How to Write Like You Talk When Blogging Without Losing Your Audience
The key is finding the balance between conversational authenticity and polished communication.
Writing in your natural voice builds trust and connection with readers, but done without care, it can appear unprofessional or confusing. Here's how to navigate this successfully.
Write Like You're Talking to a Friend (But Edit It First)
The foundation is simple: imagine explaining your topic to someone sitting next to you. What words would you use? What examples would you give? What questions might they ask?
This approach naturally makes your writing more informal and engaging. However, spoken language includes filler words like "um" and "uh," rambling thoughts, and unfinished sentences.
Your job is to capture the rhythm and personality of speech while removing the fluff.[1][2][3][4][5]
A practical technique is using talk-to-text software to record yourself explaining an idea, then edit that transcript into polished writing. This helps you maintain your natural voice without the rough edges.[3]
Use Active Voice and Direct Language
Replace passive constructions with active ones. Instead of "Your order will be processed by our team," write "Our team will process your order." Direct language creates confidence and feels more like natural speech.[2][4][1]
Similarly, avoid unnecessarily formal verbs. The blacklist in your writing guide includes words like "utilize," "facilitate," "commence," and "articulate"—words most people never use in conversation.
Replace them with simpler alternatives: "use," "help," "start," "explain."
Address Your Reader Directly with "You"
Write to your audience personally. Instead of "Users can track their progress," write "You can track your progress."
This small shift makes the reader feel like you're speaking directly to them, creating a more personal connection.[1][4]
Keep Sentences and Paragraphs Short
Conversational writing uses varied sentence length, with many shorter, punchy sentences mixed in. Long, complex sentences feel formal and hard to follow. Breaking ideas into digestible chunks mirrors how people actually speak in conversation.[2][4][1]
Use Contractions Freely
Write "I'd" instead of "I would," "couldn't" instead of "could not," and "you're" instead of "you are." Contractions are how people naturally speak, and using them makes your writing sound more human and less like a textbook.
If formal writing training makes you uncomfortable with contractions, start by adding just one or two per post and adjust over time.[3]
Share Personal Stories and Experiences
Personal stories are one of the most effective tools for connection. They show you've not only studied your topic but lived it.
Stories make you relatable—instead of appearing as an untouchable expert, you become someone who's also learning and experiencing what your readers experience.[7][4]
Avoid Marketing Jargon and Academic Language
Unless you're writing for the academic crowd, you'll want to remove words like: "revolutionary," "game-changer," "synergy," "leverage," "thought leader," "cutting-edge."
These feel overused and overhyped. Also avoid academic phrases like "It is important to note that..." or "In terms of..." and archaic words like "whilst" or "heretofore." These distance you from your reader.
Instead of saying something is "innovative," describe what it actually does. Instead of "utilizing best practices," say "using methods that work."[1]
Stay True to Your Own Voice[
Don't try to sound like someone else or adopt a style that doesn't feel natural. Authenticity creates trust. Readers notice forced quirks or over-the-top flourishes, and they feel inauthentic.
If you're naturally direct and minimal, lean into that. If you enjoy rich descriptions, embrace that.[8][5][7]
Consistency across your platforms also matters. If your website is conversational, your social media should match. This creates a cohesive presence that feels genuine.[8]
Read Your Work Aloud
This is one of the most reliable tests. If a sentence sounds awkward when you read it aloud, it probably needs revision. If a word feels like something you'd never actually say, remove it.
Reading aloud catches stiffness and forced phrasing that your eyes might miss on the screen.[5][3]
Focus on Clarity Over Perfection
Don't obsess over perfect grammar. Readers care far more about understanding what you mean than about grammatical purity.
If something doesn't feel right to you but it's perfectly grammatical, trust your instinct—conversational writing sometimes breaks "rules" intentionally for better flow.[3]
Know Your Audience and Their Real Needs
Write about the actual problems and questions your readers face. When readers feel you understand their situation, they connect with you on a personal level.
The more you write about real, felt needs, the more naturally personal your writing becomes—because you're focused on them, not on sounding impressive.[7][4]
The Balance: Conversational Doesn't Mean Careless
The authentic, friend-to-friend style actually creates more engaging public content because readers feel personally addressed and connected. Complex ideas become more digestible through conversational explanations.
What can alienate an audience is poor clarity or genuine sloppiness—not conversational tone itself.[9][1]
Many formal publications use overly polished language because they write for broad audiences and worry about offending segments of readers. Your blog has an advantage: a more specific audience that likely appreciates authenticity more than trying to appeal to everyone.[9]
The real challenge isn't choosing between natural voice and credibility—it's recognizing that conversational writing, when edited with care, is actually more credible. Readers trust people who sound real.