Gosh, Helena thinks.
She’s reading her draft post.
And she doesn’t like the tone of her writing at all.
Why is it so hard to engage her readers?
Sigh.
Helena is an expert in climate change, and she’d like to write in a conversational tone …
As if she’s explaining climate change to a friend while sipping an ice tea at the town plaza. The pigeons are strutting around her, bobbing their heads and pecking at the crumbs on the pavement.
But, somehow, her writing always sounds too academic, too formal, too difficult, too stuffy, too boring.
What can she do?
How to write conversationally
Some say …
Just write like you talk.
But it doesn’t always work like that.
Yes, when you write a quick email or social media update, it’s possible to jot down your thoughts as if you’re actually chatting on the phone.
But when writing long-form content or when you’re still figuring out your ideas, writing in a conversational tone is more challenging. A draft often sounds writerly, and you have to massage it until it becomes more informal.
As Elmore Leonard suggested:
If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.
Want to know how?
How to edit a writerly text
To turn a formal text into a friendly conversation, follow 3 steps:
Take out the writerliness
Turn your writing into a conversation
Add an air of casualness (optional)
Shall I show you?
I. Take out the writerliness
The basis of conversational writing is a simple text so readers can follow your ideas with ease:
- Eliminate complicated sentences >>
- Avoid the passive voice >>
- Replace writerly words >>
- Use transitional words often >>
Here are some examples …
1. Eliminate complicated sentences
Complicated sentences are a sure sign of writerliness.
So, keep your sentences simple and mostly short. The occasional long sentence is fine—as long as each sentence is easy to read.
For instance, Elizabeth Strout uses a conversational tone in her book Lucy by the Sea, and she doesn’t shy away from a long sentence:
He was seventy-one years old then, but he, kind of, I think, must have been plunged into some sort of midlife crisis, or older man crisis, with the loss of his much younger wife moving out and taking their ten-year-old daughter, and then his half-sister’s not wanting to see him and his finding out that his mother had not been who he’d thought she had been.
When I read Strout’s sentence, it’s almost like I can hear her talk. Can you, too?
The sentence above is easy to read because it starts with its core (he was seventy-one years old) and then expands. Moreover, filler phrases (kind of, I think) add a casual tone.
So, the key to conversational writing is not to keep all your sentences short but to keep your sentences simple. Communicate your ideas tiny step by tiny step.
2. Avoid the passive voice
Pay attention to everyday conversations, and you’ll note that most sentences use the active voice:
I went to the shops to get the groceries. I cooked a colorful stirfry with lots of veggies and prawns. We had dinner together.
The passive voice feels more writerly, less natural:
The groceries were purchased by Henneke. A colorful stirfry was prepared, and dinner was eaten.
I wouldn’t say that. Would you?
So, if you want to sound less writerly, try to avoid the passive voice.
3. Replace writerly words
Only use jargon if you’re writing for an expert audience who use that jargon themselves, too.
Otherwise, please …
Skip the posh words and gobbledygook.
Use everyday words instead.
For instance, jeans manufacturer Hiut Denim describes what they do in short sentences, using simple words:
We make jeans. That’s it. Nothing else. No distractions. Nothing to steal our focus. No kidding ourselves that we can be good at everything. No trying to conquer the whole world. We will just do our best to conquer our bit of it. So each day we will come in and make the best jeans we know how.
Note the everyday expressions above: That’s it; no kidding ourselves; we will just do our best; our bit of it.
Not sure which words to use?
Think of a face-to-face conversation with one of your favorite readers. What words would you use then?
4. Use transitional words often
Soooo …
When we talk, we use transition words to string our thoughts together.
Those transition words tend to be simple: When, if, and, but, or, because, so.
However, when we try to impress with our writing, we use more writerly transitions such as: Therefore, in contrast, additionally, furthermore, nonetheless, thus, subsequently, in conclusion.
Copywriter Gary Halbert is known for his conversational style, and the casual phrase anyway is one of his favorite transition words. It makes his writing sound as if he’s chatting to you. This is from his book The Boron Letters:
So anyway, today I’m going to start by telling you about a little trick that will improve your copywriting.
And:
Anyway, a couple paragraphs back I wrote: “and if you can find a way to use it, you can dramatically increase your sales volume.”
Now, compare that to this: “and if you can find a way to use it, you can make yourself a bushel of money!”
Isn’t that a lot more powerful? You bet! The words “dramatically increase your sales volume” do not even begin to conjure up the visual imagery of “a bushel of money.”
Transition words create flow and help readers follow your text from one sentence to the next.
Moreover, if you choose simple transition words and use them often, your text will sound more conversational.
II. Turn your writing into a conversation
The 4 techniques below are the essence of conversational writing:
- Remember who you’re writing for >>
- Address your reader with the word you >>
- Ask questions >>
- Add personal comments (optional) >>
Here’s how …
5. Remember who you’re writing for
Good writing is a conversation with your reader.
And to make your conversation meaningful, remind yourself who you’re writing for. Who are they? What do they want to know? What’s their reaction to your writing?
When they shake their head because they disagree, you can counter their objections. When they don’t understand a phrase, you can replace or explain it. When a question pops up in their mind, answer it.
It can be hard to write a first draft with your reader in mind. Just formulating your thoughts is challenging enough.
So, once you’ve written that draft, try distancing yourself a little from yourself as the writer. Try not to be too precious about your words, and read them through the eyes of your reader. How can you make your text clearer and more engaging?
The better you can imagine your reader’s reaction, the more engaging your conversation with them will be.
6. Address your reader
In a face-to-face situation, you talk a bit about yourself, right?
And you also address the person you’re talking to?
Well, it’s the same in conversational writing. You address your reader with the word you, and you talk a little about me.
For instance, Mark Manson’s blog reads like a conversation with his readers because he addresses readers directly. This is from a blog post about feelings:
Look, I know you think the fact you feel upset or angry or anxious is important. That it matters. Hell, you probably think that because you feel like your face just got shat on makes you important. But it doesn’t. Feelings are just these … things that happen.
If you want to have a conversation with your reader, don’t create a monologue. Use the words you and your more often than the words me, my, and I.
7. Ask questions
Questions are probably my favorite conversational writing technique. For instance, here’s how I open a blog post on editing a sentence:
Do you ever wonder how others edit their writing?
Me, too.
So, picture my delight when I came across a fabulous example of revision …
By a bestselling author!
And I start the sales page for the Enchanting Copywriting course like this:
Do you ever find yourself staring at a blank sheet?
