When it came to learning how to prompt LLMs, I had heard of some examples before. Having the AI frame its “narrative” through the lens of a specific writer (ie, “Write a poem from the perspective of a depressed Edgar Allen Poe who was secretly gay”) has great potential for multiple LLMs, especially those that tend to sound “bland” or same-y when compared with other LLMs. I tested this in ChatGPT and got a very good response:
A candle gutters in the velvet gloom,
Its trembling light a conspirator to thought—
I sit entombed within my borrowed room,
By secrets kept, by silent longings caught.
They praise my tales of death, decay, and night,
Of ravens perched and hearts that will not still—
Yet none have glimpsed the more consuming blight,
The love I dare not name, nor bend to will.
For what is horror, if not living split?
A soul at war with what it dares to feel—
Condemned to mask each tender, wayward bit,
And bind with ink what flesh cannot reveal.
As said in the University of Texas UT Aspire Prompt Literacy, the most important thing to consider when creating a prompt is to consider the following three things: who the author is, who the audience is, and what the purpose is. For artistic purposes like this, the purpose of it is nebulous at best. Do we put “to entertain the audience”? Do we leave it open and allow AI to try its hand at being “creative”? This is why I think AI fails so hard when trying to generate creative writing prompts. In contrast, more academic or summarizing pursuits are far easier. Asking ChatGPT for a college guide written by a College of Wooster student designed to explain attire and demeanor guides generates the following:
Welcome to the College of Wooster—where the squirrels are bold, the coffee is essential, and the expectations are real (but manageable, I promise). As a current student, here’s the unofficial-but-very-real guide to how people carry themselves here—both in behavior and attire.
Conduct: Be curious, not careless.
Wooster runs on discussion. Whether you’re in a seminar or just talking in Lowry, people value thoughtful conversation. That doesn’t mean you need to have all the answers—just be respectful, listen actively, and don’t dominate every discussion. Also, academic integrity is a big deal here (you’ll hear a lot about that during I.S. prep). Don’t cut corners—it’s not worth it.
Community matters.
This campus is small enough that your actions stick. Be kind to staff, professors, and other students. Hold doors. Say thank you. And yes—clean up after yourself in shared spaces. People notice.
Attire: Comfortable, but intentional.
Most days? Think hoodies, jeans, and whatever gets you through an 8:30 a.m. class. No one’s judging your outfit—but there is a baseline: don’t show up looking like you just rolled out of bed five seconds ago (even if you did). For presentations or formal events, step it up—business casual is usually safe.
Weather is your real dress code.
Ohio doesn’t play around. One day it’s sunny, the next it’s snowing sideways. Layers are your best friend.
Final tip: Be yourself, but be aware you’re part of a community. Wooster is chill—but it works best when people show up with respect, effort, and just a little bit of style.
This becomes so much easier and less confused or nebulous in how it addresses the reader. It clears up so much. This is why I think this method is the most effective by far.