What NOT to Do
Sometimes telling AI what to avoid is as important as what to do. Negative prompting prevents common failure modes and unwanted outputs.
The Power of "Don't"
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Common Things to Exclude
Tone Problems
Don't be preachy or condescending
Avoid sarcasm
Don't use overly casual language
No exclamation marks
Content Problems
Don't include pricing details
Avoid mentioning competitors by name
Don't make medical/legal claims
No speculation about future features
Format Problems
Don't use headers
No bullet points
Don't exceed 3 paragraphs
Avoid code examples in this section
Style Problems
Don't use passive voice
Avoid jargon without explanation
No run-on sentences
Don't start sentences with "It is"
Exercise: Add Negative Constraints
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Anti-Pattern Lists
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Preventing Common AI Failures
Over-Helpfulness
Don't add unsolicited suggestions.
Answer only what was asked.
Don't say "I'd be happy to help" or similar.
Excessive Caveats
Don't add excessive disclaimers.
Skip phrases like "It's important to note..."
Avoid "However, keep in mind that..."
Verbose Padding
Don't restate the question.
Skip "Great question!" type responses.
Get directly to the answer.
Exercise: Prevent AI Verbosity
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Balanced Negative Prompting
Don't go overboard - too many "don'ts" can:
- Confuse priorities
- Make the AI overly cautious
- Leave unclear what TO do
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Practice: Negative Prompt Design
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Knowing what to exclude is half of writing great prompts.
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