Struggling to find the right words to sell without feeling sleazy?
You’re not alone.
Persuasive writing is probably one of the most precious skills anyone in business can possess.
But at school, we’ve not learned the art of persuasion. We’ve not learned how to write compelling content. We’ve not learned how to sell without feeling pushy.
Want to engage your readers?
Ask questions. Ask them whether they’re struggling with the problem you’re helping them solve. Or ask them whether they’d like to achieve that aim you can help them with.
Of course, asking questions only works if you understand your reader and if you know what’s bothering them and what they’re dreaming off.
8. Add personal comments
I discovered this trick for conversational writing only recently …
Add a personal comment between parentheses.
This technique is not widely used but it works like a dream.
The following snippet is from the memoir It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too) by Nora McInerny Purmort:
This is for people who have been through some shit—or have watched someone go through it. This is for people who aren’t sure if they’re saying or doing the right thing (you’re not, but nobody is).
Above, McInerny Purmort first addresses her readers as a crowd (This is for people who …); it sounds less conversational.
But then she adds a comment between parentheses, addressing her reader directly (you’re not, but nobody is). That’s when it feels she’s talking with you.
As we’ve seen so far, to write conversationally, first edit your text so it’s simple and clear.
Next, turn your writing in a conversation with your reader: Know who you’re having a conversation with, address them with the word you, ask them questions, and if you like, add personal comments between parentheses.
Lastly, there’s one more optional step …
III. Add an air of casualness
Not all conversational writing needs a casual tone.
So, think about your readers. What’s the right tone for a conversation with them?
Then, try the following techniques:
- Use contractions >>
(this is a safe technique that almost anyone can use)
- Try interjections >>
(Yay!)
- Use filler words >>
(uhm … maybe not for everyone)
- Write out gestures >>
< waves hello >
- Use ALL CAPS >>
(in mucho moderation)
- Elongate your vowels >>
(if you muuuuust)
Let me show you some examples …
9. Use contractions
Contractions merge two words together. It’s what we do when we speak all the time.
For example:
I am -> I’m
How is -> How’s
I would rather -> I’d rather
It is -> It’s
I have not -> I haven’t
Using contractions is probably the most common and easiest technique for informal writing.
10. Try interjections
For more casualness, try interjections such as Phew. Duh. Whoah! Yay! Yikes. Ugh.
I occasionally use interjections in my writing:
What’s the most boring punctuation mark?
I used to think that award should go to parentheses. They seem to smell like math exams in sweaty classrooms. Ugh.
Or:
Has it happened to you, too?
In your mind, you’ve composed your next article. Perhaps while walking your dog or on your commute.
You feel excited, because you know exactly what you want to write, and you think your readers will love it. Yay!
Even Apple uses interjections sometimes. For instance, when they write about the iPhone 14:
Water resistance. (Phew.)
Interjections are shortcuts to expressing emotions.
Use them in moderation.
11. Use filler words
When we talk, we use filler phrases to give us time to think or to add emphasis.
Filler phrases include: I mean, you know, actually, so, yeah, well, sure enough, here’s the thing, why bother, hang on, like.
Here’s how Sara Gibbs ends her book Drama Queen: One Autistic Woman and a Life of Unhelpful Labels:
Right . . . Well, it’s getting late and I’ve got to get dinner on. Ah, crap, you’re never going to believe that. You know I’m not the one who cooks dinner. OK, uh . . . I think my cat is asking for me. No? I have to go; my husband’s on fire. God. Fine, you’ve got me. I have no idea how to end this book. I’m as good as getting out of conversations as I am at instigating them. I will leave you with these words – which I recently blurted out before hanging up on a confused GP’s receptionist: ’K, love you, bye!
As Tony Hoagland points out in his book The Art of Voice, filler words can be key to creating a voice that connects. They can create a sense of warmth, of companionship. A voice sounds more real.
But, of course, filler words make your writing less concise. And, as you can sense in the snippet by Gibbs above, a lot of filler words make writing exhausting to read.
So, think about what works for you and your audience. And, also, read your writing aloud. Does it flow naturally or does it become exhausting?
It’s up to you to find the balance between being concise and being more chatty.
12. Add gestures
Your keyboard doesn’t allow you to put hand gestures into a text.
Or does it?
< shrugs shoulders >
So, this is the trick:
You can put hand gestures or facial expressions between angled brackets.
< raises eyebrows >
It’s like putting emoticons into words.
Angled brackets can also be used to < checks notes > create a pause in your writing. Here’s Ann Handley in a recent newsletter:
You think you have a handle on a problem or a situation or a topic. You sit down to write: hands hover over laptop, claws ready to clack the keys, itching to go! Let’s GO!
< seconds pass >
< is it a minute already? >
Your mind wanders.
Putting gestures or other comments between angled brackets can add personality to your writing. But always consider: Is this the right tone for the conversation you’re having? Or do you prefer a more concise conversational style?
Oh, and if you don’t like angled brackets, you can use *asterisks* instead.
Or, if you want to create a pause, just adding an ellipsis (…) is a neat trick, too.
13. ALL CAPS
I’m a little hesitant to mention this technique.
Because it should be used sparingly. Very sparingly.
ALL CAPS is a bit like shouting.
But the thing is this: When we talk, we can whisper, or shout, or sing.
And we can’t do that in our writing.
So, how can we emphasize our words instead?
My preferred method is to choose stronger words: Emotional words (such as despair, joyful, enchanting) or sensory words (such as dazzling, gloomy, prickly, sweet).
But sometimes, you may want to use ALL CAPS for extra emphasis.
For instance, Ramit Sethi occasionally uses ALL CAPS on his sales pages, like here:
There are tons of books, courses, and articles about confidence. “How to be confident at work!” “How to stop being shy on dates!”, “How to make everybody at a party love you!” The list goes on and on. The #1 piece of advice in all these materials is: “Just be yourself!”
VOMIT.
And Joe Tracini also uses ALL CAPS occasionally in his memoir Ten Things I Hate About Me:
I’m scared. Terrified, really. I’m scared of what you’ll think of me, because even though I don’t know you, I don’t want to disappoint you, and I am desperate to be liked by EVERYBODY AT ALL TIMES. (Seriously. If I’m in a shop and I think the person on the till doesn’t like me, I will spend the rest of that day thinking I’ve ruined their afternoon, then worrying and wondering about how I could’ve been a better customer.)
