Creating and Using the Story Prompt Template

Introduction and Overview

Welcome to the first lesson of our course on building a short story generation service . In this lesson, we will focus on creating the base prompt, which is a crucial component for generating high-quality stories with large language models (LLMs). A well-structured prompt does more than just guide the story generation process, it gives you better control over the output, ensures consistency, and reduces ambiguity in the instructions provided to the LLM. By clearly specifying the role, theme, style, and requirements, you help the model understand exactly what is expected, resulting in more relevant, coherent, and creative stories. By the end of this lesson, you will understand how to create and manage a story prompt template, which will be used throughout the course to generate engaging short stories.

Recall: Basics of File Handling

Before we dive into creating the base prompt, let's quickly recall some basics of file handling . This will be essential, as we will be working with a text file to store our story prompt template. To work with files, you typically need to: Specify the file path and the mode in which you want to open the file (for example, reading or writing). Open the file, which gives you access to its contents. Read the contents of the file. Close the file when you are done to free up system resources. A common and safe way to handle files is to use a context management approach, which ensures that the file is automatically closed after you are done working with it. This helps prevent issues such as forgetting to close the file or running into resource leaks if an error occurs. Here is an example of reading a file using this approach: Python file_path = '/usercode/FILESYSTEM/project/static/data/story_prompt_template.txt' with open(file_path, 'r') as file: content = file.read() print("File content:") print(content) In this example: The file is opened in read mode. The contents are read and stored in the content variable. The file is automatically closed after the block is executed.

Understanding the Story Prompt Template

The story prompt template is a text file that outlines the structure and requirements for generating a short story. Let's examine the components of the story_prompt_template.txt file: Markdown# ROLE You are a creative writer for 'StoryCraft Co.', a leading storytelling agency specializing in crafting engaging short stories across various genres. # THEME {user_input} # TASK Your task is to create a captivating short story that aligns with the theme provided. Ensure the story has a clear beginning, middle, and end, with well-developed characters and a compelling plot. # STYLE REQUIREMENTS - Tone: {tone}. - Language: Vivid and descriptive. - Structure: Introduction, development, climax, resolution. - Length: Approximately 1000 words. # OUTPUT REQUIREMENTS The story must be suitable for: - Online publications - Storytelling events - Personal enjoyment Ensure high readability and engagement. Deliver a polished, imaginative piece ready for publication. Role: Defines the perspective of the writer. Theme: A placeholder {user_input} that will be replaced with the user's input. Task: Describes the main objective of the story. Style Requirements: Specify the language, structure, and length of the story. A placeholder {tone} that will be replaced with the user's input. Output Requirements: List the intended uses for the story. These components guide the story generation process, ensuring consistency and alignment with the desired output.

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Implementing the PromptManager Class

Now, let's implement the PromptManager class, which will manage the loading and formatting of the story prompt template.

Start by defining the PromptManager class with a docstring to describe its purpose.

Python

class PromptManager:
    """Manages the loading and formatting of the story prompt template for consistency."""
    
    @classmethod
    def load_base_prompt(cls, file_path: str = '/usercode/FILESYSTEM/project/static/data/story_prompt_template.txt') -> str:
        """Load the base prompt from a file."""
        try:
            with open(file_path, 'r') as f:
                return f.read()
        except Exception as e:
            print(f"Error loading prompt template: {e}")
            return (
                "# ROLE\nYou are a creative writer.\n\n"
                "# THEME\n{user_input}\n\n"
                "# TASK\nPlease generate an engaging short story.\n\n"
                "# TONE\nUse this tone: {tone}"
            )

    @classmethod
    def format_prompt(cls, user_input: str, tone:str) -> str:
        """Format the prompt by inserting the user input into the template."""
        base_prompt = cls.load_base_prompt()
        return base_prompt.format(user_input=user_input, tone=tone)

class PromptManager:
    """Manages the loading and formatting of the story prompt template for consistency."""
    
    @classmethod
    def load_base_prompt(cls, file_path: str = '/usercode/FILESYSTEM/project/static/data/story_prompt_template.txt') -> str:
        """Load the base prompt from a file."""
        try:
            with open(file_path, 'r') as f:
                return f.read()
        except Exception as e:
            print(f"Error loading prompt template: {e}")
            return (
                "# ROLE\nYou are a creative writer.\n\n"
                "# THEME\n{user_input}\n\n"
                "# TASK\nPlease generate an engaging short story.\n\n"
                "# TONE\nUse this tone: {tone}"
            )

    @classmethod
    def format_prompt(cls, user_input: str, tone:str) -> str:
        """Format the prompt by inserting the user input into the template."""
        base_prompt = cls.load_base_prompt()
        return base_prompt.format(user_input=user_input, tone=tone)

The load_base_prompt method attempts to open and read the file specified by file_path. If successful, it returns the file's contents. If an error occurs, it prints an error message and returns a default prompt.
The format_prompt method calls load_base_prompt to get the template, then uses the format method to replace {user_input} with the actual user input.

Integrating the PromptManager in the Main Application

Finally, let's see how to use the PromptManager class in the main application to generate a formatted prompt.

Python

from models.prompt_manager import PromptManager

user_input = "A mysterious adventure in an enchanted forest"
tone = "Engaging and imaginative"
formatted_prompt = PromptManager.format_prompt(user_input, tone)

print("Generated Prompt:")
print(formatted_prompt)

from models.prompt_manager import PromptManager

user_input = "A mysterious adventure in an enchanted forest"
tone = "Engaging and imaginative"
formatted_prompt = PromptManager.format_prompt(user_input, tone)

print("Generated Prompt:")
print(formatted_prompt)

Import the PromptManager class.
Define a user_input string with the desired theme.
Call format_prompt to generate the formatted prompt.
Print the generated prompt to see the result.

Output:

Markdown

Generated Prompt:
# ROLE
You are a creative writer for 'StoryCraft Co.', a leading storytelling agency specializing in 
crafting engaging short stories across various genres.

# THEME 
A mysterious adventure in an enchanted forest

# TASK
Your task is to create a captivating short story that aligns with the theme provided. Ensure the story has a clear beginning, middle, and end, with well-developed characters and a compelling plot.

# STYLE REQUIREMENTS
- Tone: Engaging and imaginative.
- Language: Vivid and descriptive.
- Structure: Introduction, development, climax, resolution.
- Length: Approximately 1000 words.

# OUTPUT REQUIREMENTS
The story must be suitable for:
- Online publications
- Storytelling events
- Personal enjoyment

Ensure high readability and engagement. Deliver a polished, imaginative piece ready for publication.

Generated Prompt:
# ROLE
You are a creative writer for 'StoryCraft Co.', a leading storytelling agency specializing in 
crafting engaging short stories across various genres.

# THEME 
A mysterious adventure in an enchanted forest

# TASK
Your task is to create a captivating short story that aligns with the theme provided. Ensure the story has a clear beginning, middle, and end, with well-developed characters and a compelling plot.

# STYLE REQUIREMENTS
- Tone: Engaging and imaginative.
- Language: Vivid and descriptive.
- Structure: Introduction, development, climax, resolution.
- Length: Approximately 1000 words.

# OUTPUT REQUIREMENTS
The story must be suitable for:
- Online publications
- Storytelling events
- Personal enjoyment

Ensure high readability and engagement. Deliver a polished, imaginative piece ready for publication.

Note:
The example does not sanitize or validate the user_input and tone strings. If these values come directly from user input, this could lead to formatting issues or even prompt injection vulnerabilities. In a production environment, always validate and sanitize user-provided data before inserting it into templates.