Hey Reader,

Welcome to the first issue of A Way with Words, a weekly newsletter where I provide writing and editing tips to help you create clear, coherent, and engaging content. You're getting this email because you signed up for my free self-editing checklist. But if you'd rather not hear from me, click the 'unsubscribe' button below (just know you'll be driving a stake through my heart).

How not to sound like a bot

The other day, I was editing an article by a new writer on our team. And I could have sworn he used ChatGPT to write the first sentence.

It was something like this:

Now, I'm fine with people using ChatGPT to write; I just expect them to revise and edit thoroughly — which was what I said in a comment.
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But then he claimed he hadn't used ChatGPT at all (I'm so sorry for accusing you wrongly, ChatGPT).

It's become easy to blame formal and mechanical writing on ChatGPT. But the truth is many human content writers have been writing that way before generative AI tools existed. If you think back to the first professional blog post you ever wrote, you probably sounded formal (I know I did).

And the culprits are usually new, inexperienced writers who are still used to writing academic essays or business documents.

For example, I was a lawyer before I switched to content writing, which meant I was used to drafting formal documents like agreements and legal opinions. I had to learn to shed the serious and formal tone for a more conversational and natural tone.
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So how can you sound more conversational and natural when writing content?

Write the way you talk

Imagine that you're standing next to your friend or colleague and telling them about investing in real estate. Would you say, "Investing in real estate represents a significant method for putting your money to work"? Of course not. You would say something like "Investing in real estate is a great way to build your wealth."

Your readers are not your boss at work; they're regular people who just want to be educated or entertained. So, use the kind of words and sentences you would use in everyday speech (except filler words and slang, of course).

Use second-person voice

Formal writing is cold and distant like an upset partner. It completely avoids the use of personal pronouns. So, to write more conversationally, address your reader directly by using "you" and "your". Writing this way will create an emotional connection with your reader and drive them to act.

Don't use nominalizations unnecessarily

Okay, that's a big word. Nominalization is when you convert an adjective or verb to a noun. And getting rid of them is one of the easiest ways to make your writing less formal.

For example:

When creating your content strategy, take your audience's needs and pain points into consideration.

To make this sentence less formal, convert the noun "consideration" to a verb

When creating your content strategy, consider your audience's needs and pain points.

Use active voice instead of passive voice

Formal writing uses passive voice a lot to create a sense of objectivity. But you're not a textbook author providing information. You're a content writer crafting memorable stories that resonate with your audience. So, make your writing more conversational and engaging by using active voice. You can use the Hemingway App to detect passive sentences.

Don't be too serious

Anyone who knows me knows I love Ann Handley. She's so funny, even silly. Her humor makes her content feel more relatable. And that's what your audience wants from you too. So don't be too serious. Tell jokes. Insert memes or funny gifs. Use sarcasm. Narrate a story. Especially if you're writing for your personal brand. If you're writing for a business, you need to first make sure their style guide allows for humor and wit.

Remember you're writing to human beings. So, sound like one.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed today's newsletter, please forward it to a friend or invite them to subscribe here.

With love and semicolons,

Oluwadunni

P.S I hope you've been finding the self-editing checklist useful. Please send me a reply and let me know what you think of it. Or just say hello :)

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