Write Like You Speak Is Terrible Advice

By that logic, most of us couldn’t form a decent sentence.

The most pressing question budding writers have is: how do you write better? The common answer to that question is wrong. Writing like you speak sets you up for a slew of unnecessary work and potential failure.

Conversational writing has its place. But this lax way of explaining things is better suited for text messages and emails to family and friends. It’s informal, so it’s not the most effective way of making clear points.

If I’d learned to write by the way I speak, I’d have heard bicycle horns every other sentence.

In my 20s, I joined a local Toastmasters chapter to improve my vocal communication in professional settings. At each meeting, the horn master — someone different every time — had one job: whenever someone injected uhh, ahh, or an unnecessary pause while speaking, honk the bike horn.

This horn honking was at times unbearable. But it served an excellent purpose. Soon, every time you speak — whether to a group or individual — that horn honks in your head, serving as a constant reminder.

If I’d learned to write by the way I speak, I’d have heard bicycle horns every other sentence…