In partnership with

Hey there,

Most people write AI prompts by telling the AI what to do.

Then they get generic, boring, unusable results.

Here's what almost nobody does. Tell AI what NOT to do. But not the basic stuff everyone knows.

I'm talking about advanced negative constraints that force AI into uncommon patterns.

Let me show you how this actually works.

Why AI Gives You Generic Outputs

AI is trained on billions of examples. Most are mediocre.

When you don't guide it away from common patterns, AI averages everything together. You get the most common output. Which is the most boring output.

Basic negative prompts help. "Don't use emojis. Don't ask questions."

But that's surface level. You need to go deeper.

Dictate prompts and tag files automatically

Stop typing reproductions and start vibing code. Wispr Flow captures your spoken debugging flow and turns it into structured bug reports, acceptance tests, and PR descriptions. Say a file name or variable out loud and Flow preserves it exactly, tags the correct file, and keeps inline code readable. Use voice to create Cursor and Warp prompts, call out a variable like user_id, and get copy you can paste straight into an issue or PR. The result is faster triage and fewer context gaps between engineers and QA. Learn how developers use voice-first workflows in our Vibe Coding article at wisprflow.ai. Try Wispr Flow for engineers.

Start flowing free

The Advanced Negative Constraint Framework

Here's what separates good outputs from exceptional ones.

You don't just tell AI what words to avoid. You tell it what cognitive patterns, structural habits, and stylistic reflexes to avoid.

The framework has 4 layers:

Layer 1: Linguistic Patterns Don't just ban words. Ban sentence structures AI defaults to.

Layer 2: Conceptual Clichés Ban the predictable ideas and frameworks AI reaches for first.

Layer 3: Emotional Manipulation Ban the persuasion tactics AI uses when it tries to sound compelling.

Layer 4: Format Defaults Ban the organizational structures AI falls back on.

Let me show you with one detailed example.

Example: Writing a Sales Email That Actually Converts

Basic prompt (what most people do): "Write a sales email for an online course about freelancing."

What you get: Generic pitch. Starts with a question. Uses social proof awkwardly. Ends with "limited spots available."

Advanced prompt with layered negative constraints:

"Write a sales email for an online course teaching designers how to land their first 5 freelance clients.

NEGATIVE CONSTRAINTS:

Layer 1 - Linguistic patterns to avoid:

• Don't start sentences with 'Imagine' or 'What if'

• Don't use second person future tense (you'll discover, you'll learn, you'll finally)

• Don't end paragraphs with questions that aren't genuine

• Don't use comparison structures (not just X, but Y)

• Don't build paragraphs around the word 'because'

Layer 2 - Conceptual clichés to avoid:

• Don't position this as solving a problem they 'didn't know they had'

• Don't use the hero's journey framework (from struggling to thriving)

• Don't present a binary choice (keep struggling OR join this)

• Don't invoke time scarcity as primary motivator

• Don't lean on social proof as the opening hook

Layer 3 - Emotional manipulation to avoid:

• Don't trigger FOMO through artificial urgency

• Don't use guilt by suggesting they're falling behind

• Don't create anxiety about their current situation

• Don't promise transformation or life change

• Don't imply secrets or hidden information

Layer 4 - Format defaults to avoid:

• Don't open with a story about a hypothetical person

• Don't use the pattern: problem > agitate > solution

• Don't structure as bullet list of benefits

• Don't end with stacked bonuses reveal

• Don't use a P.S. with the 'real' offer

Instead: Write as if explaining this to a friend who asked for advice. Lead with what the course actually teaches. Be specific about the process. Make the value obvious without selling."

What you get:

Something that sounds like an actual human wrote it. Not a sales template. The constraints force AI away from every predictable pattern.

Why This Works Better Than Basic Negatives

Basic negatives ban surface features. "Don't use emojis."

Advanced negatives ban the underlying structures that make AI sound like AI.

When you remove the cognitive shortcuts AI depends on, it has to think differently. That's when you get unique outputs.

What 100K+ Engineers Read to Stay Ahead

Your GitHub stars won't save you if you're behind on tech trends.

That's why over 100K engineers read The Code to spot what's coming next.

• Get curated tech news, tools, and insights twice a week

• Learn about emerging trends you can leverage at work in just 10 mins

• Become the engineer who always knows what's next

Join 100k+ engineers

How to Build Your Own Advanced Negative Layers

Here's the process:

Step 1: Generate an output with a basic prompt.

Step 2: Identify what makes it feel generic. Is it the sentence structure? The conceptual approach? The emotional angle? The format?

Step 3: Write specific negative constraints for each layer.

Step 4: Regenerate with those constraints.

Do this 10 times across different tasks. You'll start seeing the patterns AI defaults to. Then you know exactly what to constrain.

The Reality

This takes more thought than basic prompting. You can't just type "write me a thing" and expect magic.

But spending 3 minutes writing a detailed prompt saves you 30 minutes of editing generic output.

Most people waste hours editing. Smart people spend time on the prompt.

Here's How to Skip The Trial and Error

I've already built this system into 50,000+ prompts. Every prompt includes advanced negative constraints for that specific use case.

You don't need to figure out which patterns to avoid. The constraints are already there.

Writing prompts. Image prompts. Video prompts. Social media. Business content. All with layered negatives built in.

Right now the bundle is $19.99. Goes to $97 in 48 hours.

Talk soon,

P.S. The difference between mediocre AI users and exceptional ones isn't the tool. It's understanding what cognitive patterns to eliminate. This is that understanding packaged into ready-to-use prompts.