Why it matters
When AI gives a bland answer, it usually had to guess who the answer is for and what a good one looks like. OpenAI's prompting guide asks for clear, specific prompts with enough context, then refining based on what comes back. Anthropic's guide for Claude says to be clear and direct, add context, use examples and say what format you want. The four blanks in this guide cover all of that in one template you can reuse.
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The four blanks
- Who's it for? The reader and the situation. "My landlord, who's been slow to fix things" gets a different letter than "a landlord I've never met."
- What do I need? The actual task, in one sentence, with any facts it must use.
- What does good look like? An example, a length, a tone, or something to avoid. Pasting one example you like is often the fastest fix.
- How do I want it back? A list, a table, three options, a text message under 300 characters.
Steps
- Pick a real task you'd normally ask AI about, like an email you've been putting off.
- Fill in the four blanks using the template below and send it.
- If the answer is off, reply in the same chat with what to change: "Shorter," "Less formal," "Option 2 but keep the first sentence of option 1." OpenAI's guide calls this iterative refinement.
- Save your "about me" once. In ChatGPT on web or desktop, open Settings, select Personalization, make sure Enable customization is on, and fill in Custom Instructions. In the phone app, it's Settings, then Customize ChatGPT. In Claude, click your initials in the lower left corner, select Settings, and fill in Instructions for Claude.
- Try the same four-blank prompt with and without your custom instructions and compare.
Copy-paste template
Template
WHO IT'S FOR: [reader + situation] WHAT I NEED: [task in one sentence]. Use these facts: [facts] WHAT GOOD LOOKS LIKE: [tone, length, an example I like, anything to avoid] HOW I WANT IT BACK: [format] If anything is unclear, ask me up to 2 questions before you start.
Custom instructions starter (edit it, then paste it into ChatGPT's Custom Instructions or Claude's Instructions for Claude):
Template
I live in [CITY] and work as [JOB]. I'm not technical, so explain jargon in plain words the first time you use it. Keep answers short unless I ask for detail. Skip the intro and get to the answer. When you're unsure or the info might be out of date, say so. When you write something for me to send, match a friendly, direct tone and avoid phrases like "I hope this finds you well."
Common mistakes
- One-line prompts for complicated jobs. "Write an email to my landlord" leaves the AI guessing all four blanks.
- Starting a new chat every time the answer is wrong. Refine in the same chat so it keeps the context.
- Putting private details in custom instructions (account numbers, health details). They apply to every chat.
- Copying mega-prompts from the internet. A short prompt with your real details usually beats a long generic one.
