Revising with Precision
After you've completed a draft, ask yourself whether you've expressed yourself in the best possible way. Have you used specific, precise words instead of vague, general ones to help your readers fully understand your message? As American writer Mark Twain once said, "The right word is to the almost right word as lightning is to the lightning bug." If you want your writing to make an impact on your readers, strike them with the lightning of your language.
The sentences in the first example below use vague, general terms. The sentences in the second example show what happens when you revise with vivid, specific words to provide a clearer picture of the writer's experience.
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General
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I thought the room looked great. The table was set, and a vase of flowers looked nice in the middle of it.
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Specific
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I thought the dining room looked inviting. The oak table was set with gleaming dinnerware, and a vase of tulips made the perfect centerpiece.
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