Used sparingly, ALL CAPS can mimic the emphasis you’d add to a couple of words when talking. It’s like raising your voice.
Moreover, research indicates that putting one or two words in ALL CAPS makes it easier to understand something at a glance.
BUT …
Using ALL CAPS for longer texts reduces readability.
So, be careful: ALL CAPS can quickly be too much, and your writing tone becomes shouty.
14. Elongate your vowels
Pleeeaaaase, explain to me …
Why do we drag out our vowels?
Elongating vowels creates a more casual tone by mimicking our intonation when we talk. You may think this technique is only for teenagers on social media but even Apple uses it on their website:
The looongest battery life of any iPhone. Ever.
And Wil Reynolds writes in a blog post about SEO and AI disruption:
SEO has been “dead” or “dying” since before I got started in 1999.
Mayyyyybe it’s just an industry that changes a lot.
I sometimes elongate vowels on Twitter, too:
Pleeease …
Don’t tell me to write like I talk.
In writing, you can’t use hand gestures & facial expressions.
So, writing has to be stronger than spoken language.
You can also lengthen certain consonants. Dammmmmnnn. What a messss.
So, this is an interesting technique, most commonly used on social media. Elsewhere, use in moderation or not at all. There is a risk your tone becomes unprofessional.
Always consider who your reader is and what tone is appropriate for your conversation with them.
How casual should your writing be?
Your objective is not to make your writing as conversational and casual as possible.
Think about the topic you’re discussing with your reader.
Consider your reader’s reaction and what feelings crop up when they’re reading your text.
Also, think about the context. Social media tends to be most casual, email comes next. And blogs tend to be more conversational than books but that’s also a matter of personal preference.
Sometimes, simple and clear writing is your aim.
Sometimes, you want to go a step further and turn your text into a conversation or make the tone more informal.
How casual is your conversation with your reader?
Cup of tea? Slice of cake?
PS This is a completely refreshed and expanded version of an article originally posted on January 14th, 2014. The new version was published on August 29th, 2023.
Recommended reading on conversational writing:
How to use questions as a persuasive technique
How to use the second person (you) in your writing
3 conversational techniques from The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert
Faaaaantastic! Learnt LOADS.
Thanks.
Yay! I’m glad it was helpful. 🙂
This made me laugh and all the tips are helpful. Happy Belated Birthday. It’s never too late to celebrate your beauty Henneke and to be grateful for all you are and all you share! You give me hope and inspiration and skill.
Thanks so much, Andrea. This was a fun post to write.
For someone who has stalled on writing for a while due to so many things, bereavement being one. Reading this has truly inspired me, I’ve taken notes and I can’t wait to practice all that you shared. Very informative and useful tips. I believe you’ve just eased the burden I felt at the thoughts of going back to writing.
Thank you Henneke!
I’m sorry about your bereavement, Bukky. I hope you’ll get back to writing soon and will find joy in writing again.
I haven’t even finished reading, and just have to say how truly helpful this is! Our company just rebranded our voice/tone, and “conversational” is our latest descriptor of how we should be writing (I’m a copywriter). I thought I knew how, but am quickly realizing how hard it is when writing about tech products. Thank you for making this so approachable and easy to understand. I have a post-it note handy with notes from your blog to keep on my desk! 🙂
Thank you, Marissa. That’s lovely feedback. Happy writing!
Thank you so much Henneke. You’re a whole institution, trust me. 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼❤️🤗 Thank you
Thank you, Nnenna. I just enjoy writing, sharing and connecting with lovely people like you.
Happy belated birthday, Henneke. I hope you’re feeling well. As usual, you never disappoint me with how you display your knowledge — much appreciated.
Dom
Thank you, Dom. That’s lovely feedback. And I appreciate your birthday wishes.
Thank you very much Henneke for this long topic!
I’ve already read the first version before and now I see new stuff you added.
There is such information that I can’t remember all!!
I feel I need to read that again from time to time to assimilate that.
And Happy Birthday in late! 🤗
Thanks so much, Alexandra. No need to remember it all. Just pick a new technique or two that appeal to you, and start practicing. When you feel you want to try something different, you can always come back. But you know that already 🙂
Great read. In order to make the writing *even more* conversational, we might also use:
– emojis, to underline the message or suggest the opposite (yeah, right… 🙄), but used sparingly.
– animated GIFs. Again, to make the point in a funny, relatable way. Maybe instead of writing gestures, we might show ’em 🙂
– larger or colored characters, to emphasize a short sequence of words. However, I’d use this technique sparingly, depending on context (I woulnd’t use it in B2B communication, but it’s ok when writing to young moms).
Apart from those, I think your list is all-inclusive 🙂
Thanks so much for adding these suggestions, Radu. Fab.
Thank you Henneke for your precious article. Vero useeeeeeful!
And… Happy Birthday from Italy.
Maurizio
Sooooo glad you find this useful, Maurizio.
And thank you for your birthday wishes 🙂
Thank you!
Happy Birthday!🎉🎊🎈🎂
Thank you so much, Shauna. 🎉
Hi Henneke,
Very handy article. I love all the different ways you have picked up on to make writing sound like a real conversation – all the umms and errs. And you’ve made me realise that although I say ‘anyway’ all the time, I would never dream of writing it. So now I need to think about that, along with so and however.
Thanks.
It’ll probably be interesting to experiment and see whether you like it when you add “anyway” to your writing, and what frequency feels right.
Writing will never quite be the same as speaking. It’ll always be more concise, more structured, and a little stronger. But when we allow ourselves to be a bit more conversational, we can let our personality shine through a little more.
happy writing!
Happy birthday!
Brilliant piece; saved for future reference. Thank you.
Bxxx
Thank you so much, Beverley. Happy writing!
I just finished a youth book on the 23rd Psalm that’s woven in a young girl’s life while studying it. She narrowly survived bullets randomly fired at the March 6, 2023 shooting in Allen Texas, at the Outlet Mall.
I’m mostly pleased with the book, but wished I had read—no studied, this article before starting. I tried to make the book conversational. I doubt that I succeeded. Do I rewrite with this article in mind? Probably not, since the parents of the girl have approved it. BUT, this will be a go-to on my next book.
Thanks for this article. It truly is helpful
I think that’s a wise decision. It’s easy to be tempted to keep improving a book but as it’s approved already, it’s probably better to start your next project.
Best wishes to the girl who survived the shooting.
This is not a blog post.
But a Bible on conversational writing.
What else can I say?
