Use details to build trust, credibility, and vivid imagery.
Vague writing is forgettable and unbelievable. Specific writing creates vivid pictures and builds credibility. 'He made a lot of money' is boring. 'He made $847,000 in 18 months' is interesting. Specificity signals that you've done the work, that you know what you're talking about, that your claims can be verified.
Our brains are pattern-recognition machines. Specific details feel true because they're harder to make up. Anyone can say 'great results'—only someone who was there can say '23% improvement in 6 weeks.' Specificity also creates pictures: '40,000 miles on a set of tires' is more vivid than 'long-lasting tires.'
Replace vague quantities ('many', 'some', 'a lot') with specific numbers
Name specific people, places, dates, and details
Use precise verbs: 'sprinted' not 'moved quickly'
Include sensory details: what did it look, sound, smell, feel like?
When making claims, provide evidence that could be checked
Overwhelming with too many details (pick the telling ones)
Specificity without relevance (details that don't matter)
Making up specifics (readers can tell)
Being specific about the wrong things (features instead of benefits)
Good Example
"Our gain in net worth during 2006 was $16.9 billion, which increased the per-share book value of both our Class A and Class B stock by 18.4%."
Weak Example
"We had significant gains in net worth last year, substantially increasing shareholder value."
Why the difference matters:
Buffett's version gives exact numbers that can be verified. The vague version sounds like it's hiding something—or doesn't know the actual numbers.
Chapter 8: Specificity Over Vagueness
Use details to build trust, credibility, and vivid imagery.
Clarity & Simplicity
Say more by saying less. Straight, unornamented, deliberate writing.
Emotional Resonance
Writing that hits you in the gut.
Reading about techniques isn't enough. Practice typing passages that demonstrate specificity to build muscle memory for great writing.
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