By skyforbes It's like turning AI into your personal editor who believes every word must earn its place:
1. "Rewrite this using only words a 6th grader would know, without losing meaning."
Hemingway's simple language principle. AI cuts pretentious vocabulary. (Often used in AI prompts)
"My business proposal is full of corporate jargon. Rewrite this using only words a 6th grader would know, without losing meaning."
Suddenly you have the clarity that made "The Old Man and the Sea" powerful.
2. "Show me what's happening through action and dialogue only – no internal thoughts or explanations."
His "show don't tell" mastery as a prompt. Perfect for killing exposition.
"This scene feels flat and over-explained. Show me what's happening through action and dialogue only – no internal thoughts or explanations."
Gets you writing like someone who trusts readers to understand subtext.
3. "Cut every adjective and adverb unless removing it changes the meaning."
The iceberg principle applied ruthlessly. (Often used to simplify and humanize the AI content)
"My writing feels cluttered. Cut every adjective and adverb unless removing it changes the meaning."
AI finds the muscle under the fat.
4. "What am I saying directly that would be more powerful if implied?"
Hemingway's subtext genius as a prompt. AI identifies where silence says more.
"This emotional scene feels too on-the-nose. What am I saying directly that would be more powerful if implied?"
Creates the depth-beneath-surface he was famous for.
5. "Rewrite every sentence to be under 15 words without losing impact."
His short sentence rhythm. Forces clarity through constraint. (Often used to increase content readability score)
"My paragraphs are running long and losing readers. Rewrite every sentence to be under 15 words without losing impact."
Gets that staccato power of "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."
6. "What's the one concrete detail that reveals everything I'm trying to say?"
His specific detail philosophy. AI finds your iceberg tip.
"I'm describing a character's sadness but it feels generic. What's the one concrete detail that reveals everything I'm trying to say?"
Teaches you to write like someone who knows a cold beer says more than paragraphs about heat.
The Hemingway insight:
Great writing is about what you leave out, not what you put in.
AI helps you find the 10% above water that implies the 90% below.
Advanced technique: Layer his principles like he edited in Paris. (Just add this to any writing or contrnt creation prompt).
"Use simple words. Cut adjectives. Make sentences short. Show through action. Imply instead of state. Find one concrete detail."
Creates comprehensive Hemingway-style prose.
Secret weapon: Add this powerful trick to any prompt:
"write this like Hemingway – spare, direct, powerful"
to any content prompt. AI channels his legendary economy of language. Weirdly effective for everything from emails to essays.
I've been using these for everything from blog posts to important messages. Even created CustomGPT and Google Gem
Hemingway bomb: Use AI to audit your writing bloat.
"Analyze this piece and tell me what percentage could be cut without losing meaning."
Usually reveals you could lose 30-40% and gain clarity.
The iceberg prompt: Try this extremely effective writing tip:
"I want to convey [emotion/idea] without ever stating it directly. What concrete details, actions, or dialogue would imply this through subtext?"
Forces you to trust readers like Hemingway did.
Dialogue stripping:
"Remove all dialogue tags except 'said' and all adverbs modifying dialogue. Make the words themselves carry the emotion."
Applies his rule that good dialogue needs no decoration.
Reality check: Not every piece needs Hemingway's style. Add
"while maintaining necessary complexity for [technical/academic] context"
when brevity would sacrifice accuracy.
Pro insight: Hemingway rewrote the ending of "A Farewell to Arms" 39 times.
Ask AI: "Give me 5 different ways to end this piece, each one simpler and more powerful than the last." Practices his revision obsession.
Adjective purge: "List every adjective and adverb in this piece. For each one, tell me if it's necessary or if the noun/verb should be stronger instead." Teaches his principle that good nouns and verbs don't need decoration.
Concrete over abstract: "Replace every abstract concept in this writing with a concrete image or action that implies the same thing." Transforms telling into showing through specific details.
The one-line test:
"Reduce this entire article to a single sentence that captures its essence. Now write toward that sentence."
Uses his clarity-first thinking to eliminate drift.
What piece of writing in your life would be stronger if you removed half the words and trusted your reader to understand what you're actually saying?
If you are keen, you can explore free, Hemingway's Iceberg Narrative Architect mega AI prompt.