How to Write Conversationally: 3 Rules for Readable Copy

Picture this: your reader opens your newsletter, mug in hand. She reads the first paragraph and smiles like you’re sitting across the table, talking. She hits reply. That’s the moment conversational writing wins.

Most of us were taught to write to impress. The result? Well-polished sentences that sound, well, polished — not personal. But “conversational” doesn’t mean sloppy. It is a choice with your tone and rhythm, with the small moments that will make a reader feel seen.

I’ll share three simple, easy-to-follow rules (with examples and quick exercises) so your writing sounds like an actual conversation — whether it’s a newsletter, blog post, social message, or book excerpt.

Rule 1: “Unnecessary” words can be useful

You’ve heard editors say, “Cut filler.” But not every “filler” is filler.

Words such as “really,” “kind of,” and a little repetition can create the sound of how people actually talk. That little bit of redundancy often has emotion, hesitation, or emphasis — the very stuff you’d hear in a real chat.

Example (before → after)

Before: I felt deep apprehension as the news arrived.
After: I felt a really—really—deep apprehension as the news arrived.

That second sentence slows the reader and sounds closer to a person thinking aloud. The trick is intentionality: keep the word because it adds voice, not because it slipped in.

Edit tip: read the line out loud. If the extra word makes the sentence sound more like you and less like a lecture — keep it.

Quick activity: Choose a paragraph and read it as if you were talking to a friend. Mark spots where you would pause, hesitate, or repeat a word — now try adding that tiny purposeful repetition and see if it feels right.

Rule 2: Use punctuation to mirror speech

Punctuation is not only grammar; it’s breath control. Em dashes, ellipses, and colons are ways you, as a writer, can make the pauses we all naturally take when we speak.

Em dash (—): mimics an abrupt thought break.
We all live with people—and places—and things—that we have given weight to.
Ellipsis (…): suggests a softer trailing thought or casual pause.
We all live with people … and places … and things.
A colon (:) signals something to pay attention to—a little drumroll.
The point is this: we often notice the small things only later.

Don’t overdo any one mark. Variety and rhythm are what make the punctuation feel natural.

Edit tip: While reading aloud, place your finger where you’d naturally pause or breathe. That’s where punctuation might belong.

Rule 3: Short sentences and long sentences both belong

The advice is infallible: “Write short sentences. And it’s true: short sentences pack a punch and are easy to understand. But a series of very short sentences can flatten the voice and come across as choppy.

For conversational prose, this is borrowed cadence: a mixture of short, long, and mid-length sentences that move the way we speak to one another in real life.

Example (single long sentence that breathes):

He was seventy-one then, but he, kind of, I think, must have been plunged into some sort of crisis, with one loss after another shaping his days.

That sentence wanders in the way a real speaker might—and that wandering carries personality.

Practical rule: Vary sentence length. If three sentences in a row are short, combine or expand one to restore rhythm.

The single-person rule (the phone test)

Who are you writing to? Choose one person.

Imagine phoning them and reading the draft. If a sentence would make you pause and say, “Hmm, that’s a bit formal,” rewrite it. Aim for warmth, not fakery. The goal is authenticity—the invisible bond that says, “I see you.”

Phone test checklist

Would I say this aloud to a friend?
Does it sound like me, not like an instruction manual?
Would my reader feel addressed or lectured?

If you answered “yes” to the first two and “no” to the third, you’re on the right track.

Quick editing workflow: make your copy conversational in 5 steps

Write freely. Don’t self-edit in the first draft.
Read it aloud. Note pauses, hesitations, and spots that feel stiff.
Apply punctuation thoughtfully. Add dashes, ellipses, or colons where your voice pauses naturally.
Allow purposeful redundancy. Keep words that convey voice or emotion.
Vary sentence length. Mix short, medium, and long for cadence.

Before/After mini-rewrites (real examples)

Formal: This newsletter aims to provide writers with actionable guidance to make their work more conversational.

Conversational: I’ll show you three small changes that make a big difference — the kind you can start using today.

Formal: Em dashes are often discouraged due to overuse by automated writing tools.

Conversational: People say folks overdo em dashes — but done well, they’re sort of like a pause in conversation.

Short exercises you can do in 10 minutes

The one-friend rewrite: Choose a single paragraph and copy it as if telling a story to that one friend.
Mapping pause: Read a page and mark where you naturally pause. Swap out a few commas for dashes or ellipses where the voice benefits.
Sentence-length drill: Edit every other sentence to be the length of a short zinger (6–10 words) or longer compound (25+). See how the rhythm changes.

Final thought (and a tiny dare)

Conversation is about presence. Good conversational writing feels like attention — it invites the reader in rather than asks them to admire your prose.

Dare: take one paragraph from something you’ve written recently. Run the phone test, add one deliberate “unnecessary” word, and insert one pause (dash or ellipsis). See if someone replies.

That reply — even a quick “love this” — is the signal you’re writing the way people actually like to read.

Want a quick edit? Paste one paragraph here, and I’ll rewrite it into a more conversational version with notes on what I changed.

How to Write Conversationally: 3 Rules for Natural, Readable Copy