Hi all,
I wrote this after 100s hours coding with bolt.new && bolt.diy creating new apps from scratch with no prior hands-on coding experience.
I am posting this here to as A CELEBRATION of my new product launch, the Virten Prompt Library
Hope the message helps.
I wrote the Single Message Principle essay (following, below) while thinking about how the best prompts in my new product, the Virten Prompt Library, worked.
The Single Message Principle: Engineering Better AI Communication
Think of communicating with AI like building with blocks. Each block needs to be solid, well-defined, and capable of supporting what’s built on top of it. This is the essence of the Single Message Principle - a fundamental approach to crafting effective AI prompts.
In today’s AI landscape, clarity isn’t just helpful - it’s essential. Like a well-designed circuit, each prompt should carry one clear signal. Whether you’re writing a single sentence or structuring an entire paragraph, maintaining this singular focus helps prevent noise from corrupting your communication.
The Single Message Principle extends beyond basic instructions. Consider word choice like selecting tools from a toolbox - each verb and command should fit precisely with the others, creating a consistent pattern of instruction. When your job orders grow complex, this consistency becomes your scaffold.
At a higher level, we encounter what we’ll call ‘typing’ clauses. These are like atmospheric conditions that shape how your message is interpreted. Just as weather patterns influence everything below them, these high-level clauses help define the context of your entire prompt.
Every prompt consists of two core components: the ‘instructions’ (your rulebook) and the ‘job’ (your specific request). The instructions component typically contains general-use directives - think of them as your standard operating procedures. The Virten Prompt Library provides these fundamental building blocks, ready for immediate use.
The job component is your unique input - what you’re actually trying to accomplish. When these components work together harmoniously, like well-oiled gears, the AI responds with remarkable precision. The key is maintaining consistent language patterns throughout your instructions to prevent any confusion with the job specifications.
Three basic formats have proven particularly effective:
- Format A: Instructions followed by job details
- Format B: Job details followed by instructions
- Format C: Instructions sandwiching the job details
However, Worktext Document Syntax (WDS) unlocks a more sophisticated approach. Like a programming language for prompt engineering, WDS allows you to interweave instructions and job components in real-time. This creates a more fluid, responsive interaction with the AI.
Well-specified prompts can generate hundreds of lines of useful code because they follow these principles of clear communication. The right prompts and working process with AI elicit valuable information from deep within the knowledge base the AI is trained on, much like a skilled archaeologist carefully extracting artifacts from layers of sediment.
With the right approach, the AI will bring forward information that was obscure in your field, connecting dots you might never have considered. This capability transforms your interaction with AI from simple query-response to genuine knowledge discovery.
Next time you’re working with an AI in any capacity, work normally, but before you send each prompt to the AI, take a look at the prompts available at demovpl.virten.app. Using this pattern, you’ll be able to easily see how the VPL can help you with what you’re already doing with the AI.
yt//@VirtenApp (Demo videos)
(influencers, I have a great affiliate offer for you, see virten.app/affiliateoffer.html & please inquire vvirten@gmail.com)
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