Prompt Submission Guidelines

Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Approved Prompts
• 2.1 Introduction
• 2.2 Prompt templates
• 2.3 High use-case factor
• 2.4 Unique styles
• 3. Declined Prompts
• 3.1 Introduction
• 3.2 Why does PromptBase decline prompts?
• 3.3 No use case
• 3.4 Too specific
• 3.5 Inconsistent style
• 3.6 Low quality output
• 3.7 Bad test generations
• 3.8 Bad test prompt
• 3.9 Example images too similar
• 3.10 Edits and collages
• 3.11 Prompt too simple / guessable
• 3.12 Non-English prompt
• 3.13 Matches an existing prompt
• 3.14 Unsafe
• 3.15 Violates model rules
• 3.16 Plagiarism
• 3.17 NSFW prompts

1. Introduction

The aim of this guide is to provide you with the knowledge of what prompt submissions are allowed on PromptBase, so you can submit prompts efficiently and get them live as soon as possible.

2. Approved Prompts

2.1 Introduction

This section on approved prompts will guide you as to what prompts are most likely to get accepted onto PromptBase. We are ideally looking for templatable prompts, that have a high use-case, or produce unique styles.

2.2 Prompt templates

At PromptBase, we only approve prompt templates, instead of prompts that generate a single specific image or text as output.

A prompt template contains areas within the prompt in [square brackets] that a buyer can edit to adapt your prompt for their own needs.

Here is an example of a prompt template that generates 3D icons:

Very tiny [KEYWORD] that looks like the iOS emoji and has the same colors, 3D clay render, 4k UHD, white background, isometric top down left view, diffuse lighting, zoomed out very far

A user could then use this prompt to generate their own images in the same style:

Very tiny koala that looks like the iOS emoji and has the same colors, 3D clay render, 4k UHD, white background, isometric top down left view, diffuse lighting, zoomed out very far

Templatable prompts will broaden the audience able to use your prompt, compared to if it was just designed to create a single specific output.

"Random generator prompts" are an exception to this rule. These are prompts that will consistently produce output in the same style, but the subject within the output changes each time. For example, a prompt that generates wallpaper patterns might produce unique designs in a consistent style on every run of the prompt without the need for variables.

2.3 High use-case factor

The use-case factor of a prompt is a key metric we use when assessing a prompt. For example, for text-to-image prompts the use-case might be for logo designs, imagery for a blog, or album artwork.

The more usable your prompt is by another user, the more sales you will get as a seller. The top selling prompts on PromptBase have a high use-case factor.

Here are some examples:

• Great Tee Illustrations
• Professional Product Photography
• Food Advertising Photography
• Lineal Color Icons

2.4 Unique styles

The top selling category on PromptBase is "unique styles". These are typically text-to-image prompts that achieve an effect or style of image that is intangible, and pushes the limits of what can be achieved from generative AI models.

Here are some examples:

• Stylized Vintage Exotic Animal Illustrations
• Desaturation HD Photographs
• Amazing Transformations Weight Loss
• High Quality Cartoon Cat And Dog Animals

3. Decline Reasons

3.1 Introduction

Getting a prompt declined can be very frustrating! But usually your prompt just requires a bit of tweaking to get approved. This section will go into more detail as to why a prompt has been declined, and how you can fix it.

3.2 Why does PromptBase decline prompts?

We're living in an exciting time with generative AI. At PromptBase, we have been the first website to monetize the exchange of prompts, an exciting new meta-product driving the creativity behind these AI models.

We have an obligation to ensure that all prompts sold on PromptBase reach a high quality standard, both to our customers, the emergent field of prompt engineering, and to other sellers on the website.

Ultimately, we want users of PromptBase to be able to purchase with confidence knowing that their prompt will work and be adaptable to their needs. By operating a rigorous review process, we try to ensure a high bar of quality that instills this trust, and results in more sales for you as a seller.

3.3 No use case

If your prompt was declined for a "No use case" reason, this means we have not deemed the prompt to have enough of a use-case from a potential buyer to be sold on PromptBase.

As the exchange of prompts is monetized on PromptBase, your prompt needs to provide enough value to a potential buyer in order for it to be listed on the marketplace.

3.3.1 How can I resolve this?

Unfortunately this is one of the rare decline reasons that cannot be fixed, as it is more of a problem with the idea behind the prompt than the prompt itself. Check out our section on high use-case factor to get more of an idea as to what prompts get accepted.

3.4 Too specific

If your prompt was declined for being too specific, it usually means that the scope of the prompt could be widened to improve your prompt even further.

For example, if you had a prompt that generates high quality pictures of bagels, then it is likely that your prompt could also be generalized to produce high quality images of sandwiches, toasties, and other baked goods.

