Now I’ve gotten a bit of a feel for how ChatGPT works (or more realistically how it does not work), I’m going to start again and actually follow the steps - one of which was about tone and writing style.
This is part three in a series, you don’t need to read the others but if you want to read my very poor first attempt at using ChatGPT, you can read it out here, and the second, slightly better attempt, can be read here.
Remember - Ask the Super Brain How to Use it
I keep forgetting this step, but I’m quickly learning it is best to start a new task by asking ChatGPT how to use it for this purpose.
I'm making a new website. And would like a blurb. What is the best way to get you to create a blurb?ChatGPT:
To create a blurb for your website, you can provide me with some information about your website's purpose, content, and target audience. Here's a simple format you can follow to help me understand what you're looking for:
Purpose: What is the main goal or purpose of your website? Is it to provide information, sell products/services, share content, or something else?
Content: What type of content will your website feature? Are you focusing on articles, videos, a portfolio, an online store, or a combination of different elements?
Target Audience: Who is your target audience or demographic? It's essential to know who you want to reach to create a blurb that speaks to them effectively. Provide details about their interests, needs, and preferences.
Tone and Style: Would you like the blurb to be formal, informal, professional, conversational, or something else? Sharing your preferred tone and style helps me tailor the blurb to match your desired voice.
Key Messages: Are there any specific key messages or unique selling points you want to highlight in the blurb? Let me know what makes your website stand out or why visitors should be interested in exploring it.
Feel free to provide these details, and I'll be happy to create a blurb for your website based on the information you provide.
Purpose: the website will be a portfolio website for me. Called lauralikespi
Content: There will be a mix of blog posts, project overviews (including tech projects)
Target Audience: Businesses who might hire me for data, tech, innovation or education work
Tone and Style: Friendly
Key Messages: Data Obsessed. Technology Evangelical. Fintech Dork. Passionate about tech education.
No longer than 300 paragraphs.
Here is some additional info on me:
Shorter. Three paragraphs.
More info: A wearer of many hats - developer, data scientist, product, educator, writer, content creator.
- 4 years experience running my own technology education company.
- 4 years working in technology evangelicalism / innovation.
- Various data and technology experience on top of this.
- A PhD in technology education.
I love thinking about how other people use technology and learn (whether I'm interacting in a developer relations capacity, teaching, mentoring or helping my team develop).
Skills - public speaking, curriculum design, creating demos, writing blogs, technical documentation, product innovation, coding, data.
Technologies - SQL, Python, Javascript, HTML, CSS (happy to learn anything needed).
Interesting - using this method got me a usable website blurb much quicker than my previous attempt. Also worth noting how much longer and more detailed (and specific) this prompt is than any of the ones I used in my previous two attempts.
Keeping Lines You Like
One thing I struggled with last time was keeping the bits of the blurb I liked. If I asked ChatGPT to change the tone, or include anything, it completely rewrote the whole thing which wasn’t what I wanted.
Keep these lines:
"She thrives on understanding how people interact with technology and learn, making her a valuable asset whether she's teaching, mentoring, or engaging in developer relations. Laura's four years of experience in her own education company have honed her skills in public speaking, curriculum design, creating demos, writing blogs, technical documentation, product innovation, coding, and data analysis."
"Her commitment to staying at the forefront of technology ensures she can tackle any challenge that comes her way."
The rest is too formal.This works well as ChatGPT keeps the two lines I’ve told it too, while still updating the rest. Something still didn’t feel (or sound) right - it was still ChatGPT talking, not me. Perhaps my instruction friendly for tone wasn’t detailed enough.
What Does an AI Know About Writing Styles?
My steps to teach ChatGPT my writing style:
I found some of my favourite blog posts I’ve written
Pasted the text in one big long prompt to ChatGPT
I'm going to give you some samples of my writing to try and get my style:
1.
TEXT
—------
2.
TEXT
-—----
3.
TEXTChatGPT: Based on the provided writing samples, your writing style can be described as conversational, informal, and personal. You often use storytelling and personal anecdotes to engage the reader. You also have a tendency to use parentheses and dashes for additional information or clarification. Your writing tone is friendly and relatable, and you incorporate a touch of humor into your writing. You have a knack for explaining technical concepts in an accessible way and breaking down complex information into understandable chunks. Overall, your writing style is engaging and easy to follow.
Wow - I really love this and think it captures both my style (I do use a lot of dashes), and my tone (I’m intrigued about the breaking complex info down).
For reference these were the blog post I included the text from:
Utilising the Forgetfulness of Separate Chats
Whenever I tried to ask the same ChatGPT chat to use this new tone and style to create a blurb, it kept using the information from the blog. This meant it kept talking about Taught by Humans (which was not the website blurb I was trying to make).
ChatGPT: At Taught by Humans, our love for continuous learning knows no bounds.
ChatGPT: Welcome to the marvelous world of Taught by Humans, where our unquenchable thirst for knowledge knows no bounds!
My Final Blurb
ChatGPT: Welcome to lauralikespi, where data obsession meets technology evangelism! I'm Laura, your friendly neighborhood fintech dork and passionate advocate for tech education. I'm thrilled to have you here as part of my target audience: businesses looking for someone to tackle data, tech, innovation, or education work.
Now, let's dive into what you can expect from my portfolio website. It's not your typical, stuffy, run-of-the-mill showcase of projects and achievements. No, no, no. We're going for conversational, informal, and personal vibes here. Think of it as having a coffee chat with a friend (that friend being me, of course).
First and foremost, you'll find a mix of blog posts and project overviews. But let's be honest, it's the blog posts that really bring the sparkle to this website. I'll be sharing my thoughts, experiences, and insights on all things data, tech, and innovation. And let me tell you, there will be stories—lots of stories.
I firmly believe that storytelling is the secret sauce to engage readers and make complex topics more approachable. So, get ready for a wild ride as I regale you with personal anecdotes, sprinkled with a touch of humor. Oh, and you can expect parentheses and dashes galore because I just can't resist throwing in additional information or clarification wherever needed.
But don't worry, I won't leave you scratching your head when it comes to tech stuff. I have a knack for explaining technical concepts in an accessible way, breaking down complex information into bite-sized, understandable chunks. Whether it's the latest fintech trends, cutting-edge data analytics techniques, or innovative educational approaches, I've got you covered.
So, if you're a business in need of a data guru, tech enthusiast, innovation maven, or education advocate, you've come to the right place. Browse through my projects, immerse yourself in my blog, and let's connect to explore how I can bring my data obsession and technology evangelism to your organization.
Welcome to lauralikespi, where the world of data, tech, and education collide in the most delightful and informative way possible. Strap in and let's embark on this exciting journey together!
What do you think? It’s not quite there - but I’m definitely getting the hang of this prompt engineering thing. Let’s recap:
Ask ChatGPT how best to use it for your task
Follow it’s instructions
Break down problems, use different chats if needed
Give as much information and context as possible
Give clear commands
Be specific about things like length
Give feedback and iterate
Do a quick human edit