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Make a market booth packing list that follows the rules

Practice: Keeping the AI to your sources. About 5 minutes.

About this exercise

You sell handmade soap and have a booth at Saturday's holiday market. You want a packing list of exactly 8 numbered items, each with a quantity, under 70 words, plain text. It must follow the market's rules email (no power at booths, tent weights required), and include only things from your notes, with no generic vendor tips. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Ignoring the rules email. Your usual list comes first, and the AI copies the plug-in items. Try: Add: "Follow the market email: no power, so no plug-in items; 4 weights required."
  • Letting the AI add tips. The AI knows what vendors usually bring and adds chairs, snacks and banners. Try: Add: "Only items from my notes. No general vendor tips."
  • Leaving out quantities. The AI lists items without numbers, so you can't check you packed enough. Try: Add: "Give a quantity on every item."
  • Letting the AI pick the layout. The AI makes a checklist with bold category headings. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 8 numbered items, plain text."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 70 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part instead: "each line under 8 words."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Says how many items
  • Follows the market rules
  • Bans outside tips
  • Asks for quantities
  • Sets a word limit

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