Talking to AI: Prompt Basics
Last updated October 29, 2025
1.2 Talking to AI: Prompt Basics
Plotdrive gives you three lanes for prompting. Pick whichever fits the moment; they all use the same clarity principles.
| Where to Prompt | When to Use | How It Works |
| In-Document (type → Go) | You’re already writing and need a quick boost—expand, rewrite, brainstorm right in the draft. | Type your instruction (“Add sensory detail to this paragraph”) above or below the text, place the cursor inside it, press Go. |
| Tools Library | Re-usable or complex prompts—editing packs, outline generators, research helpers. | Open Tools Library → Add Writing Tool or Add Revising Tool. Write the prompt once, use show variables to add variables like Words Before, Active Documents, or Instruction Box to pull in your content, then pin the Tool for one-click use. |
| Co-writer Chat | Back-and-forth coaching, continuity checks, high-level questions. | Ask in plain English: “Does Chapter 3 contradict the timeline?” Co-writer reads your toggled docs before answering. |
📌 Golden Rule
Draft your prompt so a writer with zero context could follow it. If they’d be confused, the AI will be too.
✅ 4 Evergreen Prompts
(Try each in the lane that feels natural.)
- Summarize Chapter 2 → “Summarize Chapter 2 in exactly three sentences.”
- Sensory Pass → “Add sensory detail to the highlighted paragraph.”
- Meet-Cute Ideas → “Brainstorm five bakery meet-cutes for a rom-com.”
- POV Flip → “Rewrite this scene from the rival’s POV in 250 words.”
⚠️ Two Common Misfires
- Megaprompt overload → Break giant asks into numbered steps or separate Tools.
- Context toggles off → If your outline is OFF, the model can’t keep your structure straight.
🛠 Prompt-Engineering Power-Ups
| Technique | Best For | Quick How-To |
| Be Clear & Sequential | Any multi-step ask | “1) Summarize, 2) Suggest fix, 3) Rewrite.” Numbered or bulleted. |
| Prompt Chaining | Research, multi-phase edits | Split into smaller prompts; pass each output forward. |
| Few-Shot Examples | Custom formats, strict voice | Supply 3-5 mini examples inside <example> tags (or a dedicated Tool) so the model mirrors your pattern. |
Next: pick one lane—inline Go, a premade Tool, or Co-writer chat—run a prompt, and see it in action. If the output feels off, tweak the instruction or toggle the right docs ON, then try again.
Questions? Hit the Support tab or hop to Community & Resources.
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