ChatGPT prompts that actually work [13 ideas for writers & people who have to write]

Updated April 2025

Transparency note: As of January 2026, I’ve deleted my ChatGPT account and no longer use it in my writing processes. I noticed I was outsourcing my thinking and creativity to AI and I didn’t like that. I don’t think ChatGPT is bad overall or that everyone should do the same—do you. I stand by the advice here as the best way to use AI in your writing, should you choose to do so.

There’s a lot of debate around AI, its place in our lives, and how to use it responsibly. It’s an important conversation to have, especially when we want to use our words to inspire, educate, inform, and other human-centered activities. 

I’ve already talked about why writers should use AI, so I won’t rehash it all here. In short, I believe AI programs like ChatGPT are useful tools everyone can keep in their toolbox. Just as the way we write has transformed (anyone using parchment and a quill anymore?), the way we brainstorm, create, and edit has also changed. 

If we use ChatGPT like the tool it is—something to help us, not replace us—we can write better. 

ChatGPT and other AI tools can help us write anything:

• Articles and blog posts—long-form content, SEO-focused content, etc.
• Email sequences, one-off emails, newsletters.
• Social media copy.
• Case studies.
• Interviews (cleaned-up copies of an original transcript or podcast recording).
• Whitepapers and other explainer documentation.
• E-books and other lead magnets.
• The list goes on and on.

So, whether you’re a writer or simply have to write for your job (hey there small business owners, content creators, and solo professionals!) here are some ChatGPT writing prompts to try out so you can see for yourself.  

Some ground rules for using AI… 

Before getting into the specific ChatGPT writing prompts, let’s lay some ground rules: 

1. Think for yourself, first

While it’s tempting to use ChatGPT right off the bat, spend some time in your own brain. Jot down ideas, talk to other people, string together a few sentences, brainstorm sans technology, and see what you come up with. Then turn to AI for an idea boost or refining what you have.

Prioritize this so your creative muscles don’t atrophy. 

2. Remember everyone does things differently

Another important ground rule is not to shame or judge other people on how they do or do not use AI. ChatGPT and other AI programs are tools in your toolbox as a professional—use them as you wish. The end goal is good writing and there are lots of ways to get there.

3. For the love of God, proofread!

Repeat after me: I shall never, ever, ever, EVER use AI-generated text without proofreading it carefully with my own human eyeballs and brain. 

AI makes mistakes, often hilariously, and more often subtly. You need to proofread and edit very carefully… that’s where the magic happens. And if you don’t want to proofread yourself, consider hiring a professional to do so—we need human editors in the age of AI.

13 AI prompts for professionals who want to write better

With those ground rules for using AI out of the way, here are my top 13 prompts that writers and professionals who need to write should use: 

ChatGPT writing prompts for brainstorming and ideas

1. Tell it about yourself: “I’m a 30-something-year-old writer who wants to publish engaging content on my blog. I like reading, writing, plants, traveling, and freelancing… What are some topics I could write about?”
2. Ask for a huge dump of ideas: “Generate a list of 50 headlines that have to do with XYZ.”
3. Input the key points you want to cover and ask for an outline: “Here are the four main points of my article—generate a detailed outline that expands on them.” 

ChatGPT writing prompts for style and tone

4. Feed ChatGPT with other written content and ask it to match: “Here are five social media posts that represent my brand style and message well. Create five more copying this tone. They should be about topics XYZ.”
5. Give specific information about your target demographic: “My target client is women in their late 30s who are going through a career shift. Most of them work in 9-to-5 jobs but want to start freelancing. They are ambitious professionals who earn good money. Many of them would rather pay for something that’s proven to help than spend time researching endlessly on their own. Write a series of emails to sell my coaching services.” 
6. Tweak the tone: “Rewrite this to sound more [conversational, professional, witty, intelligent, casual, etc.]”

ChatGPT writing prompts for creativity

7. Change the POV to get a totally new piece: “Rewrite this from the perspective of a six-year-old [or any other age].” or “Rewrite this from the perspective of an expert in XYZ or who has ABC credentials.”
8. Critique it: “This is pretty boring. Can you make it more interesting? I want this to be humorous and lighthearted.”
9. Ask for options: “I want this phrase to sound more creative and engaging. Give me five different ways to say the same thing.”
10. Get over writer’s block: “I’m stuck on an article about [topic]. What are some fresh angles I can take?”

ChatGPT prompts for editing and refining

11. Fix your passive voice: “Find and fix passive voice in this passage while retaining the meaning.”
12. Change the reading level: “Rewrite this at a grade six reading level.” 
13. Cut the word count: “This should only be 800 words. Refine the text without removing any important content.”

Play around with these and see what you come up with. You’ll find the ChatGPT writing prompts that work best for you! Are there any others you regularly use that need to go on this list? Let me know!

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And while ChatGPT can come up with some good stuff, we know that human writers and editors still matter in this age of AI. If you want to work with a real-life human to create engaging and unique content for your business website and blog, let’s talk!