50 Starter Prompts (Free Library)
Fifty copy-paste prompts that work in ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Organized by what you're trying to do.
The free starter library. Copy any prompt below, adapt the bracketed sections, paste into your AI of choice. They all work in ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini.
Pro tip: the bracketed sections like
[topic]are placeholders. Replace them with your actual context before sending.
✍️ Writing & Editing
1. Sharpen any draft
Read the draft below. Make it 30% shorter and sharper without changing my voice. Show me the cuts you’d make and why.
DRAFT: [paste]
2. Rewrite for tone
Rewrite the text below to match this tone: [warm but professional / casual / confident / patient and educational]. Don’t change the meaning.
TEXT: [paste]
3. Three subject lines
Write 3 subject lines for the email below. Make one curiosity-driven, one benefit-driven, one question-form. Under 50 characters each.
EMAIL: [paste]
4. The “humanize” pass
This text reads as AI-generated. Find the 5 most “AI-flavored” sentences and rewrite each in a way that sounds like a normal human wrote it.
TEXT: [paste]
5. Word-economy edit
Cut every word that isn’t earning its place. Keep my meaning, voice, and structure. Show me before/after for the 3 biggest cuts.
TEXT: [paste]
6. The reluctant reader test
Read this and tell me where a busy reader would skim or stop. Mark each spot. Suggest 1 fix per spot.
TEXT: [paste]
7. Outline-from-mess
Below is a stream-of-consciousness brain dump. Pull out the underlying outline — main argument + 3-4 supporting points + a counter-argument. Don’t write it yet, just give me the structure.
DUMP: [paste]
8. Ghostwriter check
Compare the writing sample below to my voice samples. On a 1–10 scale: how much does this sound like me? What’s the biggest mismatch? How would I rewrite the weakest sentence?
VOICE SAMPLES: [paste 2-3 things you’ve written] NEW SAMPLE: [paste]
📧 Email & Communication
9. Reply to a tough email
Draft a polite reply to this email. Be brief, address each point they raised, and protect a clear boundary on [thing]. Don’t be sycophantic.
EMAIL: [paste]
10. Cold outreach in your voice
Draft a 4-line cold email to [person/role] about [offer]. Sound like a normal human reaching out, not a SDR. End with one specific question, not a generic CTA.
MY CONTEXT: [paste]
11. The follow-up
I emailed [person] [time ago] and haven’t heard back. Draft a 3-line follow-up that’s warm, brief, and gives them an easy out if they’re not interested.
ORIGINAL EMAIL: [paste]
12. Decline politely
Help me say no to [request] without burning the relationship. 4-line max. Honest about why, but not cruel. Offer one small alternative if there is one.
13. Ask for the raise
Draft a script for asking my manager for a [title] / [salary] increase. Lead with my recent contributions, name what I’m asking for, leave space for them to respond. About 90 seconds spoken.
MY CONTEXT: [achievements, current role, what I want]
14. Apology message
Help me apologize for [thing I did]. Take responsibility. No “I’m sorry if you felt…” Be specific about what I’m sorry for and what I’ll do differently.
CONTEXT: [paste]
📚 Learning & Research
15. Explain like I’m 10
Explain [topic] to me like I’m a curious 10-year-old. Use a metaphor from everyday life. Five sentences max.
16. The 5-minute brief
Brief me on [topic] in under 500 words. Cover: what it is, why it matters, the 3 main perspectives on it, and one thing most people get wrong.
17. The reading pre-read
Before I read this article/chapter, give me: a 3-sentence summary, the author’s main argument, and 5 key concepts to watch for as I read.
MATERIAL: [paste / upload]
18. The recall quiz
I just read [topic]. Without me telling you the content, quiz me on it. 5 questions, easy → hard. Wait for my answer to each before moving on.
19. Find what I missed
Here’s a topic I’ve been studying: [topic]. List the 5 things smart students typically miss or get wrong about it. For each, the better understanding.
20. The “teach me what I don’t know”
I know [my current understanding of topic]. What do experts know about [topic] that beginners typically miss? Identify 3 specific advanced concepts and explain each at an intermediate level.
🎯 Planning & Decisions
21. The week plan
Plan my week. My energy is highest in [time]. I have hard commitments at [list times]. To-do list: [paste]. Build a realistic week plan with buffer time. Be honest about what won’t fit.
22. Pros & cons + recommendation
I’m choosing between [option A] and [option B]. My priorities: [list]. List the strongest pros and cons of each. Then make a recommendation with confidence level (high / medium / low) and the one thing that would change your answer.
23. The 5 whys
Help me find the root cause of [problem]. Use the “5 Whys” method — ask me one why-question at a time, wait for my answer, go deeper.
24. The pre-mortem
I’m about to do [thing]. Imagine it’s 6 months from now and it failed. List the 5 most likely reasons it failed. For each, what could I do now to prevent it.
25. The smaller version
I want to [big goal]. Help me find the smallest possible version of this I could test in a week. What would it look like, and what’s the one thing I’d learn?
🏠 Life Admin
26. Dinner from the fridge
I have: [list ingredients]. I have [time] minutes. Suggest 3 dinners I could make tonight. List ingredients I’d need to add (max 3 per recipe). Step-by-step.