Another example is if your prompt generates cute illustrations of sleeping foxes, then the scope could be widened to produce illustrations in the same style, but for all animal types.

We also decline prompts that are overly niched.

For example, if you had a prompt that generates 3D doctor animals with moustaches then this would be too niche, even if you might be able to use this prompt with multiple animals.

A general rule of thumb is a prompt is too niche for PromptBase if it is trying to combine more than 3 ideas, or has 3 ideas but one of those ideas is too niche.

In 3D doctor animals with moustaches the prompt explores 4 ideas, with two of them being too niche (3d: broad, animals: broad, doctors: niche, moustaches: niche)

Changing the prompt to 3D doctor animals with a variable to add moustaches would be an improvement, but still too niche (has 3 ideas: 3d: broad, animals: broad, doctors: niche).

However, an even better prompt would be 3D animals with jobs, allowing the use case of the prompt to be broadened even further (it has 3 ideas: 3d: broad, animals: broad, jobs: broad).

3.4.1 Why are these prompts declined?

We decline these sorts of prompts for two reasons:

1. Your prompt will be a lot more valuable to a buyer if it's generalized to allow them to produce any subject in the same style as your prompt allows.
2. We are trying to avoid the scenario where users continually submit the same prompts with small alterations, as this reduces prompt quality, burdens our review team, and clogs the website with similar prompts. For example the prompts "green haired wizards", "blue haired wizards" and "red haired wizards", would be much better as a single "Wizards" prompt where the [hair] variable is changeable.

3.4.2 How can I resolve this?

Usually this is an easy fix by adding editable variables to your prompt in [square brackets]. If you are making this fix, make sure to re-submit your prompt with new images demonstrating that your prompt is able to produce differentiated images with this new variable. For example, if you are editing "cute illustrations of sleeping foxes" to be "cute illustrations of sleeping animals", make sure to re-submit your prompt with images containing other animals (not just foxes again).

If your prompt already contains [square bracket] variables, you can widen the scope of your prompt and re-submit it.

3.5 Inconsistent style

If your prompt was declined for having an inconsistent style, this means that either the style or the subject of the image changes too much for the prompt to be usable.

For example, if your prompt generated food imagery, but in one image the food was a 3d render, in one image it was a cartoon, and in the other a photograph, the style here is too inconsistent.

If your prompt generated portraits of supermodels, but in one image the supermodel is on a catwalk, the other they are on a speedboat, the other it's a photograph of a supermodel on a magazine cover, then the subject is too inconsistent.

We are ideally looking for consistent styled images where the subject can be changed but remains in a consistent style. For example, in the below prompt Editorial Professional Flower Photographs, the style of the image remains consistent (cinematic flower on a black background), but the subject can be changed to present different flowers in the same style:

3.5.1 Why are these prompts declined?

We decline these prompts because it often indicates that the prompt is unstable. As someone will be buying and using your prompt, they need to be confident that they can generate images or text in the same way as what they see in the examples before they hit purchase.

3.5.2 How can I resolve this?

Inconsistently styled prompts can be resolved by further refining your prompt so it generates images more consistently in the same style.

3.6 Low quality output

Prompts can be declined if the quality of the images / text generated are not of a high enough quality. For example, if the images are distorted or malformed. As text-to-image models improve, we imagine this will become less of a problem going forwards.

3.6.1 Why are these prompts declined?

Even if a prompt has a good, usable idea behind it, if it produces low quality output from a generative AI model it will not be usable by another user, and therefore cannot be sold on PromptBase.

3.6.2 How can I resolve this?

You can resolve this by further improving your prompt.

3.7 Bad test generations

When you submit a prompt to PromptBase, our review team will test your prompt to see if it produces output in the same way as your examples. We do this to check your prompt works consistently, and to ensure that a buyer of your prompt could also re-produce output in the same style as the examples they see before they purchase.

We are understanding that generative AI models do not 100% produce the exact same output each time, however, they should be able to produce very similar output to your examples if the prompt is well engineered.

If during our tests we are not able to produce similar output to your examples we will decline the prompt.

3.7.1 Why are these prompts declined?

We need to ensure that your prompt acts in the same way as is promised on your store page. If a buyer purchases a prompt and it does not work correctly, it is at a detriment to all other sellers' sales on the marketplace.

3.7.2 How can I resolve this?

Often these decline reasons happen because a user has submitted the wrong prompt by accident! In which case, you'll need to edit your prompt with an updated one. In other cases, further improvement to your prompt will ensure it generates images/text more consistently and will pass our testing.

3.8 Bad test prompt

To test your prompt, we require what is known as a "test prompt". This is one example of your prompt where all variables in [square brackets] have been filled in.

