Making ChatGPT Talk Like You: A Guide to Custom Instructions
When you are asking ChatGPT to write something for you, up until now, you have had to explicitly say each time that you are a REALTOR, or that you would like things written at an 8th grade reading level, or that you would like content to be written in a friendly and conversational tone of voice. If you ended a conversation, the instructions ended with it.
What are Custom Instructions?
Custom instructions in ChatGPT are settings that are used on EVERY request that you make. Each time you start a conversation, they are already there and already understood. So for example, you can instruct ChatGPT that you are a REALTOR with decades of experience, or you can ask it to write in a friendly or conversational tone. These are used universally by ChatGPT as it starts to write. This saves time and creates better content results much faster for you.
Tips for Giving Good Custom Instructions
- Be Clear: Tell ChatGPT exactly who you are and what tone of voice you want to write in. For example, “Write a funny story about veggies” is clearer than just asking for a story about veggies.
- Give Some Background Information: If your topic is part of a bigger story, let ChatGPT know. It’ll help make the answer fit better.
- Use Examples: If you like how a certain writer or book sounds (or if you want to use the same tone that you have used elsewhere, tell ChatGPT. It can try to write like that! the more data that you give it, the more effective it will be at acting and sounding like you!
- Try Again: If the first answer isn’t what you wanted, change your instructions a bit and ask again. Once you get what you want, use that as an example going forward.
- Keep it Short: Don’t make your instructions too long. Short and clear is the way to go.
- Have Fun: Play around with different instructions and see what answers you get!
Why Use Custom Instructions?
- Make It Yours: You can get answers that sound more like you or your favorite style.
- Save Time: By telling ChatGPT exactly what you want, you get better answers faster, without having to say something with each request.
- Be Creative: You can ask for all kinds of stories, reports, or poems!
How You Do It
Click on your Account Name and then on Custom Instructions
A dialog box will pop up that allows you to enter custom instructions as needed. Then, going forward, regardless of other subject matter, ChatGPT will start by using these inputs as they craft a response.
