midjourney prompt guide

Midjourney Prompt Guide (2025): the practical playbook to write prompts that actually work

You searched for midjourney prompt guide. This no-fluff tutorial shows you how to craft prompts that consistently match the image in your head—covering syntax, parameters, styles, weights, and pro workflows. You’ll also get copy-ready templates and a curated pack of 30,000 Midjourney prompts to speed up your creative process.

What a Midjourney prompt is (and how versions affect results)

Midjourney prompt guide: definition, versions & context

A prompt is the instruction you give Midjourney to generate an image. It can be ultra-short or richly detailed; more clarity usually means more control. For foundations and official definitions, check the Prompt Basics and the Midjourney overview. Midjourney runs on Discord and via a web interface (Creating on Web), and model versions evolve—so always verify parameters against the latest docs.

How to write prompts that actually work

Midjourney prompt guide: structure & wording

Think in blocks. A reliable prompt follows Subject → Context → Visual language (art medium, lens, lighting) → optional Parameters. Keep grammar minimal and emphasize concrete visual tokens that MJ understands.

• Subject what you want (e.g., “retro motorcycle”)
• Context where/when (e.g., “Tokyo alley at night, rain”)
• Visual language art terms (e.g., “35mm, bokeh, neon rim light, Kodak Portra”)
• Parameters control (e.g., --ar 3:2 --stylize 200 --chaos 10)

Pro tip: Concise, keyword-dense phrasing outperforms long prose. Use nouns and photography/illustration jargon instead of flowery adjectives. For extra tools, check our roundup of free Midjourney prompt generators.

Midjourney parameters you’ll actually use

Midjourney prompt guide: the core parameters

When in doubt, defer to the official Parameter List to avoid outdated flags.

Advanced controls that separate pros from amateurs

Midjourney prompt guide: weights, images, negative prompts

• Multi-prompts & Weights :: — emphasize concepts (rose::5 background::1). Docs
• Negative prompts with --no — exclude objects/styles (--no text, watermark). Docs
• Image prompts & /describe — steer style via reference images or generate text prompts from images. Guide
• Permutations {} — fan out many variations (e.g., {red,blue,green} jacket). Docs
• Niji models (anime-focused) — specialized for Eastern/illustrative aesthetics.

For brand consistency, explore Style Tuner explainers (community resources) to create reusable style codes across prompts.

Styles, formulas & reusable templates

Midjourney prompt guide: plug-and-play frameworks

Use these proven prompt formulas and replace brackets with your details:

1. Cinematic — [subject], [emotion], [location] at [time of day], [camera & lens], [lighting], [film stock] --ar 16:9 --stylize 200
2. Product photo — [product] on [surface], [light setup], [lens & f-stop], [backdrop color], subtle reflection --ar 4:5 --stylize 80
3. Anime / Niji — [character] [pose] in [setting], manga style cues, clean lineart, cel shading --v niji --ar 3:4
4. Brand style (Style Reference) — [subject], [brand adjectives], consistent palette, apply style ref [style image URL]

Want more examples? See evergreen guides from Shopify, Printify and Superside.

Quality control & troubleshooting

Midjourney prompt guide: fix common issues fast

• Too literal / not artistic? Raise --stylize or use a Style Reference.
• Too random? Lower --chaos, add a --seed, reduce adjectives, and weight the key concept with ::.
• Unwanted text/watermarks? Add --no text, watermark (repeat across variations).
• Inconsistent style? Lock it with Style Reference or a Style Tuner code.

Prompt recipes (copy & adapt)

Midjourney prompt guide: ready-to-use examples

Why 30,000 prompts can save you 10+ hours this week

Midjourney prompt guide: scale output without losing quality

If you’re on a deadline, the fastest win is starting from a high-quality prompt library and customizing. Our curated 30,000 Midjourney Prompts pack groups prompts by use case (branding, e-commerce, concept art, scene design, social media, print) and version. It includes negative-prompt suggestions, aspect-ratio presets, and notes for weights and style references so you can iterate faster and stay consistent.

FAQ

Midjourney prompt guide: frequently asked questions

Is there a single best Midjourney prompt format?
No. But prompts that foreground concrete visual tokens (subjects, mediums, lenses, lighting) with fewer adjectives tend to map better to images.

Which parameters matter most for beginners?
Start with --ar (composition), --stylize (literal vs. artsy), --chaos (variation), and add --seed for reproducibility. Always validate parameters in the official list.

How do I exclude unwanted elements?
Use --no to remove objects or styles (e.g., --no text, watermark, extra fingers). Read the official --no guide.

What’s the difference between Style Reference and Style Tuner?
Style Reference lifts the overall vibe (palette, textures, lighting) from an image and applies it. Style Tuner helps you generate a reusable style code you can paste into prompts to keep brand consistency across a series.

Is Midjourney only on Discord?
No. You can also create on the web once your account is set up—see Creating on Web. Discord remains fully supported.

Trusted sources & further reading

• Midjourney Docs — Prompt Basics, Parameter List, --no parameter, Multi-prompts & Weights, Permutations, Style Reference, Creating on Web.
• Wikipedia — Midjourney (overview & versions).
• External guides — Shopify, Printify, Superside.

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Got questions? Tell me the image you want to create and I’ll help you adapt the Midjourney prompt step by step.