When you are writing a conversational piece it is meant to be more laid back and relaxed than other forms of writing. You are simply writing what you might be saying in a conversation. Below are 5 tips to help you become a better conversational writer.
- Directly Address Your Audience – You want your readers to feel as though you are talking straight to them, not to an audience as a whole. Whether you are making a sales pitch or simply sharing information with them, this will help them relate better to the material and take more of it in.
- Study Good Conversational Pieces – Reading good examples of the form of writing you are going to be writing will help you get a feel for it, to better understand the right way to do it. If you read something and feel it is directed straight at you, you will then understand how to reciprocate.
- Stick To What You Know – When you are typically having a spoken conversation with someone, more often than not, you are discussing things that you already know or something you have recently learned. It is much easier to convey and share knowledge you are familiar with.
- Bend The Rules of Writing – When you are writing conversationally, you are replacing spoken words with written words. Let’s face it: upon having a conversation among friends we do not always use proper English and grammar skills. You use contractions, begin sentences with words, such as ‘And’ and ‘But’ and allow yourself to end sentences with prepositions. You are to write how you speak. Ending a sentence with the word ‘Of’ is usually frowned upon in English lessons, but not when having a conversation.
- Know Your Audience – You don’t want to get too comfortable and forget who the writing is meant for. If your writing comes across as if a teenager has written it, well that’s good for the right audience, such as teenagers. Knowing your audience allows you to approach them in the right way. You wouldn’t necessarily speak to your grandparents the same as you would to a group of friends.
It is good to feel comfortable when you are writing conversationally but do not make the mistake of rambling. Sometimes when we are just hanging out and talking we ramble. You still need periods and commas which allow your reader to know you have paused or stopped the sentence altogether.
Writing conversationally should flow as easily as a conversation between friends or family. Understand what the audience is supposed to take in from your writing and let ’em have it. Comfort is the key. If you are comfortable writing it 9 times out of 10 they are comfortable reading it. Write what you speak and it will work out well.