Lesson 2.3: Text Generation Prompts

Continue this story in 2-3 sentences:

"The old lighthouse keeper noticed something unusual in the fog that morning."

A massive ship, unlike any he'd seen in his forty years at the post, emerged silently from the mist. Its hull gleamed with an otherworldly luminescence, and no crew could be seen on deck. He reached for his radio, hands trembling, knowing no one would believe what he was about to report.

Continue this story with these constraints:
- Exactly 3 sentences
- Include a plot twist
- End with a question

Story start: "Detective Martinez opened the sealed envelope, expecting another routine case."

Inside, she found a photograph of herself from yesterday—a day she had no memory of living. The timestamp showed she'd been at a location she'd never visited, meeting with someone she'd never seen. How could she investigate a crime when she was apparently the one who committed it?

Write a dialogue between a customer and a tech support agent. The customer is frustrated about a software bug, and the agent is empathetic and solution-focused.

Requirements:
- 6-8 exchanges
- Show the agent de-escalating the situation
- End with a resolution

Dialogue:

Customer: This is the third time this week your app has crashed! I'm losing work and patience.

Agent: I completely understand your frustration, and I sincerely apologize for the disruption to your work. Let me help you resolve this right away.

Customer: I've already tried restarting it. Nothing works.

Agent: I hear you. Let's try something different. Can you tell me what you're doing right before it crashes?

Customer: I'm usually working with large files, around 50MB each.

Agent: That's helpful information. It sounds like you might be hitting a memory limit in the current version. I can upgrade your account to our Pro tier right now at no charge, which handles larger files smoothly.

Customer: Really? That would actually help a lot.

Agent: Absolutely. I've just applied the upgrade to your account. You should see improved performance immediately. I'll also follow up with you tomorrow to make sure everything's working well.

Create a team meeting dialogue with 4 people discussing a project deadline.

Participants:
- Sarah (Project Manager, concerned about timeline)
- Mike (Developer, optimistic)
- Lisa (Designer, needs more time)
- Tom (Client liaison, pushing for early delivery)

Generate 8-10 exchanges showing different perspectives and reaching a compromise.

Generate a product description with these attributes:

Product: Wireless earbuds
Target Audience: Fitness enthusiasts
Tone: Energetic and motivating
Length: 100-150 words
Key Features: Water resistance, 12-hour battery, secure fit
Call-to-Action: Include at end
Format: Two paragraphs

Description:

Push your limits without limits! These wireless earbuds are engineered for athletes who refuse to compromise. With IPX7 water resistance, they'll power through your most intense workouts—rain, sweat, or shine. The secure-fit design stays locked in place whether you're sprinting, lifting, or crushing that final rep.

Fuel your entire training day with 12 hours of continuous battery life. No more mid-workout charging breaks. No more excuses. Just pure, uninterrupted motivation pumping through crystal-clear audio. Ready to elevate your performance? Grab your pair today and experience the difference that premium workout audio makes.

Write a product announcement in the style of a tech startup founder's blog post.

Product: AI-powered calendar assistant
Style elements:
- Conversational and personal
- Shares the "why" behind the product
- Includes a brief origin story
- Ends with vision for the future

Length: 200-250 words

We've all been there. You're juggling three meetings, trying to find time for deep work, and somehow your calendar looks like a game of Tetris gone wrong. Six months ago, I found myself canceling dinner with my family for the third time that week because of "calendar chaos." That's when I knew something had to change.

Today, I'm excited to introduce CalendarAI—the assistant that actually understands how you work. We built this because scheduling shouldn't feel like a puzzle. CalendarAI learns your preferences, protects your focus time, and automatically suggests optimal meeting slots based on your energy patterns and priorities. It's like having a personal assistant who knows that you're sharpest in the morning and that Fridays after 3 PM are sacred.

But here's what really excites me: this is just the beginning. We're not just building a smarter calendar—we're reimagining how people reclaim control of their time. Imagine a world where your calendar works for you, not against you. Where "finding time" isn't a negotiation but a seamless experience.

Ready to take back your time? Join our beta at calendarai.com. Let's build the future of productivity together.

Generate a Python function with these specifications:

Function name: calculate_discount
Purpose: Calculate final price after applying tiered discounts
Parameters:
- original_price (float)
- quantity (int)
Discount tiers:
- 1-9 items: 0% discount
- 10-49 items: 10% discount
- 50-99 items: 15% discount
- 100+ items: 20% discount
Return: Final price (float)
Include: Docstring, type hints, input validation, error handling

Code:

def calculate_discount(original_price: float, quantity: int) -> float:
    """
    Calculate the final price after applying quantity-based tiered discounts.
    