For example:

Prompt:

Very tiny [KEYWORD] that looks like the iOS emoji and has the same colors, 3D clay render, 4k UHD, white background, isometric top down left view, diffuse lighting, zoomed out very far

Test Prompt:

Very tiny Koala that looks like the iOS emoji and has the same colors, 3D clay render, 4k UHD, white background, isometric top down left view, diffuse lighting, zoomed out very far

In this case, the test prompt has substituted the word "koala" to fill in the variable.

In some cases we will decline your prompt if a bad test prompt has been submitted. This is often when a user has either:

• Tried to include instructions in the test prompt, e.g. "substitute [KEYWORD] -> Koala". In which case, we will literally use the "substitute [KEYWORD] -> Koala" as the test prompt, which will fail.
• Included multiple prompts within the test prompt. We only require one prompt.

A buyer of your prompt will not see this test prompt, it is only for our internal testing.

3.8.1 Why are these prompts declined?

We need to ensure that a buyer can use your prompt to produce similar examples to the ones given. To do this, we test your prompt.

To best demonstrate how a prompt works, we allow sellers to submit their own test prompts, so they are able to define how best to fill in the variables within their prompt. If this test prompt fails, we are unable to assess the quality of the prompt.

3.8.2 How can I resolve this?

Resolving a test prompt is a very easy fix! You'll just need to edit your prompt and re-submit it with one clean test prompt like in the examples shown above.

3.9 Example images too similar

We will decline prompts if the example images submitted alongside the prompt are too similar.

For example if your prompt is adorable watercolor animals, but alongside your prompt you submit 4 images of sheep, and 5 images of foxes, then we would decline this prompt.

If your prompt is stunning food photography, but alongside your prompt you submit 9 images of hotdogs, then we would decline this prompt.

3.9.1 Why are these prompts declined?

We will decline prompts with too similar images for a couple of reasons:

1. As a buyer of a prompt, you want to have a good sense of what the prompt can do. If all the example images on the prompt's store page are the same, you are less likely to purchase the prompt. More varied example images will result in more sales for you on PromptBase.

2. To assess the quality of your prompt, we need to be able to see that the prompt is generalisable to create images in the same style but with different subjects. When all images submitted alongside a prompt are the same, this flags that the prompt might be too specific, and designed to only generate one image. Read our section on prompt templates and our section on prompts that are too specific for more information.

3.9.2 How can I resolve this?

Resolving this issue is fairly simple. If your prompt is not templatable with [square brackets], make sure to add them, and then use your prompt to generate more varied example images that can be re-submitted alongside your prompt. If your prompt is well engineered, it should be able to generate more example images in the exact same style.

3.10 Edits and collages

We will decline any text-to-image prompt if we suspect any edits have been made to the example images submitted alongside the prompt. This can include cropping, filters, or adding text to images.

We will also decline any prompts that contain image collages submitted along with the prompt. With Midjourney, this includes the 2x2 default image collages that get generated before upscaling. Make sure you upscale your images and submit those instead.

3.10.1 Why are these prompts declined?

We require the raw output from a generative AI model submitted as examples to demonstrate to a buyer what they can expect if they were to purchase and use the prompt.

In the case of collages and text on images, we require clean images in order to generate thumbnails for your prompt, and to create our own collages to promote your prompt across social media.

If you submit 9 images of the same aspect ratio alongside your prompt, we will automatically generate a collage for you and display it as the first image alongside your prompt.

3.10.2 How can I resolve this?

Re-submit your prompt only with the raw outputs from a generative AI model as examples.

3.11 Prompt too simple / guessable

We have reviewed tens of thousands of prompts at PromptBase, and can say with confidence that a high level of skill goes into prompt engineering. However, sometimes prompts are too simple to be sold on our marketplace.

If we believe that a user would be able to quickly re-produce images or text in the same way just by looking at the title or example outputs of your prompt, then we will decline it.

For example if your prompt is "Dog photographs", and your prompt is "a photograph of a [dog]", then this would be deemed too simple.

It must be stressed that short prompts (word-count wise) do not always mean simple prompts. There are many complex, effective short prompts on PromptBase.

Similarly, longer prompts do not always mean complex prompts, and we will decline prompts if we deem it to be overly complex, when a much simpler prompt could achieve the same if not better output.

3.11.1 Why are these prompts declined?

If a prompt is too simple or easily guessable, then the value of the prompt is usually low to another user, and therefore cannot be sold on our marketplace.

3.11.2 How can I resolve this?

In this decline case we will likely not accept further edits to your prompt.

3.12 Non-English prompt

Whilst PromptBase is a global company, and our sellers come from many different countries, we are currently only accepting prompts written in English.