Best wishes,
As I was working on it, I was wondering whether it was bit too much!
This landed in my inbox at the perfect time. Have a first draft of my next newsletter and it reads kind of stiff. Ugh. Your tips totally inspire me to bring it to life. Thanks, Henneke.
Yay! That makes me happy, Fiona. Thank you. Happy editing!
I started and couldn’t stop reading your article. And, I missed my train. Not to worry, I gained more from your item than my meeting with the bank manager. Thanks.
Is it OK to use conversational writing on my website pages?
Oops. I’m sorry you missed your train!
And yes, you can use conversational writing on your website. Just consider who is reading your website and what the right tone is to engage them.
Hi, Can you share if a conversational tone can be used in a coffee table book?
Sure. Why not? It depends how you want to position your coffee table book.
You got me in awe!
I just can not stop myself from reading it till the end + I want to read more !
Thank you, Shafeeq. That’s a lovely compliment 🙂
Great tips for chatting through writing.
Way too many bloggers and online marketers forget that human beings sit on the other side of the computer or phone. There are other humans out there reading our content and engaging us from their laptops and phones. Keeping this idea in mind urges me to be chatty, to write how I speak and to converse with fellow human beings by a Blogging From Paradise, my emails and through social media too.
We want to chat with people online not speak to them.
Yes, so true. Conversational writing is not just for blog writing, but also emails and social media. It even works for books!
Beautiful flow. Your message arrives home with perfect clarity and conciseness. Thumbs up Henneke.
Thank you, Deniz. Happy writing!
Do you have any YA novel suggestions which are written using conventional tone. I would be very interested in this. Thanks
I don’t read a lot of YA novels. The only one I can remember reading “recently” is The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. I read that almost two years ago but if I remember correctly, that used a conversational tone. I’m sure there are many many more.
This is great. I just wrote a conversational piece today. I wanted to double check if I was on the right track. This post was insightful.
I have jotted down points like checking if it looks like writing. I am going to revisit the piece tomorrow with fresh mindset and your overall tips.
Thank you so much. This was a great read and helpful in a practical way. 🙂
I’m glad this has been helpful to you, Kavya, and I like your idea of revisiting your writing tomorrow (rather than today) to check whether it sounds like writing. Happy editing!
Wow! The post itself is written in a conversational tone. Flows well and easy to connect with. Thanks for this.
Thank you, Martin. I’m glad you enjoyed this.
I love this! It guided me to a nice, relaxed way of blogging. This approach will allow readers to get comfortable on my blog.
Thank you, Tayler. Happy blogging!
That was a real good post about writing good stuff.Writing is an art and you are an artist in true sense.Your writing style kept me hooked till end of the article.And I was compelled to write a comment to you. Way to go ??
Thanks so much for your comment (and your compliment!), Preeti 🙂
That’s great!!
I think you are a fantastic writer , I like this. Good writing has a strong voice, where you can hear the writer as if they were talking to you.
Thank you, Amit. Happy writing!
I never knew before that writing something, that too conversationally also exists. I meet new people everyday as a part of my job. I love talking to new people. And yes, asking questions definitely gets the other person involved. Thank you for such an awesome topic. I hope these tips will help me better in effective communication with my clients. Thanks and keep on giving us more.
Mihir
Asking questions is a much underrated skill. I’m glad you’ve discovered the power of questions already. Thank you for stopping by, Mihir.
I accidentally clicked on the link to your site, I liked it very much . Signed up for your free course.
I hope you’ll enjoy the snacks, Sergey! Thank you for joining 🙂
I loved the way you presented the ideas. I am a fan of your writing thank you. I bookmarked this post so, I can read it daily and improve my writing skills.
Thanks so much, Vijay. Happy writing!
This is amazing….!! I just got a reply from a company to write casual content, I was so confused… How am I going to do… but now I feel a little bit confident… I hope I can write well… Wish me luck….:)
I’m glad this post is useful to you, Sandhya. Happy writing!
PS Consider asking your client for examples of conversational writing they like because the interpretation of what kind of writing is conversational may differ from company to company.
Hi Henneke,
Thank you for providing us with these useful writing tips. I often struggle with making my technical content look more informal and interesting but haven’t succeeded. With your tips, I am sure I can improve gradually.
Thanks and keep on giving us more
Amos
I’m glad you found this useful, Amos.
Especially with technical texts, it can be useful to edit with your reader in mind. If the reader is an expert, it’s fine to use technical terms because they’d use those terms in a conversation, too. But if the reader isn’t, then it can be hard work to simplify your text to make it understandable.
Thank you for stopping by. I appreciate it.
Beautiful tips. I spend half of my day reading your tips… You are seriously to the point and have informative tips. I love it. I write small blogs but with long sentences and I learn a great deal of munching wisdom about how to clean up my writing. I think I will make a few changes in my website. I love your recipes….
Thank you so much, Jim. I’m delighted you’re enjoying my blog. Happy writing! 🙂
Cut the “writerliness” — now I have a name for this!
It feels like you live in my head (in a non-creepy way, of course) because when I revert to using passive voice or pompous-sounding words, I can almost hear you saying, “You might want to change that ?”
Thanks for your example from Ann Handley’s newsletter, I really enjoyed reading her conversational tone.
I’m glad I don’t sound creepy when you hear me suggesting a change 😀
The word “writerliness” isn’t in the dictionary, but I think we should get it added 😉
Happy writing!
Thank you Henneke. I love it.
Thank you, Firdaos.
I think a conversational tone works really well for blogs and other types of writing.
I think voice is the key to a good writer, and it is not exactly the same thing as tone. Good writing has a strong voice, where you can hear the writer as if they were talking to you.
Yes, voice is not the same as tone, even though many people use them as synonyms.
If you’d read a transcript from an interview with me, you’d notice that I talk quite differently from the way I write. It’s not like I’m a different person when I write and when I talk, and you can recognize the same personality—no matter whether I talk or write, but there’s still a big difference in the way I write and talk. Unfortunately, it’s hard to edit your talking. 🙂
I’m hooked. Each of your articles is helpful. I love your work. Thanks.
Thank you, Olusegun. Happy writing!
I had read this earlier. I came back to read it again 🙂 This gold!
The first place I ever heard of ‘writerliness’ but it makes a lot of sense.
Thanks
Writerliness isn’t in the dictionary. I made it up. But writerly exists and simply means “of, relating to, or typical of a writer” (according to Merriam-Webster). So, the meaning I use is a little more specific, but it seemed the best way to express this idea that writing has specific characteristics that make it sound like writing.
