PROMPT GUIDE

How to Get ChatGPT to Write Image Generation Prompts (with Examples)

Chat AIs like ChatGPT can write an English image prompt from a plain description of the picture you want. But a vague request gives prompts that are too long or in the wrong format for your tool. This guide collects request templates matched to Stable Diffusion, NovelAI, Midjourney and other tools.

Last updated: 2026-10-22 approx. 3 min read

日本語版

The short answer

When you ask ChatGPT for a prompt, state in one message which image tool you use, whether you want tags or sentences, what to include and leave out, and the output format. Trim the prompt it gives you before using it, and you will get closer to the picture you want.

How do you get ChatGPT to write an image prompt?

Tell it the tool, tags or sentences, what to include and the output format, all at once.

A chat AI fills in anything you leave out with guesses. If you do not name the tool, it will keep switching between tag lists and sentences. A short request like "a cute girl" lets it decide the hair, outfit and background on its own. Spell out the conditions in your first request, then fix the result one point at a time. That is the fastest route.

What to tell it	Example	What happens if you do not
The tool you use	For Stable Diffusion (an Illustrious-based model)	The format does not fit the tool
Tags or sentences	As comma-separated Danbooru tags	You get long English sentences that work poorly
What to include	Long hair, white sweater, library, window light	It picks a different outfit or place
What to leave out	Text, logos, a second person	Signs and lettering creep in
Output format	Prompt and negative in separate code blocks	Explanations get mixed in and are hard to copy
Length	Up to 30 tags	Too long, and the key words get diluted

Anime girl in a white sweater reading by a library window, the kind of image described to ChatGPT — 依頼文の例1の絵のイメージ

Anime girl in a scarf looking up at falling snow in a city at night — 依頼文の例1の絵のイメージ

Illustration usage rules

What are the steps for asking ChatGPT?

Describe the picture, add conditions, send the request, then trim what comes back.

Steps to get a prompt written

Describe the picture in one to three sentences (who, where, doing what, what mood)
Decide which image tool you will use and whether it needs tags or sentences
Put your description and conditions into the copy-paste request below and send it
Use the prompt once as it is and look at the result
Ask for one change at a time, such as "make the hair shorter" or "make the background night"
Save prompts that worked in your notes and reuse them next time

You write prompts for image generation AI. Turn the picture below into comma-separated Danbooru tags for Stable Diffusion (an Illustrious-based anime model). Conditions: English tags, 30 at most, most important first. Output the prompt and the negative prompt in separate code blocks and do not add explanations. Picture: a girl with long hair reading a book by the window of a school library, white sweater, soft afternoon light, upper body.

Write one English prompt for Midjourney. Connect subject, appearance, place, light and style in short phrases in that order, and end with --ar 2:3. Do not include text or signs. Picture: an anime-style illustration of a girl in a scarf looking up at the sky in a snowy city at night.

How should you change the request for each tool?

Ask for tags for tools that read tags, and sentences for tools that read sentences.

Type of tool	Format to ask for	Tip
Stable Diffusion (Illustrious, NoobAI, Pony and similar)	Comma-separated tags	Name the model family and where quality tags go (front or back)
NovelAI	Mostly tags, plus a short sentence if needed	Emphasis syntax changes by version, so name your version and check the official docs
Midjourney and niji journey	Short English phrases plus parameters	Say that parameters go at the end
Sentence-based models such as FLUX	Natural English sentences	Start from the subject and keep each sentence short
AI video generators	English in the order motion, camera, time	Ask it to keep one motion per shot

The difference between tags and sentences, and how to convert: Tag Prompts vs Natural Language Prompts (Which to Use?) →

What if the prompts ChatGPT writes do not work? (Common mistakes and fixes)

Most problems are prompts that are too long, in the wrong format, or padded with things you did not ask for.

Problem	Cause	Fix
The prompt is so long the picture gets muddy	It piled up adjectives and near-synonyms	Add "30 tags at most" and "one word per meaning"
Tags that do not exist appear	The chat AI made up plausible words	Check tags on Danbooru and delete the ones that do not exist
Things you did not ask for appear	It filled gaps with guesses	Say "do not add anything I did not write"
Important words end up in the negative prompt	It added a strong stock negative	Replace the negative with your own standard set
The format changes every time	You did not specify the output format	Ask for code blocks and no explanations every time

Rinka's tips

Save a request that worked as a template; you can reuse it many times by swapping only the picture description
Avoid requests that use series names, artist names or real people to copy a look
Run the prompt through the Prompt Optimizer on this site to remove duplicates and tidy it up

What if you just want to turn a few words into English tags?

For short, clear words, a tool that converts words into English tags can be faster.

When the words are clear, like twin tails, sailor uniform and sunset, a word-to-tag converter builds the prompt from tags that actually exist, which is often more reliable than a chat AI. Chat AIs are better when you want help imagining the mood of a scene, or when you need English sentences for a sentence-based tool.

How to ask ChatGPT to make the picture itself: How to Prompt ChatGPT for Images (Asking and Editing) →

Prompt order and the basics of writing prompts: Prompt Writing Basics: Tag Order, Emphasis, and Tips →

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the trick to getting ChatGPT to write prompts?

Tell it the tool, tags or sentences, what to include and leave out, and the output format in your first request. Try the result once, then ask it to fix one thing at a time.

Can I use the tags ChatGPT writes as they are?

Usually yes, but made-up tags or overly long combinations can slip in. Check the tags on Danbooru and trim to about 30 before using them.

Can I make images with a prompt that is not in English?

Some tools understand other languages, but many image generators are said to follow English more reliably. Asking the chat AI to translate into English is the safe choice.

Can I write prompts with a free plan?

Writing prompt text works on most chat AIs. Available features and limits depend on the plan, so check the official information.