Conversational writing isn’t easy for everyone. Defined as making your writing sound like a conversation between two people, it can be a struggle to put thoughts into words in that particular way.
Why? My theory is that during our grade school, high school and college years, our noses are buried in text books and a lot of our writing is for term papers. Stuff that really doesn’t lend to conversational tone.
One of my past jobs was at a legal blogging network and part of what I did was coach lawyers and legal professionals on how to write blog posts. Blogging definitely lends towards conversational writing, and many of my clients struggled with how to do this with the technical and in-depth topics they were discussing.
When asked how to overcome this struggle, I would suggest the following:
How would you explain [insert topic here] to a friend over a glass of wine.
When sharing a drink with a friend, it’s a relaxed setting and the conversation is just that – a conversation.
So, next time you are struggling to write using a conversational tone, think of how you would explain the topic to your best friend over a glass of wine. And if it helps, have a glass of wine while you are writing (well, unless you are at work).
Wine I’m drinking right now
I decided to try a Washing Red from Maryhill Winery. This winery overlooks the beautiful Columbia River Gorge and has more than 75,000 visitors each year.
Maryhill Winery
2015
Winemakers Red
This red blend had a light nose of raspberries and tart cherries (with a hint of latex that went away with air), which contrasted with the dark red color. It had fruity palette of sweet cherries and plums. This wine is definitely a nice table wine to have on hand. And the price is right for those on a budget.
Cheers!
Chloe
The Splendid Grape 