce Article Length
Written something way over the required word count? ChatGPT can trim down your work by removing unnecessary words and shortening sentences.
I've written a draft about [inser topic] that is [insert length] long. Can you reduce the length by 15% without losing the main points? 26. Changing the Point of View
Imagine you wrote an essay for an entire day, and just when you are about to turn it in, you suddenly remember that it should be in the third person. Don’t panic! ChatGPT can change the POV in just seconds.
I wrote an article about [insert topic]. Can you change the point of view from [current POV] to [desired POV]?
My essay/article: [insert article/essay]27. Using Bullet Points to Highlight Important Information
Don’t want to shorten your article, but do you want to improve its readability? You can ask ChatGPT to highlight important information in the form of bullet points.
I have an article about [insert topic] for [insert target audience]. Can you turn key points into bullet points to make my article easier to skim?28. Adding Call-to-Action (CTA)
CTAs are incredibly useful because they guide readers to do something. If you’re not sure how to integrate a CTA, you can give ChatGPT your text and explain what your CTA should be.
I wrote an article about [insert topic] for [insert target audience]. Can you suggest where to place a soft CTA that encourages the target audience to [insert desired action]?29. Ask for Feedback and Insights
After you have a completed draft of your text, you can enter it into ChatGPT and ask for specific feedback. This might include feedback on grammar, structure, and tone. You could also ask it for new ideas to add.
You are an editor. Can you go over my article/essay and provide feedback in terms of grammar, structure, and tone?
My essay/article: [insert article/essay]30. Simplify Long-Form Content
Long-form content with too many details and complicated language can overwhelm readers. So, before you publish your blog, run it through first with ChatGPT.
I have finished a draft about [insert topic], but it's too complex. Can you simplify the language to fit my intended [insert target audience]? Tips for Effective ChatGPT Prompts for Writing
To get the most out of ChatGPT, you need to give it the right prompt. Here are some tips for better prompt engineering:
- Be specific and provide context
- Use action words to guide the output
- Give ChatGPT a persona
- Provide examples within your prompts to get more specific results
- Break down complicated tasks into smaller steps
What’s Your Favorite ChatGPT Writing Prompt?
We hope these AI writing prompts help you get the most out of ChatGPT. Share your favorite ChatGPT writing prompt in the comments below, or ask any questions you have. Don’t forget to bookmark this post—we’ll be adding even more ChatGPT prompts for writing soon.