Writing Effective Prompts

A great prompt sounds like clear direction you’d give a teammate. Keep it simple, specific, and conversational.

Start with the essentials

  • Say what you want – “Animate the Logo layer scale from 0% to 100% over 12 frames with ease-in.”
  • Name the target – mention the composition, layer, or property you have in mind.
  • Give numbers when they matter – frame counts, positions, colors, durations.

Paint the picture

  • Add the “why” when it helps: “Create a camera rig centred on Controller so I can orbit around the hero card.”
  • Reference existing elements: “Match the font and size already on Title_Main.” Atom reads the project and follows the breadcrumbs.

Build momentum

  • Break bigger goals into short prompts and confirm each step.
  • Stay in the same conversation when you’re iterating. Atom remembers what just happened.
  • Need a different approach? Ask for options (“Suggest three variations on this animation”).

Try voice prompting

LLMs thrive on details, and it’s much easier to provide context by speaking than typing. Voice input lets you naturally describe what’s in your head without condensing your thoughts. Give handy.computer a try. It’s a free, open-source transcriber that runs locally on your machine.

When results miss the mark

  1. Add more detail to your prompt.
  2. Tighten the scope (“only the selected layers”, “just this comp”).
  3. Rephrase with the outcome up front.

Quick reminders

  • Use clear nouns, numbers, and intent.
  • Reference actual layer names or patterns Atom can search for.
  • Skip vague phrases (“fix it”, “make it better”).