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Generative AI tools like Midjourney, DALL-E, ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot and others are revolutionizing how we create, write, and ideate. But to get truly mind-blowing results, you can’t just throw a few words at them. The secret lies in prompt engineering—the art of crafting clear, specific instructions that guide the AI to produce exactly what you envision.

Think of the AI as a brilliant, but literally, ‘just’ an assistant. It doesn’t guess your intentions; it follows your commands precisely. The better your commands, the better will be the output.

Here’s how to level up your prompting game:

1. Be Specific, Not Vague and give a persona to it

Instead of: “a house” Try: “Painting of an award winning artist. A cozy cottage with a thatched roof, surrounded by a vibrant flower garden, under a golden hour sunset, in the style of a watercolor painting.”

Why it works: You’ve given the AI a persona: award winning artist. and details about the subject, setting, time of day, and artistic style.

2. Use Descriptive Adjectives & Adverbs

These add crucial texture and mood to your future creations.

Instead of: “a person walking” Try: “A determined explorer bravely traversing a misty, ancient forest, light filtering through the dense canopy.”

Why it works: Words like “determined,” “bravely,” “misty,” and “ancient” “dense” paint a much clearer picture.

3. Provide Context & Constraints

What is the purpose of your creation? What should it avoid?

If you think about it: if you want to create something like a cheeky Santa, purpose matters! Will this cheeky Santa a decoration for a nursery or for an adult party, right? Always give context!

Instead of: “write a story about a cat” Try: “Write a short, humorous story (500 words) for children ( or you can write young people if AI refuse to work with the word children) aged 5-8 about a mischievous ginger cat who tries to steal a pie, but accidentally bakes a cake instead. Avoid scary elements.“

Why it works: You’ve set parameters for length, tone, audience, and even what not to include.

4. Experiment with Keywords & Modifiers

Play around with different combinations to see how the AI interprets them. For image generation, consider:

• Styles: “photorealistic,” “cyberpunk,” “impressionistic,” “low poly”
• Lighting: “cinematic lighting,” “softbox lighting,” “backlit”
• Angles: “wide shot,” “macro shot,” “drone view”

5. Iterate and Refine

Your first prompt might not be perfect, and that’s okay! Use the AI’s output as a starting point. Adjust your prompt based on what worked and what didn’t. Add more details, remove confusing instructions, or try a different approach.

Mastering prompts is less about magic and more about clear communication. By investing a little extra thought into your prompts, you’ll unlock incredible results and transform your generative AI tools into true creative partners.

What’s your favourite AI tool, and what amazing things have you prompted it to create? Share your tips in the comments!