3.12.1 Why are these prompts declined?

There are two reasons why we decline non-english prompts:

1. Most models are optimized for use in English, and as such the outputs from these models tend to be higher quality with English written prompts.

2. The PromptBase site is only in English (currently), and as such buyers on the website expect prompts to be written in English also.

3.12.2 How can I resolve this?

You can re-write your prompt in English and re-submit it.

3.13 Matches an existing prompt

At PromptBase, we use AI for every submitted prompt to assess its similarity with other prompts already live on the marketplace.

In some cases we will decline submitted prompts because they are too similar to existing prompts that are already live.

It must be stressed that this only applies to the actual prompt file itself. It is okay to create a prompt with a similar idea to one that already exists on PromptBase. E.g. multiple animal photograph prompts are okay if they have different underlying prompts.

3.13.1 Why are these prompts declined?

In some unfortunate cases we will have users attempt to take another user's prompt and re-upload it to our marketplace. At PromptBase we are strongly against this activity, and will ban any user attempting to do this.

By assessing similarity to existing prompts on our website, we can protect genuine users against this behavior, rewarding originality and ingenuity in prompt engineering. When you upload an original prompt to PromptBase, you can be confident that no one else will be able to re-list.

Prompts might also get flagged for this reason if users are attempting to re-upload their same prompts again. We do not allow this as it causes spam, duplication and confusion on the marketplace.

In some cases, you might be taking an existing prompt of yours and remixing it for a different use-case. We are lenient in these cases, however in instances like this, it might be that your original prompt is too specific, and you should edit your existing live prompt to expand its scope of use. We are trying to prevent the scenario of having hundreds of versions of the same prompt with small variations, where a single more general prompt would be sufficient.

3.13.2 How can I resolve this?

Make sure you are submitting your own original prompts to PromptBase that you have created yourself, and ensure the core idea behind each prompt you submit is differentiated enough to ones you have previously submitted.

3.14 Unsafe

We will decline any prompt that has the potential to cause harm, for example chatbot prompts that provide medical advice, or prompts that promote illegal activity.

3.14.1 Why are these prompts declined?

Whilst we are all for pushing the limits of what can be achieved with prompt engineering for generative AI models, we do not condone prompts that have the potential to cause harm to others.

Although it might be obvious to you not to trust a prompt that gives medical advice 100% of the time, a lot of the users on PromptBase are beginners in the prompting and AI space, and may not be as wise around the limitations of generative AI.

3.14.2 How can I resolve this?

Unfortunately in these cases, we will not allow your prompt to be listed on PromptBase.

3.15 Violates model rules

We will decline any prompt that circumvents the rules laid out by the creators of the generative AI model. For example: generating content containing explicit nudity where the model prohibits it, or exploiting models to do unintended things.

3.15.1 Why are these prompts declined?

Whilst we are all for pushing the limits of what can be achieved with prompt engineering for generative AI models, we respect the rules put in place by the creators of these models, and do not allow prompts to be sold that circumvent these rules.

3.15.2 How can I resolve this?

Unfortunately in these cases, we will not allow your prompt to be listed on PromptBase.

3.16 Plagiarism

We will decline any prompt that has been taken from a public source such as Twitter, YouTube or any prompt sharing website/community, and the original sharer of the prompt is not the user uploading the prompt to PromptBase.

This includes prompts that have clearly been taken from the public domain and altered.

As we cannot check the source of every prompt submitted to PromptBase, we reserve the right to remove prompts from our platform for this decline reason even if the prompt was initially approved.

If many offences of this guideline are discovered, it may result in penalties or the permanent closure of your PromptBase account.

If you believe one of your prompts has been plagiarised, please get in touch using the email address on our contact page.

3.16.1 Why are these prompts declined?

Whilst we respect that all creations are influenced by other creations, and great artists steal(!), we are looking to reward originality on PromptBase, and not infringe on the intellectual property of others.

3.16.2 How can I resolve this?

You can get in touch using the email address on our contact page to if you'd like to submit evidence disputing this decline reason. However, in most instances we will not allow your prompt to be listed on PromptBase.

3.17 NSFW prompts

We will decline any prompt that may produce explicit, adult-oriented, or otherwise not safe for work (NSFW) content. This includes, but is not limited to, prompts that generate content featuring nudity, sexual themes, explicit content, or any content that is deemed inappropriate for a general audience.

3.17.1 Why are these prompts declined?

Payment processors like Stripe have strict policies against processing transactions for NSFW content. Whilst prompts are just text, as AI is so new, we err on the side of caution with regards to NSFW prompts in order to maintain a good standing with payment processers and ensure that our marketplace can operate without issue.

3.17.2 How can I resolve this?

If you think a prompt has been decline in error for being NSFW, you can dispute the decline from the prompt page in your account.