There's a shortcut that beats even a great description: show the model an example. In 10 minutes you'll learn how to hand AI a model answer instead of explaining one — and how to correct it like you would a colleague.
By the end, you'll have:
Describing what you want is good. Showing it is better.
Try describing a style in words: "make it punchy but warm, not too corporate, but still professional." Every one of those words means something slightly different to you than to the model.
Now hand it two examples of writing you actually like. There's no ambiguity left — the model can see the pattern: sentence length, tone, punctuation, the way a paragraph opens. That's called learning from examples, and it's far more reliable than adjectives.
You don't need to be technical about this. Pick whichever is easiest:
Paste it in
Copy an existing email, post, or paragraph into the chat and say "match this tone and structure."
Attach a file
Most tools let you upload a document or PDF. Good for "summarize in the style of this report."
Give input → output pairs
Show two or three worked examples: "Here's a rough note → here's how we turned it into a headline." Then give a new note.
Here's the same task asked two ways. Notice how the second removes all the guesswork:
The first gives you generic. The second gives you yours — short, warm, no pressure, slightly personal at the end.
When the output is close but not right, don't rewrite your whole prompt. Just say what's off, in plain words:
"Close — but cut the exclamation marks."
"Shorter sentences, keep the structure."
"The second paragraph is perfect — redo the first one like that."
"That's wrong. Here's what I actually meant: …"
Most people repeat the same handful of tasks: emails, updates, summaries, posts. Save three or four pieces of your own writing that you're happy with. Next time, paste one in as the model.
Worth keeping handy:
If you wanted a great employee to write like you, you'd show them your best work — not just describe it. Examples are how humans transfer taste to each other.
One example is worth ten adjectives. Show the standard, then point at what's working.
Your feedback shapes what we build next.
Before you paste anything else in — learn what never to hand over, and how to use AI without leaking your work.
Why examples work so well — a plain-English look under the hood.
The WHO / WHAT / HOW formula — examples slot right into it.
Back to the full tutorial library.
