How to Guide ChatGPT to Create Stories That Match Your Mood

Today I’m going to share a fun little hack with you. If you’ve ever wished a story could perfectly capture your mood, whether you’re feeling nostalgic, adventurous, or just reflective, there’s a way to do it. By giving ChatGPT a few clear prompts, you can generate short stories that feel personal, immersive, and just right for how you’re feeling in the moment. Think of it as stepping into a tiny world made just for you.

Step 1: Identify Your Feeling

Start by naming the emotion you want the story to explore:

• Nostalgic or reflective

• Calm and comforting

• Excited or adventurous

• Curious or mysterious

Being specific helps the story resonate.

Step 2: Pick a Setting and Perspective

Decide where and from whose eyes the story unfolds:

• Setting: a rainy street, a sunny park, an imaginary world, or a familiar room

• Perspective: first-person for intimacy, third-person for observation, or multiple viewpoints

Step 3: Choose a Theme or Focus

Even a short story benefits from a central thread:

• A memory or fleeting moment

• A small adventure

• A reflection or insight

• A tiny magical event

Step 4: Combine Into a Prompt

Bring together feeling, setting, perspective, and theme in one instruction. Example:

“Write a 300-word short story in the first person that feels nostalgic and comforting. The narrator is sitting in a quiet café in Paris, watching rain fall outside. The story should explore a bittersweet childhood memory.”

Adding style cues such as poetic, humorous, or cinematic can help shape the story further.

Step 5: Refine and Personalize

Once the story is written:

• Notice what resonates and what could change

• Adjust tone, perspective, or details

• Add personal touches such as names, places, objects, or sensory details

Following these steps, a story can become a mirror for your mood, capturing exactly the feeling you want to explore. Each story becomes a small, immersive world to step into even for just a few minutes.

Want to give it a try? Check out the templates below!

One-Prompt Template

Here is a ready-to-use template you can copy and fill in:

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Write a [length] short story in [perspective] that feels [emotion]. The setting is [location or environment]. The story should explore [theme, memory, or moment]. Use a style that is [style cue, e.g., poetic, humorous, cinematic].

Example Filled Template

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Write a 300-word short story in first person that feels nostalgic and comforting. The setting is a quiet café in Paris, watching rain fall outside. The story should explore a bittersweet childhood memory. Use a poetic and reflective style.

Sample Prompts for Different Moods

Here are a few examples to get started. You can use them as-is or tweak them to your own feeling and context:

1. Nostalgic / Reflective

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Write a 300-word short story in first person that feels nostalgic and reflective. The setting is a quiet attic filled with childhood toys and sunlight streaming through the window. The story should explore a fleeting childhood memory that brings both joy and longing. Use a poetic and gentle style.

2. Calm / Comforting

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Write a 250-word short story in first person that feels calm and comforting. The setting is a small kitchen on a rainy afternoon, with tea brewing and soft music playing. The story should explore a peaceful moment of connection or solitude. Use a warm and cozy style.

3. Excited / Adventurous

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Write a 400-word short story in third person that feels exciting and adventurous. The setting is a bustling night market in a faraway city. The story should explore a character discovering something unexpected and thrilling. Use a cinematic and fast-paced style.

4. Curious / Mysterious

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Write a 300-word short story in first person that feels curious and mysterious. The setting is a foggy library late at night. The story should explore a small discovery that sparks wonder or intrigue. Use a suspenseful and imaginative style.

5. Bittersweet / Thoughtful

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Write a 350-word short story in first person that feels bittersweet and thoughtful. The setting is an empty park at dusk with autumn leaves falling. The story should explore a moment of reflection on change or letting go. Use a lyrical and introspective style.

Using this approach, you can quickly unlock short stories that feel crafted for your exact mood, turning a few words into a tiny immersive world. Experiment, personalize, and enjoy stepping into different perspectives whenever you need a little escape!

And thanks to ChatGPT for your help in crafting this post ;)