CASTLE Framework: ChatGPT Prompt Formula (+250 Free Prompts)

Be honest. How many times have you asked ChatGPT for help and gotten back the most boring, lifeless response ever? Like, it was written by a robot that works at the DMV. Yeah, same. Most of us have spent over 10 minutes trying to craft what we thought was a decent prompt, only to get back advice that sounded like it came from a fortune cookie.

But after years of testing, tweaking, and honestly obsessing over prompt engineering, there's a simple framework that's been a complete game-changer. It makes your prompts ridiculously effective, and today I'm breaking it down for you.

Not only will you learn this proven framework, but you'll also discover how a custom GPT can write these prompts for you automatically, plus get access to 250+ ready-to-use prompts that scale real businesses using AI.

The CASTLE Framework: Your Prompt Engineering Blueprint

Here's the framework that's going to completely level up your prompting game. It spells out CASTLE and stands for:

Character
Action
Setting
Tone
Lore
Expression

But here's the part that most people miss: there's actually a hierarchy to it, and not all six components are equally important.

Action is the foundation - it tells ChatGPT what to actually do. Without it, nothing happens. Setting comes next, giving that action context to make it useful. All the rest are like the towers, moat, drawbridge, and flags that make your castle feel legendary instead of generic.

The beauty is you don't always need all six components. Sometimes action and setting are more than enough. But when you want those mind-blowing results that make you go "Holy sh

Note: While this guide focuses on ChatGPT, this framework applies to any large language model - Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot, you name it.

A = Action: The Foundation of Every Great Prompt

Action is the A in CASTLE, and this is the foundation of any good prompt. If there's only one thing you remember from this guide, let it be this: be stupidly specific about what you want ChatGPT to do.

Most people type stuff like "Help me with marketing" and then wonder why ChatGPT hands them an absolute snoozefest that sounds like it came from a high school textbook. The problem? That's not an action - that's a vague cry for help.

Compare it to this: "Write a 150-word flash sale email for busy entrepreneurs who check email on their phones."

See the difference? The first one is like saying "Make me a sandwich," whereas the second is like saying "Make me a salami reuben on sourdough with mustard and pickles."

The Action Formula

Here's the rule: Start with an action verb - write, generate, analyze, create, summarize - then tell it exactly what kind of output you want.

Examples of strong action statements:

Write a 300-word product description for...
Generate 10 social media captions that...
Create a step-by-step tutorial for...
Analyze this data and provide 3 key insights about...

If you can't clearly state what action you want the AI to take, you're probably not ready to prompt yet. Go figure that out first, then come back. Just fixing this one part will instantly 3x your ChatGPT results.

S = Setting: From Generic to Magnetic

Setting is the S in CASTLE, and this is what takes your prompt from "meh" to magnetic. If action is the "what," then setting is the "who, where, and why" behind it.

Here's the thing: ChatGPT is smart, but it's not a mind reader. If you don't give it context, it fills in the blanks with the most boring, generic assumptions possible.

Before and After: The Power of Setting

Basic prompt: "Write a social media post."

With proper setting: "Write a social media post for my sales coaching business. My audience is overwhelmed entrepreneurs aged 30-45 who are most active on Instagram during their coffee breaks. They're constantly behind and feel guilty about it."

One gets you cookie-cutter fluff. The other speaks directly to your people.

Essential Setting Elements

Who are you? (Your role, expertise, business)
Who's it for? (Target audience, demographics, pain points)
What's the situation? (Context, timing, purpose)
Key constraints (Length, format, platform, limitations)

Pro Tip: The Hero Scroll System

Instead of filling out all this information every single time, smart creators use something called a "Hero Scroll" - a master document containing:

Your origin story and mission statement
Personality type and brand voice
Ideal client avatar details
Offer positioning and value propositions
Key messaging and themes

This living, breathing document gets updated over time as you and your business evolve. Instead of rewriting context for every prompt, you simply upload this one document that already contains all the essential setting information.

