Storytelling with specificity: Putting in the effort to write a truly readable narrative

What makes the difference between an average story and a memorable one? Specificity. 

It’s easy to stick bits of information together, but hard to shape it all into a coherent narrative that truly highlights what is unique about your subject. It’s worth the time, though, because details are what bring a story to life. Without specificity, you don’t get interest, and without interest, you don’t get readers eager to visit the museum, buy the course, or donate to the cause. 

One thing that characterizes the increasingly AI-driven copy we’re seeing now is generality—paragraphs listing basic qualities or features, followed by statements that summarize (and over-summarize), explaining “why this matters.” A lot of words are used, yet you come away feeling that not much was communicated.

Storytelling means exploring what’s not general about your subject.

Don’t settle for a list of facts—enlarge the scope.

Whether you’re a freelance writer or a corporate storyteller, you probably have some facts and quotes to get you started, but don’t settle for the minimum. You’re better than that, and so is your subject! 

Dig deeper for what the story is and what you can say about it. Just because you start with a certain amount of information doesn’t mean you can’t find more, even if you’re on deadline. Being strategic about your information-gathering and using your composition skills will get you there, I promise.

Let’s make up a case study.

Imagine you’re writing about the adaptive reuse of an old shopping mall into a community education and arts center. The project owner has given you some pre-written PR quotes. The project’s designer has provided some data on its size, features, materials, and so on. Your paragraphs are taking shape like this:

The 10,000-square-foot Leftover Mall has been neglected since the closure of its anchor stores in 2016. But now, the renovated and bustling multi-use building, set along two bus lines, is once again bringing in lots of people from all over the city.

“Starlight Corporation is proud to be part of such an exciting venture for our city,” says Cindy Spokesperson. “Giving new life to this mall complex will provide much-needed space for community engagement, small businesses, and education opportunities.”

Hmm. It’s kind of dry. Let’s go beyond the information handed to us and find more on our own. How do we do that?

1. Ask better questions.

Do

• Go back to the developer and the design firm with a couple more questions. Ask them questions like “What surprised you about the process of revamping Leftover Mall?” or “What is the one thing you’re most proud of?” 

• Get a quote from one or two of the new tenants. How do they feel about this space and what it means for their organization?

Don’t

• Ask leading questions such as “Why do you think this is the best project ever to grace Everytown?”

• Make vague asks like “Tell me about this project” that force the source to do your work for you.

2. Do more of your own research. 

For our imaginary case study, there may already be articles about the new project online, and there will certainly be information about the early days of Leftover Mall. See what you can find!

Great—now we’ve got more to work with. The details are filling in, and the story is getting more interesting as a result:

In the 1980s, the 10,000-square-foot Leftover Mall was the place to be for residents of Everytown. Teenagers crowded the food court, and parents with small children lined up to ride the carousel inside its three-story atrium. The mall’s dozens of storefronts included now-nostalgic names like Waldenbooks, Gadzooks, and Sam Goody. It couldn’t last, though. The gradual shift to suburban strip malls and online shopping led to the closure of Leftover Mall’s anchor stores in 2016—and its eventual abandonment. 

Now, with a $30 million investment from Development Corporation, the renovated and bustling multi-use building, set along two bus lines, is once again bringing in visitors from all over the city.

“The interest from Everytown in this project was incredible,” says Cindy Spokesperson of Development Corporation. “In the public comment meetings, we saw three times the number of people we expected, all with great ideas and feedback for how this new complex could meet needs for community engagement, small businesses, and education opportunities.”

Jane Resident, who has lived blocks from Leftover Mall for almost 20 years, brought her three kids to the meetings to help advocate for an after-school children’s theatre program at the site. “They got really excited to go up to the microphone and talk about their teacher’s proposal to turn the old movie theater space into a stage,” she says.

Better, right? Now you can visualize the project, activities related to it, and the people involved. The difference is detail and specificity, and you can’t just obtain that by adding random adjectives. You have to dig into the context to tell the story in a way that will matter to the reader.

Wrap up with specificity, even in universality.

Keep the same principles in mind as you work through the full arc of your story. Then, when it’s time to conclude the piece, find ways to insert specific details even into the more global “why this matters” summary.

1. Keep it simple.

Although adding specific detail is important, overwriting a conclusion is a common error. Avoid the excess by asking yourself what you really need for your conclusion. More interesting phrasing means you can use fewer words. Once you’ve made a point, there’s no need to restate it several times. 

2. Make it personal.

Remember that global statements are about what matters to everybody, but paradoxically, an even more effective way to express the same meaning is by talking about an individual. 

For our imaginary story, how might this look?

Example draft conclusion: 

Leftover Mall is no longer abandoned, with only the echoes of visitors’ footsteps and laughter to keep it company. It’s full again now with what every community needs: businesses, gathering space, entertainment. Connections among people are what ultimately matter in a city, and they abound in this success story for Everytown in 2026. The food hall, the small business incubation spaces, and vintage arcade all provide opportunities for community members to get together and nurture the energy of a new era.

You might be wondering about the carousel, one of the most popular attractions at the original Leftover Mall, which so many children enjoyed. In the redeveloped mall, there’s a nod to the old ride. A restored horse from the former atrium can be found next to the box office of the brand-new Carousel Children’s Theatre. 

Jane Resident’s son, David, is taking part in their first production, a musical written by middle-school students. He took a moment away from a recent dress rehearsal to talk about the stage. “It’s our favorite thing to do now,” he says. “All my friends from school are getting into it, too.” David’s enthusiasm, and that of his friends and classmates, perfectly illustrates the way this new building brings people together in Everytown—hopefully for many years to come.

Trimming just a few words results in a cleaner and more memorable closing:

Full once again with the laughter of visitors, Leftover Mall seems to be enjoying its renaissance. The food hall, the small business incubation spaces, and the vintage arcade all provide opportunities for the people of Everytown to get together and nurture the energy of a new era.

And the carousel? A restored horse prances next to the box office of the brand-new Carousel Children’s Theatre. Jane Resident’s son, David, is taking part in their first production, a musical written by middle-school students. “It’s our favorite thing to do now,” he says, taking a break from a rehearsal of the opening song. “All my friends from school are getting into it, too.”

“I’ve been telling people the mall used to be a ‘cool’ place, but now it’s a warm place,” says Jane, smiling, as David hops back onstage to join the rest of the kids. The song starts up again.

The reuse project we’re writing about doesn’t just matter to “the community,” it matters to Jane and David. The reader is more likely to feel the resonance and significance of a topic when you make it personal. 

If you take a little bit of extra time to do the research and get more specific, individual feedback from stakeholders, your writing will be more engaging, your clients will be happier, and the ultimate message will come through more clearly.