Thank you for coming back to reread and comment 🙂
Love this!!
I especially like the advice about counting how many times i mention; me, I & us.
You are spot on, i’m going to keep the reader in mind as much as possible, i wanted to be the best conversationalist possible!
Thanks
Thank you, Nick. And nice to see your picture now! 🙂
Excellent advice, Henneke. Your conversational tone kept me reading. Many blog posts lose me after the first couple of paragraphs.
I’m glad I kept you reading. Thank you for stopping by, Kathy 🙂
I love this post! I enjoyed how you made your points come across. Thank you, Henneke!
Thank you, Hank!
Great post! I adore your writing style and generous tips for those of us wishing to improve our communications. I recommend your blog to my clients. Thank you for all that you do and share. Breathe joy!
Thank you so much, KC, for your lovely comment and for recommending my blog to your clients. I appreciate it. Happy writing!
Came here from LinkedIn. Now I know what you meant by the tea remark.
An amazing article Henneke. You’ve broken down such a complex problem into the simplest form possible.
And like always, your artworks are amazing.
Yes, we’re all having tea together here. I’m glad you were able to join, too. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Hi Henneke
Great post. I am writing a conversational piece at the moment and found this very helpful.
Thank you.
Sue Kingham
I’m glad this was helpful, Sue. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Wow it does not seem that long since I read a similar advice, from you, crazy how four years can seem like four months. or was it fife month?
I do love your posts about quitting the fancy writing, I’m certainly not that fancy type.
Thank you Henneke
It was actually five years ago when I posted the original version. I can hardly believe I’ve been writing here for so many years. Crazy, eh?
I, too, have read this one before, felt inspired and benefited, and commented already.
But.
This time you really got through to my “straight A+ in English” brain. How did you do that? 😀
So, thanks very much for the re-do, and …
… I noticed Henrietta is sitting on the “h”. So I’d be one seat beyond, on the “k” when I read, here. It really felt that personal. <3
Yes, the K is there waiting for you—I drew it in the last picture. And you can put your feet on the M if you like. Shall I make you a tea or a coffee? 🙂
Good reminder Henneke – conversational writing also very apt for how-to books.
Paul, wet and steamy Sydney
Yep, conversational writing works for books, too. It seems that blogs (and email) have spearheaded to drive to conversational writing but it’s used more and more in books, too. Stay cool!
What a fantastic article, brilliantly summing up the topic. A perfect snapshot of the copywriter’s job. Love the infographic!
Thank you so much, Kate. I enjoyed drawing the pictures of Henrietta and her ideal reader on the typewriter 🙂
Yes, this is what conversational feels like. I find myself learning to write shorter posts these days. This was certainly a great read. I have shared with my team, I shouldn’t take in the awesomeness alone.
Thank you so much for sharing this with your team, Mary. I appreciate it. Happy writing!
I’ve read this post before, but I love it and totally concur. I picked up something new this time. Your distinction about writing as you write rather than as you speak got my attention this time. I hadn’t picked up on that before, but it really makes a lot of sense. Going forward, I think that will be very helpful in my writing. Thanks for yet another great idea.
That point about conversational writing not being the same as writing as you speak wasn’t worked out in the old version. I expanded it quite a lot. (And I also edited it so it sounds more like the way I write now rather than five years ago.)
Thank you for stopping by again, Gordon!
Your email arrived in my Inbox at precisely the right time . . . when I am beginning to overhaul my Web site. Good reminders of how you can win over business not by being formal and intellectual, but by being more concise and casual. Thank you appearing in my life.
I’m glad this email arrived at the right time. Good luck with overhauling your website! Such projects can feel a bit intimidating.
Hi Henneke
I loved this, however, when I went to say thank you in the comments I felt like I missed a really good part FIVE YEARS AGO.
I have so many writing hang-ups at the moment, this helps at least one.
love alwaz
mike
I’m sorry you missed out five years ago, but I can reassure you this new version is a lot better! 🙂
Do you have any specific writing hang-ups I can help with?
Brilliant, Henneke! I read many copywriting and business books but few write as well as you do. The list of these writers such as Dan Kennedy, Ted Nicholas, Seth Godin, Drayton Bird and many others simply don’t write as clearly and succinctly as you do. Robert Ringer and Andy Maslen aren’t among those – they write well and are always interesting. It seems to me that ‘if it isn’t interesting it won’t be informative’ (don’t know where I read that!). Thanks again.
Wow. That’s a big compliment. Thank you, Paul ?
You always hit the nail on the head–wham!
Also want you to know your Enchanting Marketing “class” is proving so helpful. I write fiction stories not content marketing but believe me, I appreciate the help you give. Besides, your book recommendations are terrific. Don’t know how you’re able to do so much and give so generously to so many hungry birds! (I’m allowed one exclamation point–right?)
I’m so happy to know that you’re finding the Write It, Don’t Fight It course helpful! Thank you so much for stopping by, Patrica. I appreciate it.
I so agree, Henneke! Writing that feels conversational is still writing. It still takes work! I used to think, to warm and friendly, just transcribe a real conversation. That did not work! My transcribed interviews just seemed to lay there like a sack of potatoes. Your editing steps are essential! They’re like the chopping and cooking that turns a heap of words into something wonderful (like french fries). Your article says it best. A conversational tone is deliberate. It’s your choice of a few deft cuts, some heat and some sharp sensory spices that delight eaters – er – readers like me.
I read a book a couple of years ago. It was a business book but the author also writes poetry which surprised me because the book didn’t feel like it was written by a poet who appreciates words. There was something lazy about the writing. Later I discovered that he’d dictated the book. Dictating helped him overcome writer’s block. The editing was pretty good so it wasn’t noticeable at first but still it something was slightly “off.” So, yes, as you say, the conversational tone is deliberate and takes some work.
Thank you for stopping by, Joanne!
What can I say? Written so nice and concise. Pour me another cuppa!
Coffee or tea? 🙂
As always, Henneke, a wonderful post. I love the freshness of your post structure. So different to the Google formula of H1 to H10 or whatever.No table of contents or video as is deemed so vital by big bloggers. Thank you for an entertaining post.
Thank you for your lovely compliment, Poovanesh. I prefer to put my readers first (and I’ve found that works quite well for Google, too).
Nailed it! Your drawings drive the point home perfectly. (And, of course, I ❤️the ?!) ?