L = Lore: Your AI Style Guide

Lore is the L in CASTLE, and this is where you give ChatGPT reference material or examples so it knows exactly what vibe or structure you're going for.

Think of it like getting a haircut. You don't just say "Make me look good" - you show the barber a photo. That's basically what lore does. It's like a style guide for your prompt.

Bad vs. Good Lore Examples

Bad prompt: "Write me an engaging email that converts."

With lore: "Write me an email like this example ]. It starts with a personal story, has short punchy paragraphs, includes one clear call-to-action, and feels like I'm talking to a friend."

Now ChatGPT has a model to copy instead of just guessing.

Types of Lore You Can Use

Style references: "Write in the style of a TED talk intro"
Tone examples: "Make it sound like a text from a sassy best friend"
Energy descriptions: "Channel the energy of a sports announcer on Red Bull"
Structural templates: Sample emails, posts, or formats to follow

Pro tip: Start building your own lore library. Save great content when you see it - emails, social posts, ads, anything that resonates. When it's time to create prompts, drop a few examples in and let ChatGPT pattern-match like a pro.

C = Character: Casting Your Dream AI Consultant

Character is the C in CASTLE, and this is where you tell ChatGPT who it should pretend to be. By default, ChatGPT is like a super-smart generalist, but when you give it a character to play, it instantly transforms into an expert with the exact experience you need.

The Character Transformation

Basic prompt: "Help me write course copy."

With character: "You're a direct response copywriter with 15 years of experience writing high-converting sales pages for course creators. You specialize in selling to skeptical entrepreneurs."

That second version? Whole different level.

How to Craft Powerful Characters

Be ultra-specific. Don't just say "you're a marketer." Instead:

"You're a LinkedIn content strategist who's helped over 200 B2B service providers grow their audience by 300+ percent."

You can even stack characters:

"You're a copywriter and psychologist who writes ethical persuasion that hits emotional triggers without sounding manipulative."

You're basically casting your dream consultant for the job, and ChatGPT nails it every time.

E = Expression: Format for Maximum Usability

Expression is the E in CASTLE, and it's all about how you want your output structured. Nothing kills momentum faster than getting back a giant wall of text when all you wanted was a simple list.

Structure Your Success

Vague request: "Give me social media content ideas."

With clear expression: "Give me 10 post ideas in a numbered list. For each one, include a headline, short description, and sample hook."

Way more usable, right?

Go-To Expression Formats

Numbered lists for step-by-step processes
Bulleted lists for quick-scan information
Tables for comparisons or data
Scripts with clear dialogue formatting
Email templates with subject, intro, body, and CTA sections
Social media formats with character counts and hashtag suggestions

Think ahead: Are you copying this into a document? Reading on your phone? Sharing with a team? Let that guide your format requirements.

T = Tone: The Secret Sauce

Tone is the T in CASTLE, and this is the vibe, personality, and flavor that makes your content sound like you - not some generic AI bot stuck in corporate mode.

By default, ChatGPT writes like a polite intern who's read too many textbooks. It's technically correct but painfully boring.

Tone in Action

Basic prompt: "Write a post about taking breaks."

Result: "Taking breaks is important for mental health and productivity." Snooze.

With tone: "Write it like a sarcastic best friend giving tough love to a workaholic."

Result: "Hey overachiever, take a damn break. Your brain isn't a machine, and no, burnout doesn't count as a personality trait."

Much better.

Tone Examples That Work

"Casual and funny, like texting a friend"
"Confident but not cocky"
"Excited, like a golden retriever who just found a tennis ball"
"Professional but warm, like a trusted advisor"
"Rebellious but helpful, like a cool teacher"

Bonus tip: Tell it what tones to avoid. "Keep it playful, but don't sound cringy or try-hard."

Tone is the secret sauce that makes people go, "Wait, there's no way this was written by AI."

CASTLE Framework in Action: Complete Example

Let's see the full CASTLE magic in action. Most people write prompts like "Help me with YouTube content." You'll get something, but it won't move the needle.

