The complicated of "write conversationally"

You’ve read those blog posts that tell you to write “conversationally,” right?

It probably makes the whole writing thing sound less intimidating, which isn’t a bad thing for encouraging people to get started.

The problem is that it is somewhat misleading.

Writing “conversationally” is pretty far from “writing as we speak.”

I know this because many clients send me recordings or transcripts of them talking about their ideas.

It takes a bit of discussion to turn raw materials into written content that is clear, concise, and to the point.

The way most of us speak is often not strict enough to achieve the desired “conversational writing” effect.

So, to get started, let’s determine WHY we should write “conversationally.”

Not to make writing any less scary for you.

It’s to make sure your content is easy to read and understand – if people don’t read your posts or don’t get the point, your content isn’t doing anything meaningful.

Keep in mind that most people have no interest in parsing a wall of text or deciphering a running sentence that is 5 lines long.

At its core, writing conversationally is about communicating in simple language so it’s understood.

Now that we’ve got the definition out of the way, let’s see why “write the way you talk” isn’t necessarily the same as “write conversationally:

Reality #1: We rarely speak concisely

Many of us, especially when it comes to talking about what we do, tend to speak in long, continuous sentences without even realizing it.

The result is a large wall of text that scares people away.

Fix it: Write short, simple sentences and keep each paragraph to no more than 2-3 sentences.

When I write, I spend a lot of time deleting things and cutting long sentences into 2 or even 3 parts.

It takes skills and practice to say things in a simple and unpretentious way and to be able to communicate a complex idea.

Reality #2: We are tempted to use big words

We tend to use big words, slang, or “short hands” when we speak.

On paper, they look like a big jumble of alphabets. Your readers’ eyes will glaze over and you will lose them when greeting them.

Fix It: Some of these words are unavoidable, but most of the time, we can communicate an idea just as well using simple language.

When we have to explain something in simple language, we have to be clear about what we really mean.

There is no way to hide behind the smoke and mirror of big words. Take this as an opportunity to gain another layer of clarity on your point of view.

You need the discipline to be intentional with your word choices.

Get over yourself… using big words to inflate your chest are just your fears speaking.

Reality #3: We tend to use the same word for the same thing.

Most of us have the habit of using the same word to talk about the same thing. That’s usually fine in speech, but it gets repetitive and redundant in written form.

Fix it: you have to expand your vocabulary! When you see the same word used multiple times in a paragraph, rack your brain for variations. (Or check out the thesaurus feature in Word… )

Reality #4: We don’t talk in cartoons

Not naturally, anyway.

Articles that are clear and get the point across tend to have different concepts organized into sections or bullets and tied together with a thesis.

It is rare that we have all our ideas well organized in our heads before we speak (without a script).

If you just dumped all the stuff swirling through your head onto the screen, you’d probably post a pretty confusing article.

Fix It: Identify your thesis, present your ideas, structure your narrative, and then organize your thoughts according to the framework.

Using subheadings is not only good for SEO. It also helps structure your ideas.

It’s a great exercise to not only improve your writing 100-fold, but also to clarify your thoughts and articulate “what you do and how you do it.”

Reality #5: We assume our USP or POV is clear

When I edit copy for my clients, I often ask them, “what’s the point?” or “why should your readers care?”

Many times they would say something like, “isn’t it all there?”

The truth is, if I took the time to read the article because you paid me to do it and I’m still not clear on it, do you think your readers will take the time to figure it out for you?

Fix it: Be very clear about your USP (unique selling proposition, i.e. how you add value) and your POV (point of view), then make sure your content “goes back in circles” to emphasize these points.