The dog loves you, too 🙂
Very inspiring. Thank you.
My pleasure 🙂
Brilliant as usual Henneke. Thanks for the salient reminder.
I guess you could say: “Don’t be boring!”.
Yes, that helps, too. 🙂
Good to “see” you again, Ray!
Henneke, you’ve come up with another Classic. It’s on my wall. In front of my desk.
And it’s the first thing I read every day.
And while you at it, thank Kerstin for me.
Conversational writing is one of my favorite topics. I was nervous about revisiting the old post but I’m glad I did (and it changed more than I had envisioned). 🙂
Thank you for your comment, Lee, and happy writing!
I felt like your favourite reader, so you nailed it. And I’m looking forward to drink tea with you one day .. ha ha (but not kidding). Your imagery is so funny e.g. “Send difficult words to the naughty corner and throw a party for simple words.” Ha ha.
All the best, Tine
One day we’ll drink tea together! 🙂
Henneke you know your stuff
Thank you, Jacqueline. 🙂
I thank you very much and love everything you send me, I love illustration and I will not forget it.
Thank you, Samar. Happy writing!
Good Article and explained nicely, what needs to be taken care to make the writing as conversational writing
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Harish. Happy writing!
This post is great. The point about short paragraphs is the one that resonates most with me.
I hire a professional writer to write our blog, and at times, I have to go in and break up 6-10 sentence paragraphs. I hate seeing it!
The web and content format is changing so dramatically, nobody wants to read a wall of text these days!
This is an excellent article. I’ve just noticed that I use exclamation rather than questions far too much in my writing. Maybe that’s where I’ve been going wrong?
Maybe? 😉
Thank you for stopping by, Derek.
Just a suggestion: maybe you can add some definite heuristics as well.. such as some effective techniques that have been proven to work.. say for reducing content length, I’d say change from “in order to” to just “to”.. something like that
Great tips! I’ve just one question: how do you handle clients who insist that conversational writing is not ‘professional’? Had a recent client who insisted, in a snooty curl-in-the-lip manner, that they are a premium brand dealing with professional readers, and so things like contractions, short sentences, using 1st/2nd pov etc. are improper.
Problem is, the style they want would bore even the most stone-hearted tax accountant to tears :-/
I suppose my real question is: Can premium B2B branding still be portrayed through a more humane, conversational writing?
Yes, that’s tricky. You still have to respect the brand voice, even if you don’t agree with it. With some clients you can adjust the guidelines for tone of voice, but others are pretty set in their ways.
To me, B2B is also writing for people, and yes, it can be portrayed in a more conversational way of writing, but not all brand managers like that. Of course, depending on who you’re talking to, your language may be more technical as you write using the same terms your audience uses.
Hi there! I have always been hesitant to use “you” as it may sound preachy. Everyone I talk to says it’s best to write in 1st person. What do you think?
Also, agree on white space and editing. So much easier to read.
Learning forward!
I use “you” a lot in my blog posts, and it doesn’t feel preachy to me 🙂
Going through the comments section I realized that I went through a lot of conversational writing. Most of the writers were perhaps not aware of it. Awesome post 🙂
Ha, yes! 😉
Thank you Henneke, this post is going to help me begin my blogging journey!
Great! Happy blogging!
Thank you Henneke, this is a sweet post. I already hankered for more.
Thank you, Felix. Nice to meet 🙂
Happy reading!
Beautiful tips. I spend half of my day reading your tips… You are seriously to the point and have informative tips. I love it. I write small blogs but with long sentences and I learn a great deal of munching wisdom about how to clean up my writing. I think I will make a few changes in my website. I love your recipes…. 🙂
I love your phrase “munching” 🙂
Happy reading and happy writing!
Yes, thank you for your answer and for the examples!
Hi Henneke,
I totally agree with you on this. But I’ve got a question: I’m working for a Dutch university. One of my tasks is to write texts for the university website. My target audience are prospective students. I would love to change the way we, as a university, talk to our readers. Because, frankly, I think all our copy is totally boring, generic and abstract (“Are you innovative and interested in current issues? Then you should enroll in programme X.”). I can’t seem to persuade my bosses of the need to switch to personalized writing though, because – as they put it – it’s important that as many secondary education pupils as possible should recognize themselves in our texts. And ofcourse its true that people have many different reasons to choose a particular education.
So, my question is: is it even possible for organizations with so many different target audiences with such divergent interests to find a personal tone of voice in their writing? And if so, how would you tackle this problem?
Thanks in advance for your advice, I really appreciate it!
Hi Evelyne – that’s an excellent question and can be a tricky problem when people are stuck in old-fashioned writing.
I’d say the first thing to make sure is that your bosses understand the differences between how people read on the web vs how they read an academic paper or a book. This will help them understand the importance of using white space, short sentences, short paragraphs, and simple words.
When you need to appeal to a wider audience, you want to keep your word choice fairly neutral – you can’t add personality by using slang as not everyone will understand it (unless you do for instance specific case studies to appeal to specific groups of students).
Dropbox and Evernote are good examples of companies who appeal to a wide audience, but sound human in their writing. They do this by simplifying their writing, keeping content concise, and focusing strongly on benefits rather than features.
Does this help?
Henneke,
Just now got here, for some unknown reason, and as I read your post, I realized who I would write to, immediately.
When I first began blogging, I followed a lovely young woman who inspired me, totally, with her great posts. I wondered how she did everything she did, and why she bothered to visit my site. Then she was attacked on fb, and decided to take a break. My heart was broken, because I saw her as a sort of bloggy mom. although I was old enough to be HER mom.
After reading this post, I realize she is who I should write my posts for, sort of in her memory, although she is very much alive and has another new baby to show for her time off. I can constantly visualize her, as I always have, but never did write for/to her.
Also, I have noticed on my other site, that when I write advice letters to people whose names I have changed, but whose situations are real, my posts REALLY resonate with people.
That’s just what you are talking about, I think…
Yep, when you write for one person rather than for a crowd of readers, your writing becomes more “real”. Readers will notice it in your writing voice. And they all feel like you’re writing for them personally.
This was a nice post, Henneke. I love this quote.
