Start with Prompts
Welcome to PromptBlocks! This guide walks you through building your personal AI context layer, step by step. Let's start with the foundation: prompts.
Prefer a quick reference? See Key Concepts for an overview of all the building blocks.
What Are Prompts?
A prompt is reusable text you save once and use forever. Instead of typing the same instructions every time you chat with AI, you save them to your library and insert them instantly.
Think of prompts as your personal shortcuts. That perfectly-worded request you crafted? Save it. That instruction that gets exactly the output you need? Keep it. Your prompt library becomes a collection of your best AI conversations, ready to use again.
Your Starter Prompts
PromptBlocks comes with starter prompts to help you get going immediately. Open your Prompt Library from the sidebar to see them.
You'll find prompts for common tasks:
- Writing Review — Gets feedback on any text
- Summarize Text — Creates bullet-point summaries
- Draft Email — Helps compose professional emails
- Brainstorm Ideas — Generates creative options
These are starting points. Edit them, delete them, or use them as inspiration for your own prompts.
Using Prompts with @Mentions
The fastest way to use a prompt is with an @mention in chat:
- Open any chat
- Type
@in the message box - Start typing the prompt name
- Select from the dropdown suggestions
- The prompt appears as a colored badge
- Send your message
That's it. No copy/paste. No switching between apps. Just @ and go.
If the Prompt Has Variables
Some prompts have variables — placeholders you fill in. When you insert a prompt with variables, click the badge to configure them before sending.
For example, a prompt like "Write a email about " will ask you to fill in the tone and subject when you use it.
Prompts for Your Work
Here's what prompts might look like for different roles:
Small Business Owners
| Prompt | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Customer Response | Draft professional replies to customer inquiries |
| Social Post | Create engaging social media content for your business |
| Meeting Agenda | Structure productive team meetings |
Recruiters
| Prompt | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Job Description | Write compelling job postings for any role |
| Candidate Outreach | Craft personalized messages to potential candidates |
| Interview Questions | Generate relevant questions for specific positions |
Independent Consultants
| Prompt | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Proposal Draft | Structure client proposals with your standard format |
| Deliverable Review | Check work against project requirements |
| Status Update | Create professional client communications |
Agency Owners
| Prompt | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Creative Brief | Standardize how you capture client requirements |
| Campaign Analysis | Review marketing performance with consistent criteria |
| Client Onboarding | Walk through your intake process systematically |
Multi-Passionate Individuals
| Prompt | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Idea Evaluation | Quickly assess new concepts against your criteria |
| Project Kickoff | Start any new venture with the same thoughtful questions |
| Learning Summary | Extract key insights from research or courses |
Create Your First Prompt
Ready to save your own prompt? Here's how:
- Go to Prompt Library in the sidebar
- Click Create Prompt
- Give it a clear name you'll remember
- Write the prompt text (add
{{variables}}if you want placeholders) - Add tags to help you find it later
- Click Save
Tip: Start with something you find yourself typing often. A way you like summaries formatted. A tone you use for emails. Instructions you give repeatedly. That's your first prompt.
Quick Practice
Try this now:
- Open a new chat
- Type
@and select any starter prompt - Send a message using it
- See how the AI responds
Notice how much faster that was than typing instructions from scratch.
Next Step
Prompts are powerful on their own, but they get better with context. Next, we'll set up your Global Context — personal information that applies to every conversation.