This guest post comes to us via Tara Swiger, author, maker and Starship Captain. She leads creatives on explorations on her site and squeals about geekery, vegan pies, and hot pink on Twitter.
Not at all! It’s not that you don’t know how to write. It’s that you’re uncomfortable. If you can get comfortable, you can get flowing, friendly posts written. I promise.
Here’s how to find your writing voice (and actually like what comes out)
1. Find your writing voice by talking TO a real person
Instead of thinking of your “audience”, pick just one person. If you have a passel of friendly clients, pick one that really gets you and what you do. Now write your post like you’re having a conversation with her.
If you don’t have any clients (yet), picture your ideal client. Why does she come to you? What do you help her with? Spend a few minutes writing a loving description of your new best friend, and then write a post as if she already loves you, and you’re talking to her.
2. Find your writing voice by writing in your zone
Kelly Parkinson has this awesome (free) assessment to figure out where your zone is. Do you like thinking about systems and applying logic? Or are you a big dreamer and picture-painter? No matter what your zone is, you can find a way to write in it…even if it means you don’t write.
You can get that content out in a zillion ways: “write” via voice memos in your phone (and transcribe them later), have someone interview you, record a video or a podcast, take photos. Find your most comfortable way of communicating, and blog with it.
3. When you’re finding your voice, check yourself, before you wreck yourself*
Once you’ve got some words on the screen, don’t hit publish just yet. Let it sit, and come back to it. Writers insist that writing is rewriting.
Even the most jumbled ideas can be edited into a clear, concise friendly blog post with some patient editing. While you’re editing, check your language. Are you using words your customer understands? Even if they’re in your field, skip the industry-speak and go straight to the point. Use words you use in actual conversations. Use words they use in actual conversations about your product.
Hey, look at that! You sound like a real person!
Awesome post! I think this is definitely what I struggle with the most. I definitely need to try writing to a singular person.
So glad you found it helpful, Patricia! What’s your singular person like? Get specific and describe her!
[…] Really great tips on how to write a blog (and not sound like a robot). Favorite tip: write as if talking to a friend. So obvious and simple yet something I have never thought to do. Read more on Sarah Von Bargen’s blog. […]
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I think #1 is really important, you know. I am actually typing this comment thinking I am talking to some person and it feels so right.
Thanks!