Writers' Treasure Creative Writing Tips Why You Should Write Like You Talk (And How I Defeated Writers’ Block)

Why You Should Write Like You Talk (And How I Defeated Writers’ Block)

For a whole week, I was struck with writers’ block. I couldn’t write blog posts. Only blog posts. I could write fiction well. I could write essays and letters well. But blog posts and articles? No. I tried, tried and tried some more. And nothing happened.

I had about five post drafts waiting, each of them filled up with only three paragraphs. I had great ideas. I had great inspiration. The post was so good that I couldn’t wait to write it. However, when I opened that blank document and started to write, I got a feeling.

A vague feeling.

That something wasn’t quite right. Maybe the introduction wasn’t as good as I thought. Be that as it may, I struggled to write on. I wrote about five paragraphs, about 400 words, and each of them were as hard as anything to commit down to paper (figuratively). The post wasn’t me. I didn’t like it. In fact, I was beginning to hate it. If I hated it, what would be the reaction of my readers—?

I sighed. I’ll try with another post, I thought. This one obviously wasn’t working. I began another one.

Same results. The idea was great. I just couldn’t execute it, and the scary thing was, I didn’t know why.

Well, that was soon rectified: I knew this was writers’ block. Only why had it happened?

As I told you in Writing Tip: Experiment with Free writing, there are a number of reasons why you may face writers’ block and there are numerous articles on the web explaining how to get rid of it.

For me, the problem was interesting. I looked keenly into those failure posts, observing what exactly went wrong. And I got it.

It wasn’t only one problem.

The First Writing Problem

I was being too qualified and respectful. I qualified every opinion of mine with “although there are exceptions” and “it may not work for you”. Now, I’ve learned, stuff that. Cut the chase and the hedge. Write your opinions and share them all over the world. The one thing I’ve seen is that no one wants to read only boring fact and information.

The takeaway for this is: Spice it up with your opinions!

The Second Writing Problem

The second problem was that I was trying to write in the “author’s tone”. This is a term I made up myself, and it’s relevant to every writer. Pros like Brian Clark and Darren Rowse advise to write like you talk — conversationally. I was previously skeptical, but once again, when I tried this out, it worked wonders.

What I mean is that you shouldn’t write like an author of anything like a book or an article or something. It doesn’t work at all, and it sounds all fake and from Wikipedia. If you want to write a Wikipedia article, that style will probably work. Otherwise?

Otherwise not even one reader out of thousands will be checking you out… and if in contrast you use a conversational voice that talks to your visitors, that same visitor will check out your site, will check out your posts, will read your work and take an interest (note: this assumes your writing fits the needs of that visitor), and will be ready to take whatever action you want him to take.

What about those filler words? Ali Hale calls them vampire words which suck out the life from your writing. We use them every day in normal speech, and they really are the norm as well as being necessary. In writing though… you need to cut them all out – the um’s and “really” and what not.

The Third and Fourth Writing Problems

The third problem was that I was doing too much research for my articles. Research is great, and it can make your writing better, but too much of a good thing is usually a bad thing, isn’t it? Sometimes, it’s best to be original and be the source of research, even if your opinion may be horrendously wrong. Hey, it’s just an opinion, see?

And… the last was that I was simply writing too much in one form of writing, i.e., blog posts. When I wrote fiction or anything else, the problem disappeared because there was less pressure of “under-delivering” or anything else. If you have this same problem, you really should branch out. I’ve written about this previously in How to Get Started in Creative Writing.

Solving all the Problems

I still have some problems in writing, so not all is well, nor will it ever be. But I’m enjoying writing. After all, it’s still my favourite hobby, and it’s fun to edit and correct all the mistakes I make. It’s fun to teach others… it’s great to receive positive feedback as well as negative feedback. What did I need to solve all my problems? Some sort of high-fi software or something?

Not at all. I only had a clear observing mind and raw hard determination in abundant supply. If you have them too, then you don’t have any need to worry. You simply need to write like you talk. You simply need to put your opinions in your nonfiction writing. You simply need to branch out your writing form and you simply need to do everything moderately. That’s it.

You may have different problems. But it’s all do-able in writing. Everything. I, a 13 year old schoolboy, managed to solve about three problems and defeat writers’ block as if it was nothing. If I can do it, so can you.

Are your ready to solve your writing problems? I am. So let’s do it. And if you have any, share your experiences and tips of writing problems in the comments section.

6 thoughts on “Why You Should Write Like You Talk (And How I Defeated Writers’ Block)”

  1. I live in USA (Texas .state)I appreciate your site and amazed at your versatility at 16,Are you the young man of 16 ,I am unable to flock with those who do not adhere to facts ,ARe you really 16 ONLY?

    1. Yes, I’m really 16-years-old. You can see my current photo on the About page. I study in a junior college, learning commerce and what not (calculus, accountancy, and more). All facts, nothing else!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Post

Improve your creativity by improving your well-beingImprove your creativity by improving your well-being

This is a guest article by Indiana Lee. If you want to submit a guest article of your own, be sure to read the guest article guidelines.

Global creators are motivated people. They are producing more and more content by the month, by the week, by the day, by the minute, and even by the second. However, this level of productivity and efficiency depends on how they are doing internally. For you as a content creator, it doesn’t matter whether creativity is your livelihood, a passion, or something in the middle. You are bound to experience creative blocks from time to time. Writer’s block happens regardless of your level of skill or commitment to the craft. It is typically fueled by issues with motivation or focus.

Let’s learn how to improve your well-being to reduce the negative impacts on your creative processes.

(more…)

Why Clarity Matters (In A Way You Don't Know About)Why Clarity Matters (In A Way You Don't Know About)

Imagine for a minute… a person has just arrived to your website. He/she knows what you’re talking about. He/she is an important customer. He/she has a relevant topic. He/she is interested in your content.

You may be all excited now; that now he/she’s going to do something you’d like him/her to do. You want it.

But the reality is harsh. Chances are, after looking at a couple of pages, the person will exit your site, never to return again. He/she was a potential customer, but he/she didn’t buy. He/she didn’t even look around to see if you had any freebies.

Why?
(more…)

What is good writing?What is good writing?

Good writing. More precisely, a piece of writing or multiple pieces of writing which have been labelled with the quality of goodness. Everyone strives to have their writing become, through hard work, good writing. Good writing is a great thing, a thing to strive for.

But what is it, really?

Why is that we don’t have a single complete definition of what exactly good writing means?

Is it because good writing is subjective? After all, for one person, a piece of writing may be good. But that same piece of writing could be pathetic for a different reader. There lies the problem. Any definition of good writing won’t hold water for a second if it’s based on the writer’s own opinion. One could say, “good writing is writing which contains so-and-so”, and then a reader with different likes / dislikes will say: “What? Those qualities worsen a piece of writing instead of the other way around…”

How can anyone define good writing when people are not really thinking of good writing as such but good writing for them (a substantial difference) and when people are thinking of effective writing and not good writing?

Takeaway: let’s forget “good writing” for a moment. Consider a different concept, effective writing. Why? Because that can be measured. And the measurement leads to comparison in terms of degrees. The most effective writing turns out to be irresistible writing. Irresistible writing, in the proper context, leads to magnetic, award-winning, profit-making and productive writing.

With that in mind, let’s move on to the qualities of good writing — ahem, I mean effective writing…

(more…)