Show an Example of 'Good' Instead of Describing It
What it is
A prompting upgrade: instead of describing the output you want in adjectives, paste one concrete example of 'good' and ask ChatGPT to match its style, structure, or tone.
Why it works
Words like 'professional', 'punchy', or 'well-structured' mean different things to you and the model, so it guesses and often misses. One example collapses that ambiguity — it shows the exact length, format, and voice you mean far more precisely than any description. Show-don't-tell is the single cheapest way to raise output quality.
When to use it
Whenever you have or can sketch an example of the result you want — a past piece, a competitor's, even a rough mock-up of the shape.
When not to use it
Genuinely open or exploratory tasks where you want the model's range, and pinning it to one example would narrow it prematurely.
Prompt
Here's an example of the kind of output I want: <paste example>. Now produce <your task> in the same style/structure/tone as that example. Match its format and length; the content is different.Example
Pasting one product description you love and saying 'write ours like this' beats three sentences of 'make it snappy and on-brand' every time.
Common mistakes
- Relying on adjectives the model interprets differently than you.
- Having a perfect example on hand but describing it instead of pasting it.
- Giving an example that conflicts with your written instructions, confusing the model.