27. Explain this document
Explain the document below to me as if I’m a smart adult without a [legal/financial/medical] background. What does it actually say? What should I be paying attention to? What’s the worst-case scenario it’s protecting against?
DOCUMENT: [paste]
28. The travel plan
Plan a [number]-day trip to [destination]. My style: [adventure / relaxation / food / culture / mix]. Budget tier: [low / mid / high]. Suggest a day-by-day itinerary with specific places. Note things that need pre-booking.
29. The doctor-appointment prep
I have [specialist] appointment for [reason]. Generate the 10 questions a smart, prepared patient would ask. Group by must-ask, nice-to-ask, only-if-time.
30. Holiday gift list
Help me brainstorm gifts for [person]. They like [interests]. Don’t suggest gift cards or “experiences” generically. Suggest 8 specific options across price ranges. For each: why it fits this person.
💼 Work & Career
31. Resume bullet rewrite
Rewrite the resume bullet below. Start with a strong action verb, name a specific scope, end with a measurable outcome. If I haven’t given you a metric, write [METRIC]. Don’t invent numbers.
BULLET: [paste]
32. The 1:1 prep
I have a 1:1 with my [manager / direct report]. Help me build the agenda. I want to: [your goals]. Suggest 4-5 specific topics to raise, with 1-line context for each.
33. The performance review (self)
Help me write my self-review for the past [period]. Below are my accomplishments and challenges. Pull out 3 specific wins (with concrete metrics) and 1 area for growth I should own without being self-flagellating.
INPUTS: [paste]
34. The meeting summary
Summarize the meeting transcript below into: 1) decisions made, 2) action items (with owner and deadline), 3) open questions. Skip pleasantries.
TRANSCRIPT: [paste / upload]
35. The “what should I be working on?”
Below is my current to-do list and the goals I committed to this quarter. Tell me what I should drop, what I should defer, and what 2-3 things deserve more attention than they’re getting.
INPUTS: [paste]
💡 Brainstorming & Creativity
36. The “20 ideas” prompt
Generate 20 ideas for [thing]. Mix safe and bold. Mark each as SAFE / BOLD / WEIRD. Don’t filter — give me all 20.
37. The opposite
I’m thinking [thing]. Argue the opposite as compellingly as you can. What would I say if I had to defend the opposite position?
38. The reframe
I see [problem] as [my framing]. What are 3 other ways to frame this problem? Which framing would unlock the most useful action?
39. The naming brainstorm
I need a name for [project / business / product]. Tone: [serious / playful / clean / weird]. Length: [short / medium]. Generate 20 candidates across these categories: descriptive, metaphorical, made-up word, two-word combo, person’s name. Mark your top 3.
40. The story arc
Help me build the story arc for [a presentation / a piece of writing / a pitch]. Audience: [who]. Goal: [what they should think/feel/do at the end]. Use a 5-beat structure. Don’t write it yet — outline only.
💻 Code & Technical
41. Explain this code
Explain what this code does, in plain English. Then point out: 2 things done well, 2 things that look risky or unclear.
CODE: [paste]
42. The dumb-question helper
I’m new to [tech / language / framework]. I keep getting confused by [specific concept]. Explain it like I have programmer-friend who’s writing me a quick text message — short, with a real example.
43. The bug walk
Here’s a bug. Help me debug it like a senior engineer pairing with me. Ask one diagnostic question at a time. Don’t give me the answer until we’ve narrowed it down.
BUG: [paste error + relevant code]
44. The “what do I not know to ask?”
I’m trying to [build / fix / set up] [thing]. I know basics but I’m sure I’m missing things experienced devs would think to ask. List 5 questions I should be asking myself before going further.
45. The architecture critique
Below is my plan for [system / feature]. Critique it like a senior engineer. Where is it over-engineered? Where is it under-engineered? What’s the one thing I’d regret in 6 months?
PLAN: [paste]
⚖️ Decisions & Tough Stuff
46. The hard conversation
I need to talk to [person] about [topic]. Help me draft talking points. I want to be: clear, kind, firm. No sandwich-feedback, no buzzwords. Lead with the actual issue.
47. The “should I quit?”
I’m considering [leaving / staying / changing X]. Below is my situation. Help me think it through. Ask me 5 questions a thoughtful friend would ask before giving any opinion.
SITUATION: [paste]
48. The negotiation prep
I’m negotiating [thing] with [counterparty]. My ideal outcome: [X]. My walk-away: [Y]. Help me: 1) anticipate their 3 strongest counters, 2) draft my response to each, 3) suggest one concession I could make that costs me little.
49. The boundary-setter
Help me say no clearly to [request]. The relationship matters. Be honest about the no without overexplaining. 3 sentences max.
50. The forecast
Below are my goals and what I’ve actually been doing for the past month. Honestly: am I on track? If not, what’s the highest-leverage change I could make this week?
INPUTS: [paste]
How to use these well
- Copy the prompt verbatim — don’t paraphrase, the wording matters.
- Replace
[bracketed]placeholders with your actual context. - Read the first answer carefully — most prompts produce a starting point, not the final answer.
- Reply to refine. “Shorter.” “Try a different angle.” “Make it more like sample X.” That’s where great output happens.
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