20 AI Prompt Examples to Get You Started
Sometimes the fastest way to learn how to write a good prompt isn't reading advice about it, it's just looking at real examples and noticing the pattern yourself. That's basically how I got comfortable with this stuff, less theory, more just seeing what a well-built prompt actually looks like next to a weak one. Below are 20 examples split between image generation and chat tasks, use them as-is or as a template and swap in your own idea.
AI prompt examples for image generation
These work well with tools like Midjourney, DALL-E, and Stable Diffusion. Notice that each one has a clear subject, then style, then some kind of lighting or mood detail stacked on afterward.
1. "A cozy reading nook by a rainy window, warm lamp light, watercolor style"
2. "A futuristic city skyline at night, neon reflections on wet streets, cinematic lighting"
3. "A close-up portrait of an elderly fisherman, weathered skin, golden hour lighting, photorealistic"
4. "A minimalist logo of a mountain and sun, flat design, two-color palette"
5. "A steampunk airship flying above clouds, intricate brass detailing, dramatic sky"
6. "A children's book illustration of a fox exploring a forest, soft pastel colors"
7. "A macro shot of dew drops on a spider web, morning light, shallow depth of field"
8. "An isometric illustration of a cozy coffee shop interior, warm color palette"
9. "A fantasy castle on a floating island, surrounded by waterfalls, epic scale"
10. "A retro 1970s travel poster of a beach destination, bold typography, sun-faded colors"
AI prompt examples for chat and writing tasks
These work well with tools like ChatGPT and Claude. The stronger ones tend to include a role, a clear task, and often a format or constraint, that combination shows up over and over once you start looking for it.
11. "Act as a career coach. Review this job description and list the top 5 skills I should highlight in my resume: [paste description]."
12. "Explain how compound interest works to a complete beginner, using a simple real-world example."
13. "Write a friendly follow-up email to a client who hasn't responded in two weeks."
14. "Act as an editor. Review this paragraph for clarity and conciseness, and explain each change: [paste text]."
15. "Create a 7-day beginner workout plan for someone with no gym equipment, 20 minutes per day."
16. "Summarize this article in 3 bullet points, focused on the main argument: [paste article]."
17. "Act as a travel planner. Suggest a 3-day itinerary for a first-time visit to Kyoto, balancing culture and food."
18. "Write a product description for a reusable water bottle, targeting eco-conscious buyers, under 100 words."
19. "Explain the difference between two options in simple terms, then recommend one based on my situation: [describe your situation]."
20. "Act as an interviewer. Ask me 5 practice questions for a project manager interview, one at a time."
The pattern worth noticing
A role or context, a clear subject, and often a format or constraint. Swap the specific details for your own idea and the structure still holds up.
Copy the structure, not just the words.
Adapting these prompts to your own needs
None of these are meant to be used word for word forever, they're meant to show you the shape of a prompt that actually works so you can build your own version faster. Once you notice that the strong examples all share the same underlying structure, writing new ones from scratch starts to feel a lot less like guesswork.
Want a version built around your exact idea instead of adapting one of these by hand? Try the PromptNest generator, it builds a structured prompt automatically for both image and chat modes. If you're brand new to this, our beginner's guide to AI prompts is a good place to start first.