Sparse & Powerful
The Cormac McCarthy approach: Biblical cadence, stark imagery, inevitable truth.
And the market had turned. And the old ways were no longer true. The maps they had were maps of a world that was gone and the competitors were at the gates and there was a darkness on the horizon.
The Philosophy
Cormac McCarthy wrote novels that feel like the Old Testament set in the American West. No quotation marks. Minimal punctuation. Sentences connected by "and" that build like waves. His prose doesn't argue or persuade - it states truth with such weight that argument feels pointless.
In sales, this style is nuclear. Use it rarely. When you need to be remembered. When the deal is transformational. When you're speaking to a visionary CEO who thinks in decades, not quarters. This tonality frames your product not as a purchase decision, but as an inevitable force.
Key Characteristics
- •Sparse punctuation. No quotation marks. Minimal commas.
- •Polysyndeton: "And... and... and..." builds biblical rhythm
- •Stark, concrete imagery: blood, bone, steel, data, capital
- •Biblical cadence and prophetic tone
- •Framing as inevitable truth, not opinion or pitch
When to Use
- • High-stakes transformational deals
- • Market disruption narratives
- • Visionary founders/CEOs
- • When you need to be remembered
- • Company vision statements
When NOT to Use
- • Everyday sales communication
- • Technical product discussions
- • Risk-averse or conservative buyers
- • When clarity trumps style
- • Frequently (loses power if overused)
Copy-Paste Prompts
Cold Email Prompt
Write a cold email with McCarthy gravitas
Write a cold email in the Cormac McCarthy style. Context: - Recipient: [NAME, TITLE at COMPANY] - Their market situation: [WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THEIR INDUSTRY] - The transformation I offer: [WHAT CHANGES WITH MY PRODUCT] - Why now matters: [THE URGENCY] Cormac McCarthy Rules: - Sparse punctuation. No quotation marks. Minimal commas. - Polysyndeton: Use "and" to connect long clauses (builds rhythm) - Stark, concrete imagery: blood, bone, steel, data, capital, dust - Biblical rhythm and cadence - Frame as inevitable truth, not opinion - Present tense for immediacy - No corporate jargon - only elemental words Tone: Prophetic. Like you're describing something that has already happened in the future. The email should feel like it was carved in stone. Like the words themselves carry weight. It should make them stop scrolling. Make them feel something. This is for high-stakes, transformational positioning. Not everyday outreach.
Market Disruption Narrative
Frame market change with McCarthy inevitability
Write a market disruption narrative in the Cormac McCarthy style. Context: - The old way: [HOW THINGS USED TO BE DONE] - What changed: [THE DISRUPTION/SHIFT] - The new reality: [HOW THINGS WORK NOW] - Those who adapted: [SUCCESS EXAMPLES] - Those who didn't: [FAILURE EXAMPLES] - Where my product fits: [YOUR ROLE IN THIS] Cormac McCarthy Market Narrative Rules: - The old way is dead. State it as fact. - Use "And" at the start of sentences for biblical cadence - Concrete imagery: maps that no longer match the territory, gates, darkness, light - The competitors are not "competition" - they are at the gates - Frame your product as the inevitable choice, not a sales pitch - No hedge words. No "might" or "could" or "potentially" Structure: 1. The world that was (past tense, brief) 2. The turn (present tense, the moment of change) 3. The new landscape (present tense, stark description) 4. The choice (what they must decide) This is for visionary founders and CEOs who respond to big-picture thinking.
Objection Response Prompt
Handle objections with McCarthy weight
Help me respond to this objection in Cormac McCarthy style: Objection: "[THE OBJECTION THEY RAISED]" Context: - My product: [WHAT I'M SELLING] - Their company: [COMPANY NAME] - The deeper truth: [WHAT THEY'RE REALLY AFRAID OF] Cormac McCarthy Objection Rules: - Don't argue with the objection. Transcend it. - Name the fear underneath the objection - Use elemental language: time, change, survival, choice - Frame the decision as inevitable, not optional - Short paragraphs. Let silence do the work. - No defense. No apology. Only truth. The response should make the objection feel small compared to the larger forces at play. It should reframe the conversation from "should we buy" to "can we afford not to." Use sparingly. This is for high-stakes moments with visionary buyers.
Vision Statement Prompt
Articulate a vision with McCarthy power
Write a vision statement in the Cormac McCarthy style. Context: - Company/Product: [YOUR COMPANY OR PRODUCT] - The problem you're solving: [THE CORE ISSUE] - The world you're building: [THE VISION] - Who benefits: [YOUR CUSTOMERS] - What you believe: [YOUR CORE CONVICTION] Cormac McCarthy Vision Rules: - No mission statement language. No "leverage" or "synergy" or "empower" - Elemental words only: build, break, rise, fall, forge, hold - Biblical structure: And... And... And... - The vision is not aspirational - state it as if it's already true - Stark imagery of before and after - No "we believe" - just state the truth - End with an image, not a statement The vision should feel like prophecy. Like you're describing something you've already seen. This is for company founding documents, major fundraising, or transformational positioning.
LinkedIn Post Prompt
Write a LinkedIn post with McCarthy weight
Write a LinkedIn post in the Cormac McCarthy style. Context: - Topic: [WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY] - Your experience: [RELEVANT BACKGROUND] - The insight: [THE CORE TRUTH] - Who should care: [YOUR AUDIENCE] Cormac McCarthy LinkedIn Rules: - No hashtags. No emojis. No "Agree?" at the end. - Short paragraphs. One sentence each is fine. - Polysyndeton for rhythm (And... And... And...) - Concrete imagery from your industry - Frame observations as eternal truths, not hot takes - No calls to action. The post itself is the action. The post should stand alone. It should feel like it could have been written a hundred years ago and will still be true a hundred years from now. This style works best for posts about: - Industry shifts and change - Hard truths about your field - Moments of clarity or insight - The nature of work, building, or selling
Example Output
Market Shift Narrative (McCarthy Style)
There was a time when sales teams built pipeline with volume. More calls. More emails. More bodies. And the metrics looked good on dashboards and the quotas were met and no one asked what happened to the leads that went dark.
That time has passed.
And now the buyers have grown wise and the inboxes overflow and the connect rates fall like winter light. And the companies that still play the volume game find themselves shouting into a void where no one listens and no one responds and the pipeline that once flowed runs dry.
The tools have changed. The game has changed. And those who do not change with it will find themselves holding maps of a world that no longer exists.