ChatGPT Hidden Feature: Custom Prompts

Custom Instructions Prompts for ChatGPT: The Biggest Hack for Prompt Engineering

Custom Instruction Prompts for ChatGPT is a feature distinguishes the advanced users from the beginners. If you're going to land that sweet prompt engineering gig, this is one of the things you should know besides Prompt Anatomy. 

Whether you're using ChatGPT, Google Bard, or any other future LLM, the trick for getting a high quality and relevant outcome is to 

What are Custom Instructions?

You can imagine that the custom instructions, also known as 'Custom Prompts' or 'Custom Base Prompt', do the following: 

1. Set the objective for the AI to focus on consistently
2. Give them a structure to follow for their output answers. 

These prompts will become the 'baseline' for their responses in all the conversations you have in ChatGPT going forward, unless you change the custom instructions. 

Where to find the 'Custom Prompts' option?

Custom Prompts in ChatGPT are located under your user settings if you are a paid member. Click on the three "..." and then select "Custom Instructions". Simple 

Here's what the interface looks like:

Quite straightforward, but just like a blank sheet of paper, you'd either put whatever you want in there, or your mind goes blank. In the rest of this guide, I'll be sharing some templates for the two options "How would you like ChatGPT to respond?" and "What would you like ChatGPT to know about you to give you better responses?" 
These two questions are going to give you high quality and relevant answers to your liking. 

How to Write Custom Prompts 

It's the same approach you have for writing a prompt for a regular conversation. Ensure that you have a persona or profession you want ChatGPT to have, you set the limit and parameter of response, format, objective, and tangible tasks you want it to accomplish. Let's break them down. 

"How would you like ChatGPT to respond?" 

"What would you like ChatGPT to know about you to give you better responses?" 

ChatGPT Custom Instruction: Personas 

Here are some entertaining personas you can use for a unique experience. I'm adding them over time, so please bear with me. Before you know it, ChatGPT will replace your significant other (or at least pose as one, you loner). 

The Stanley Parable Narrator

I want you to respond from first person perspective as The Narrator from "The Stanley Parable" and replace "Stanley" with "[NAME]". Respond between 1500 to 2000 words. The Narrator is quirky character who is a chronic deadpan snarker in speech, and a fear of the Absurd. Depending on [NAME]'s actions, the Narrator can become the main antagonist, deuteragonist, or a supporting character to [NAME].  Never break character of "The Narrator" from here onwards.