When the brief is harder than doing it yourself

A classic dilemma I’ve come across over the years is clients saying:

“But if you need a brief this detailed, it’s easier if I just do it myself.”

And yeah, I get it. Writing a super-detailed brief can feel like a chore. Especially when you’re juggling a million things. But here’s the thing: if a creative or agency is asking for that level of detail, it’s often because you are quite particular. You know what you like, how it should feel, sound, look, and what it needs to achieve. You have a picture in your mind. And that’s great! Precision is a gift – as long as it’s communicated.

Compare that to clients who are more like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ — they don’t have a fixed outcome in mind. They enjoy being surprised, challenged, and nudged toward new ideas. They trust my judgment. With them, I don’t need a novel-length brief. A simple “here’s the problem, here’s the goal” is enough (assuming I already know their audience and tone).

But with the other group — the detail-driven, crystal-clear-vision people — vague direction becomes a feedback-loop nightmare. You end up doing multiple rounds of “almost, but not quite” because the real preferences weren’t spelled out from the start. It’s frustrating for everyone involved.

I think of it like ordering food at a restaurant.

You sit down, look at the menu, and place your order. And depending on the kind of customer you are, that could sound like:

“Pasta pesto with 150 grams of extra burrata, please. Pasta boiled exactly 8 minutes, pine nuts lightly toasted in cast iron. A glass of Terrazze Della Luna Pinot Grigio, served at 7°C in a tulip-shaped glass.”

Or…

“Pasta pesto and a glass of white, thanks.”

And here’s the catch – if you want #1 but say #2… things will go sideways. You’ll get something decent, but not what you actually envisioned. Cue the disappointment, the corrections, the “this isn’t quite right” emails.

So, here’s the practical takeaway: If you don’t have a clear end result in mind and genuinely want a creative perspective — amazing. Share the problem, the goal, and your target audience. Then give me the room to explore and find my best recommendation forward.

If you do know exactly what you want, that’s also great. Just be specific. Or, if it feels faster, sketch it out yourself. Whatever camp you’re in, the key is clarity.

When everyone knows what kind of collaboration they’re stepping into, the work gets better – and the process way smoother.