Here's a complete CASTLE prompt:

---

Character: You're a YouTube strategist who's helped 500+ creators grow to over 100K subscribers, specializing in educational content that builds trust and drives conversions.

Action: Give me five video title ideas that hook viewers in the first 3 seconds and are optimized for high CTR in the AI tools niche.

Setting: I'm building a channel for solopreneurs who want to grow their business with automation. My current audience is mostly 25-40, scrappy, and values clarity over hype.

Tone: Smart and casual, like a cool friend who's obsessed with systems but still knows how to chill.

Lore: Titles should follow proven structures - curiosity-driven, include a number or benefit, and feel like something you'd actually click. Think Ali Abdaal meets Alex Hormozi.

Expression: Format as a bulleted list with the title and a quick note on why it works.

---

The result? Five perfectly crafted video titles that hit every requirement, formatted exactly as requested, with strategic explanations for each choice.

We're not just asking for help - we're giving ChatGPT a creative brief it can follow specifically.

Meet Quorai: Your AI Prompt Genie

If you're thinking "This CASTLE framework sounds awesome, but remembering all six parts sounds like a lot," you're not alone. That's exactly why I built Quorai, the Prompt Genie - a custom GPT that creates CASTLE prompts for you.

Quorai takes your basic request and transforms it into a full CASTLE prompt by asking clarifying questions and using your Hero Scroll information. Here's how it works:

How to Use Quorai

Access Quorai through the AI Quest community platform
Click "Help me craft a prompt" to start the conversation
Tell Quorai what you need (e.g., "I need help writing a YouTube script")
Upload your Hero Scroll or provide basic context about your business
Receive a complete CASTLE prompt ready to use

Quorai will break down your prompt by each CASTLE component:

Character: Mythic storyteller and elevated strategist
Action: Write a compelling YouTube script
Setting: Your specific business context and audience
Tone: Your brand voice and personality
Lore: Your positioning, themes, and reference materials
Expression: YouTube voiceover script with visual cues

If you want to refine the prompt further, just tell Quorai how to adjust it, and you can collaborate until you have the perfect prompt.

250+ Ready-to-Use Prompts Database

Beyond the framework and Quorai, you also get access to a comprehensive prompt database with over 250 battle-tested prompts across 14 business categories:

AI Agents & GPTs - Custom AI creation and optimization
Audience Growth - Social media and community building
Automation Systems - Workflow and process optimization
Brand Identity - Voice, positioning, and messaging
Business Strategy - Planning and decision-making
Client Success - Onboarding and retention
Copywriting - Sales pages, emails, and ads
Data Analysis - Insights and reporting
Hiring & Team - Recruitment and management
Mindset & Clarity - Personal development and focus

Each prompt follows the CASTLE framework and is designed for specific business scenarios. This database is continually growing and expanding based on community needs and real-world testing.

Getting Started with CASTLE

By now, you can see how tweaking the way you write prompts completely changes the quality of your AI outputs. This is the difference between "meh" results and "holy sh

Your Next Steps

Start with Action and Setting - These two components alone will 3x your results
Build your Hero Scroll - Create your master context document
Experiment with the full CASTLE framework - Add Character, Tone, Lore, and Expression
Save successful prompts - Build your own library of what works
Join the AI Quest community - Access Quorai, the prompt database, and ongoing support

Why This Framework Works

The CASTLE framework works because it gives AI exactly what it needs to produce exceptional results:

Clarity through specific actions and settings
Context through detailed background information
Creativity through character roleplay and tone specification
Consistency through examples and structural guidance
Usability through proper formatting and expression

Remember, you now have the framework, the examples, and if you want help putting this all into practice, everything mentioned here - including Quorai, the prompt database, the Hero Scroll builder, and much more - is available inside the AI Quest community.

The framework is your foundation. The tools accelerate your implementation. The community provides ongoing support and updates. Together, they transform how you work with AI and the results you achieve.

Start with one element, master it, then add the next. Before you know it, you'll be creating prompts that consistently deliver the exact outputs you need to grow your business and achieve your goals.