If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it. ~ Elmore Leonard
I think that in all aspects of our digital communications, we need to be more conversational. If there is no personal feel or touch, then what is the point? On that note, I included your post in my roundup of the month’s best SEO, social media, and content marketing. http://www.northcutt.com/blog/2014/02/january-resource-round-up-the-best-of-seo-social-media-and-content-marketing/
Yep, conversational writing works in all digital communication. Thank you for stopping by, Ben, and for including my article in your roundup. Much appreciated 🙂
In preparation for launching my own blog I’ve start reading posts like these, and I can’t tell you how much it’s helping. Before doing any research into it all I would be writing in a style that might sit somewhere in between this and sleazy sales person, unintentionally of course.
Maybe I should re-consider the copy on my website as well? (see what I did there? :D)
So, thank you again 🙂
You’re a quick learner, Sean 🙂
Good luck with launching your blog!
Hello Henneke,
I am a first-time reader, and found your guest post from one of my Facebook groups. I really enjoy your writing style, and I can see where some of my blog posts have fallen flat. Thank you for sharing the “how” of storytelling in such an enchanting manner.
Hi Holly,
Welcome & thank you for taking the time to comment on your first visit. I appreciate it 🙂
Glad to hear you find my blog posts useful!
You are a writer–and a darn good one. And I can picture a Kindle children’s book with those super cute pictures. Now you just need a story and title to go with it! 😉
Thank you, Penelope. 🙂
Maybe one day I can write and illustrate a children’s book for grown-ups. 😉
Oh, yes. Do!
Don’t you think a children’s book on how to become a writer would be great? I can imagine if there’d been such a book when I was enjoying writing assignments the MOST in grade school. Wouldn’t you love to cause a child to have courage and begin far earlier than I did?
A MUST!!! 😀
Ok, Henneke. You are going to have to take on the title of “artist” along with writer. Are you up for that? 😉
Now you’ve got me wondering how many questions I have in my posts. I’m gonna go count ’em now. Thanks for germinating and sprouting all these new ideas in my head!
An artist?!? Not sure I’m quite ready for that yet. I’ve barely got used to the idea of calling myself a writer. 😉
Dear Henneke,
It is this time I am grateful. Thank you for your generous contributions over time. You have truly enriched my life with a well-toned understanding of writing a Blog.
You’re welcome, Joel. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Thank you Henneke 🙂
Once again, awesome post, and so completely relevant!
I really like the idea of writing to one reader. As soon as I’m writing to a crowd, I can’t write at all. But I have this ongoing fear that if I write to one reader…my favorite reader…my ideal reader…I’ll connect with such an infinitesimal group of people.
I want to write about writing and marketing. Marketing with soul, you know. Because I feel like anything done with love, with real authenticity, with the soul, is infinitely better. But I’m finding it difficult to take the leap to even do that myself.
Any tips?
Thanks so much,
Melissa
Yes, I so agree with you about writing with the soul. You’ll find that if you write for one reader it becomes much easier to write with soul and personality.
In a way having an ideal reader is just a “trick” to make your writing more engaging. Don’t worry about connecting just with one reader or a few. When you write for one person, it doesn’t mean that only one person will feel you’re talking with them. Many people will feel you’ve written the post especially for them, because many people are struggling with the same problems and challenges as your ideal reader.
Does that help?
It’s still a little scary, but your words help a lot! Thanks a bunch.
Hi again, love your drawings. Please note my website is not operating at the moment. I had to remove the files. So at the moment I am reworking everything. Give me a couple of days and I will get back to normal. You see this is the case with novices, mistakes, mistakes and more mistakes. I hope when I have restored the site it will be better in many ways. Also I hope eventually to start a blog that is why I read as much as I can. Your site I enjoy very much. That drawing has again just ‘pinged’ in my mind, so clean cut very striking. I shall have some of my own art, rather conventional, on my site when it is re-published, you might take some time to view. Thanks again for more interesting material, Tom
We all make mistakes, Tom. It’s human 🙂
Good luck with reworking your site!
Wow, I feel truly honoured to have inspired this post. It’s fantastic and really great advice as always.
I just read all the comments you got for this post – looks like I’m not the only one struggling with this particular point. Happy new year, Henneke, and thank you so much for your great blog. xx
Thank you so much for all your great comments last year, Kerstin. You inspire me to keep writing. 🙂
Happy new year to you, too!
Hi Henneke,
Thanks for the tips. I use “You” a bit more than I should in my posts, as in “You are loved” opposed to “I love you.” Will work on it:)
Clara
Great! I hope you enjoyed the cake 😉
Thank you for stopping by, Clara.
Great post, Henneke! Love how you flipped the idea of writing like you talk and rather to edit your text so it doesn’t sound like writing. Great way to think of it.
Thank you, Jonas. This is really how it works for me. I have to edit out the gobbledygook and undulating sentences to make a text more conversational.
Good to see you here! 🙂
H. firstly, what a great drawing! You should definitely keep going.
Thank you also for giving me permission to use but, because, and at the start of sentences. Whilst I’ve let go of other writing formalities, these have been particularly hard to let go. And sometimes it just feels right to start a sentence this way. Really enjoying reading your posts.
Thank you so much, Caroline. And good to see you’ve given yourself permission to start a sentence with And . You deserve a big slice of cake. 🙂
Just tell that high school teacher to shut up with his old-fashioned advice 🙂
Nomnomnom 🙂
Hi! I just stumbled upon your work and I’m totally hooked!
I’m a marketer in the Philippines. Like you, English is not my native language, but it’s the language I use to reach customers. (Here English is unofficially the language of business.)
You make me want to go back and improve everything I’ve done in the past. Now I know how to do it. Thank you!
Welcome, Rhea. It’s so nice to have people from across the world joining the conversation here. I hope you took a big slice of the cake 😉
Henneke, I love your illustration . Congratulations! I’m proud of you
Thank you, Louie. As one of my most loyal readers you deserve a real slice of cake some time!
As part of my New Year’s plan to get a handle on my e-mail in-box I have unsubscribed from most of the e-mail lists I have been on. But, I love receiving your e-mails because I feel exactly the way you describe in your post when I see yours come in. Thanks for your clear, helpful, engaging, and very personalized writing!
I feel honored that you’re still allowing my emails in your inbox. Thank you. I’ll do my best to keep rewarding you with a slice of cake each week 🙂
Another great post. I’m definitely guilty of not asking enough questions and not focusing enough on the reader.
– Steve
P.S.
The cartoon was cute as well
It’s easy to forget the reader – you can’t see him yawning, glancing at his cellphone, or fidgeting in his seat as a sign that you’re rambling on too much. A face-to-face conversation is much easier.
Thank you for stopping by! 🙂
Hi Henneke,
Excellent article. You do write very conversationally, so you are walking the walk.
