The GPT Builder: Your Creation Workshop

Time to get your hands dirty. In this lesson, you’ll open the GPT Builder, explore every part of the interface, and create your first custom GPT — even if it’s a simple one.

The goal isn’t perfection yet. It’s understanding the workshop before building the masterpiece.

Getting to the GPT Builder

Go to chatgpt.com/create or click the Explore GPTs link in ChatGPT’s sidebar, then click Create in the top right corner. You’ll see a split-screen interface:

• Left side: Your creation tools (Create tab and Configure tab)
• Right side: Live Preview panel where you can test your GPT in real time

Every change you make on the left is instantly testable on the right. This feedback loop is what makes building GPTs so fast.

The Create Tab: Conversational Building

The Create tab works like a chat. You describe what you want, and the GPT Builder configures it for you:

“I want a GPT that acts as a social media caption writer. It should write engaging Instagram captions for small businesses. It should ask what the post is about and what tone the business prefers — fun, professional, or inspiring.”

The builder generates a name, description, profile image, instructions, and conversation starters based on your description. It’s the fastest way to get a working prototype.

When to use Create: Starting a new GPT, brainstorming, or building simple GPTs quickly.

✅ Quick Check: What happens when you describe a GPT concept in the Create tab? (Answer: The GPT Builder automatically generates a name, description, profile image, instructions, and conversation starters based on your description.)

The Configure Tab: Manual Control

Click Configure to see every setting directly. This is where you fine-tune:

When to use Configure: Refining instructions, uploading files, adjusting capabilities, or making precise changes.

Naming Your GPT

Your GPT’s name is its first impression. Good names are:

• Descriptive: “Brand Voice Writer” tells users exactly what it does
• Searchable: Think about what someone would type in the GPT Store search
• Concise: 2-4 words is the sweet spot

✅ Quick Check: What makes “SQL Query Builder” a better GPT name than “My Helper”? (Answer: It’s descriptive — users immediately know what it does — and searchable — someone looking for SQL help would find it in the store.)

Conversation Starters: First Impressions

Conversation starters are the suggested prompts users see when they first open your GPT. They serve two purposes:

1. Show capability — Demonstrate what your GPT can do
2. Lower friction — Users can click instead of figuring out what to type

For a social media caption writer:

• “Write an Instagram caption for a new coffee shop opening”
• “Create 3 LinkedIn post ideas for a tech startup”
• “Help me write a fun caption for a team photo”
• “Suggest captions for a product launch announcement”

Each starter should showcase a different feature or use case. Don’t make them all variations of the same thing.

The Preview Panel: Test Everything

The right side of the builder is a live chat with your GPT. Use it to:

1. Test conversation starters — Click each one and check the response quality
2. Try edge cases — What happens if a user asks something outside the GPT’s purpose?
3. Check tone and format — Does the response match your intended style?
4. Verify knowledge — If you uploaded files, ask questions about their content

Testing habit: After every change to your instructions, test at least 3 different prompts in the Preview panel before saving.

Saving and Sharing

When you’re ready, click Create (or Update if editing) in the top right. You’ll choose a sharing level:

• Only me — Private, just for you
• Anyone with the link — Shareable URL but not listed in the store
• Everyone — Published to the GPT Store (requires profile verification)

Start with “Only me” while building and testing. Switch to a wider audience when you’re satisfied with the quality.

Your First GPT: Quick Exercise

Let’s build a simple GPT right now:

1. Go to chatgpt.com/create
2. In the Create tab, type: “I want a GPT that writes professional email subject lines. The user describes the email content, and the GPT generates 5 subject line options ranked from most professional to most creative.”
3. Review what the builder generates
4. Switch to Configure and read the instructions it created
5. Test it in the Preview panel with: “I need to follow up with a client who hasn’t responded to our proposal in 2 weeks”
6. Save as “Only me”

Congratulations — you’ve built your first custom GPT.

Key Takeaways

• The GPT Builder has two modes: Create (conversational) and Configure (manual)
• The Preview panel provides instant testing — use it after every change
• Good GPT names are descriptive, searchable, and concise
• Conversation starters should showcase different capabilities
• Start private, then expand sharing as quality improves

Up Next

In the next lesson, you’ll learn the most critical skill in GPT building: writing instructions that make your GPT behave exactly how you want, every time.