19 Laws of ChatGPT Prompts

Most people are using ChatGPT wrong. 

These are the 19 prompt laws to live by.

ChatGPT isn't a brain, so much as a mirror: 

How well you use it determines how productive you can be. 

If you give it vague, one-line prompts, you are going to get generic outputs in return. 

That's why I developed these 19 laws to improve my prompts, and get clear, structured outputs. 

Use them to elevate your AI game 👇

📜 Law #1: Clarity > Cleverness

Avoid fancy phrasing. Say what you want in plain language.

📜 Law #2: Start With the Friction

Begin your prompt with the thing you're stuck on.

📜 Law #3: Prioritise Use Over Theory

Ask for advice like you’re about to implement it.

📜 Law #4: Ground It In Reality

Reference something real: your site, your customer, or your offer. 

📜 Law #5: Declare the Constraints

Don’t just say what you want. Say what you don’t want.

📜 Law #6: Timebox the Lens

Set a specific time boundary for references and research. 

📜 Law #7: Make It Choose

Present trade-offs and ask it to select the best one. 

📜 Law #8: Ask It to Judge, Then Justify

Don’t just get output. Get a critique.

📜 Law #9: Simulate Real Scenarios

Use setups that imitate reality. 

📜 Law #10: Lock in the Persona

Tell it how to think, not just who to be.

📜 Law #11: Focus on Leverage

Ask it to give you the highest-leverage option. 

📜 Law #12: Make It Build With You

Prompt like you’re in a feedback loop:

📜 Law #13: Include What You’ve Tried

Skip reinventing the wheel and reduce reprompts.

📜 Law #14: Push It Into Action

Wrap your prompt with actionable steps. 

📜 Law #15: Give It Tone 

Tell it how it should feel. Tone drives output. 

📜 Law #16: Ask It to Steal Smartly

Offer it examples that it can use to repurpose. 

📜 Law #17: Use Negative Prompts

Tell it what to ignore to help you shape tone/style.

📜 Law #18: Invite Pushback

Avoid the yes-man tendencies of ChatGPT. 

📜 Law #19: Refine Into a System

If it works once, make it reusable. 

These laws won't give you direction for your content, but they will make sure you get the most out of your prompts. 

Source: Chris Donnelly

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