I cringe everytime I see an exclamation mark because I feel as if I’m being “screamed at.” And besides, it takes away from prudent use of it!!!! So many !!!! in our lives, it feels like so much noise!
I love the picture of Henrietta & Arthur!!!! (Those are sincere)
Mary
I once wrote that using more than one exclamation mark – in an email or blog post – is a crime against enchantment. I still believe this is true.
And yes, I do my best to walk the walk. Thank you so much, Mary 🙂
Really helpful. Thank you! Learned a lot this week. And I’m particularly motivated as I did a survey of respondents last week and when asked what I could improve, a few of them said my grammar! I couldn’t agree more.
Interesting to read your comment about your native Dutch coming out – my New Zealand comes out too. I try and catch it, because people don’t understand me when I use words like “niggle” (irritate), “puke” (throw up) or “pash (kiss),” but they still occasionally slip through.
This language business is awfully fun. And I love reading your emails each week. Thanks again, Lisa (PS: Have you read “On Writing” by Stephen King? Am reading at the moment, again. Very inspiring.)
Yes, language is fun. I sometimes use British words without realizing they’re specific to British-English and others might not get them.
I like the word “niggle” – it’s also used over here. I’m surprised people don’t know the word “puke” – I see it used quite a lot in blog posts. “Pash” sounds nice, but is new to me 🙂
Yes, “On Writing” is one of my faves, too. Have you read “Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamott? That’s inspirational, too.
Good to see you again!
Ooh, thanks, I haven’t read that one. Will check it out.
And, yeah I was surprised about those words too. (“Pash” is what a NZ young person might call kissing, more than just a peck. A fun word to use!) Have a great week:)
Henneke, I see that asking questions is so important, and I enjoy “talking” to you, answering the questions in your text.
I will do it in our next post, thanks for pointing out.
Always good to have you around for tea and cake 😉
Love this article Henneke! Your drawing is amazing as well. I look forward to seeing more of them 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing your tools and knowledge. I especially found the use of question marks very helpful. Conversational copy is something that *seems* like it should be so easy…but it can be hard to retrain ourselves and unlearn what we’ve learned in school. But, we must adapt, right? 🙂
Yes, I think that’s the mistake many people make – conversational copy *seems* easy because it’s so easy to read. But the truth is that it’s damn hard work to eradicate gobbledygook and to make each sentence flow naturally.
Thank you for stopping by, Kristy. I appreciate it! 🙂
Hi, Henneke,
You write the best emails with great headlines that always make me want to read your posts.
Why don’t you teach a headline class?? Blog post writing class??
I would take it and I’m sure some of your other readers would also!
Sue
Hi Sue, thank you so much. Stay tuned – I’m developing a blog writing e-course.
I’m hoping to have an early bird list live before the end of February. 🙂
PS Isn’t it wonderful how two question marks (“??”) indicate a pleasant amount of impatience?
I love the idea of adding questions in a blog post to engage the reader even more. Do you think this would apply to product descriptions as well?
P.S. Love the illustration!
Thank you 🙂
Good to see your (new?) avatar!
That’s a good question! You made me think … Most product descriptions might be too short to include questions. Questions might sound unnatural as you don’t have enough time to really start a conversation. But if you write longer product descriptions it can work.
A great post. Thank you so much. Loved the *3* essential tools you gave me. I could even ‘hear’ some dialect in your post, eh? Congratulations Henneke!
You might be hearing my Dutch accent 😉
I used to be dead-nervous about using “Dutchisms” (phrases inspired by Dutch – my native language) in my blog posts, but I’ve now decided that’s part of my charm.
Thank you, John.
H. Passive sentences are some of my challenges. How do you feel about checking your writing via
http://www.read-able.com ? Keeps me on my finger tips. sQs Your advocate in Delray Beach FL
I haven’t used this particular tool, but I have used the readability stats that Microsoft Word shows (if you tick the right box and do a spelling check). I’ve been a bit sloppier with this recently, but a year ago I would religiously check:
(a) the average number of words per sentence – I would go back to chop up long sentences and tighten my text when my average was over 14 words per sentence
(b) passive sentences – even if I had only 1% of passive sentences, I would try rephrasing the passive sentence. Occasionally I’d be happy to leave a passive sentence.
Looks for the word “are” – it is not active. It is sitting on the couch. So are all verbs of “being.” If you catch one, try to change it. Example: “Passive sentences are some of my challenges” is more powerful as, “Passive sentences challenge me.” Whenever you can find the verb form of a noun, use it and remove “is” or “are.” Happy writing!
‘Sleazy salesmen use exclamation marks. Good conversationalists use question marks.’
>> That is a world famous quote by Henneke D, did you know that?
Somehow it feels like it has taken me a year to write these two sentences. They just clicked into place yesterday. To me they express the essence of good writing.
Of effective writing, for sure!
Henrietta looks very happy today! :))) Just a question: when you talk about “your favourite reader” why is it a “she”? Is it like boats, planes… and always feminine? Bit confused.
I’m not sure who’s happier – Henrietta herself or her dog Arthur? 😉
Your reader can be a “she” or a “he”. It depends on who you like working with most.
Truth is… I’m thinking about unsunbscribing from a blog for feeling that they care not for their readers.
The writing is good, so are the ideas — but their emails are nothing but links to the day’s post (ok, not much harm in that), while I see no answers on their blog comments, nor any real interaction on their FB page.
It’s only talk, talk, talk, or rather write-and-post-it, and I even think that even their blog commenters have tailed away lately.
Yes, you make an excellent point. Readers can sense it immediately when writers don’t care and when they’re insincere.
You did it. I’m really waiting for the next slice of your home-made cake. 🙂
Thank you, Paul 🙂
Don’t tell anyone, but the truth is that in real life I’m not so good at baking cakes – I prefer cooking a delicious meal!
Thanks Henneke, another keeper of a blog post. makes a lot of sense. Time for me to head off to the local cafe and write up the first draft of my next newsletter I think… Oh, and really like your illustrations, VERY cute doggie!
Yes, that’s a good idea. I’m sure writing in a local cafe can make your content livelier, too!
Thank you for stopping by, Lynne 🙂
Can’t agree more! This is really good advice. And I love your illustration, Henneke!
Thank you, Lucy. The book Leonardo’s Swans sounds interesting!
Thank you for the link to the photos, Henneke. I’m feeling super inspired now! Have to do something like this with my paintings.