    Args:
        original_price: The original price per item
        quantity: The number of items being purchased
        
    Returns:
        The final total price after discount
        
    Raises:
        ValueError: If original_price is negative or quantity is less than 1
        
    Discount Tiers:
        - 1-9 items: 0% discount
        - 10-49 items: 10% discount
        - 50-99 items: 15% discount
        - 100+ items: 20% discount
    """
    # Input validation
    if original_price < 0:
        raise ValueError("Original price cannot be negative")
    if quantity < 1:
        raise ValueError("Quantity must be at least 1")
    
    # Calculate base total
    base_total = original_price * quantity
    
    # Apply tiered discount
    if quantity >= 100:
        discount_rate = 0.20
    elif quantity >= 50:
        discount_rate = 0.15
    elif quantity >= 10:
        discount_rate = 0.10
    else:
        discount_rate = 0.0
    
    # Calculate and return final price
    final_price = base_total * (1 - discount_rate)
    return round(final_price, 2)

Generate a JavaScript function to validate email addresses.

Requirements:
- Function name: isValidEmail
- Include detailed comments explaining the regex
- Add JSDoc documentation
- Include 3 example usages in comments
- Handle edge cases

Create marketing email copy with these specifications:

Campaign: Summer sale announcement
Product: Outdoor furniture collection
Target: Homeowners aged 35-55
Tone: Warm and inviting, not pushy
Length: 150-200 words
Structure:
- Attention-grabbing subject line
- Personal greeting
- Value proposition (2-3 sentences)
- Featured products (brief mention)
- Clear CTA
- Friendly sign-off

Email:

Subject: Transform Your Backyard Into a Summer Oasis ☀️

Hi [Name],

Remember that feeling of relaxing in your backyard on a perfect summer evening? We want to help you create more of those moments.

Our Summer Collection features handcrafted outdoor furniture designed for comfort and durability. Each piece is weather-resistant and built to last, so you can focus on making memories instead of maintenance. From cozy conversation sets to elegant dining arrangements, we've curated everything you need to turn your outdoor space into your favorite room.

This week only, enjoy 25% off our entire collection. Whether you're hosting weekend barbecues or seeking a quiet morning coffee spot, we have the perfect pieces waiting for you.

Browse the collection and imagine your ideal summer setup. Your backyard retreat is just a click away.

Here's to sunny days ahead,
The [Company] Team

P.S. Free delivery on orders over $500!

Generate API documentation for an endpoint.

Endpoint: POST /api/users
Purpose: Create a new user account
Include:
- Endpoint description
- Request parameters (with types and requirements)
- Example request body (JSON)
- Possible response codes
- Example responses
- Error handling notes

Format: Markdown

## Create User Account

Creates a new user account in the system.

**Endpoint:** `POST /api/users`

**Authentication:** Required (API Key)

### Request Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|-----------|------|----------|-------------|
| email | string | Yes | Valid email address (unique) |
| username | string | Yes | 3-20 characters, alphanumeric |
| password | string | Yes | Minimum 8 characters |
| full_name | string | No | User's full name |
| role | string | No | User role (default: "user") |

### Example Request

```json
{
  "email": "user@example.com",
  "username": "johndoe",
  "password": "SecurePass123!",
  "full_name": "John Doe",
  "role": "user"
}

{
  "id": "usr_1234567890",
  "email": "user@example.com",
  "username": "johndoe",
  "full_name": "John Doe",
  "role": "user",
  "created_at": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}

{
  "error": "Invalid input",
  "details": {
    "password": "Password must be at least 8 characters"
  }
}

## Multi-Step Generation

Break complex generation into steps for better results.

## Best Practices for Generation

<Accordion title="Be Specific About Constraints">
**Vague:** "Write something about our product"

**Specific:** "Write a 150-word product description for fitness enthusiasts, highlighting water resistance and battery life, with an energetic tone"
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Provide Examples When Possible">
**Without Example:**

**With Example:**

</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Use Iterative Refinement">
**First Pass:** Generate basic content
**Second Pass:** Add specific constraints
**Third Pass:** Refine tone and style

This approach often yields better results than trying to get everything perfect in one prompt.
</Accordion>

## Practice Exercises

### Exercise 1: Product Description Generator

Create a prompt to generate product descriptions for an e-commerce site.

Requirements:
- Include 3 different tone options (professional, casual, luxury)
- Specify length (100-150 words)
- Include key features and benefits
- Add a call-to-action

<Accordion title="Sample Solution">

</Accordion>

### Exercise 2: Email Response Generator

Design a prompt to generate customer service email responses.

<Accordion title="Sample Solution">

</Accordion>

### Exercise 3: Social Media Content Generator

Create a prompt for generating social media posts across platforms.

<Accordion title="Sample Solution">

</Accordion>

## Real-World Application: Content Marketing System

Build a comprehensive content generation system:

## Key Takeaways

<Check>Use specific constraints to guide generation (length, tone, format)</Check>
<Check>Provide examples to establish style and quality expectations</Check>
<Check>Break complex generation into multiple steps</Check>
<Check>Specify target audience to ensure appropriate content</Check>
<Check>Include clear calls-to-action when generating marketing content</Check>

## Next Steps

You've mastered content generation. Now learn to transform existing text across styles, formats, and languages.

<Card title="Next: Lesson 2.4 - Text Transformation Prompts" icon="arrow-right" href="/module-2/lesson-4">
  Transform text across languages, styles, and formats
</Card>