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7 Tips for an Authentic and Productive

Writing Process
by Logan Zanelli · 63 Comments
Does this sound familiar?
You’re sitting in front of your laptop, staring at a blank screen.
The deadline for the article you need to write is approaching, and you’re struggling to get started when you
should be in the final editing stages.
As you sit there trying to put your expertise in writing, a strange insecurity creeps up your spine. You see
yourself changing before your own eyes, transforming from a confident expert into a self-conscious amateur.
It’s your own Dr. Jekyll to M r. Hyde transformation experience.
I’ve been there.
I used to hate writing
Well, actually, it was more like loathing than hating.
Anytime I needed to write anything I’d procrastinate, pretending that avoiding the project would make it go
1 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
away. Needless to say, the procrastination led to a flurry of rushed writing at the last minute to meet my
deadlines, resulting in less than my best work.
But my real problem wasn’t the act of writing. It was fear. Fear of making mistakes, fear that what I wrote
would sound stupid, fear that my writing wouldn’t make sense to the reader, etc.
My insecurities were turning me into a monster
So there I was, a guy with more than 15 years of experience, who has won some awards and is even a judge
for three international design competitions, worried about sounding stupid.
It sounds ridiculous, but my fear of screwing up made writing a miserable experience for me.
I even used to try to compensate for my fears. I’d use stiff, formal sentences and large, important-sounding
words to try to “prove” I knew what I was talking about. Unfortunately, all that did was make me sound like
a pretentious jerk.
It was like I was changing from Dr. Jekyll into M r. Hyde anytime I had to write something.
Then one sentence from my college professor changed everything
I had a job that offered tuition reimbursement benefits, so I decided to take some college classes. One of my
classes was a composition class, and the professor gave me the best writing advice I’d ever heard.
“Write the way you talk.”
Wait. What?
It can’t be that easy! Seriously? What a liberating idea! That one piece of advice helped me break free of my
fears and relaxed my writing style. No more procrastination. No more using large, unnecessary words to try
and impress the reader. I could just relax, be myself, and write.
Now before you get the wrong impression, let me explain something: writing the way you talk does not give
you permission to write poorly, or to publish content that sucks.
What it does is help break down the mental barriers of fear and procrastination that keep you from being a
more engaging, and more productive writer.
Here’s how to use “write the way you talk” to squash your insecurities and avoid sounding like a pompous
idiot:
1. Imagine yourself having a chat with a trusted friend
Good writing is like a conversation between the writer and the reader. So when you’re writing, think about
how you would explain your topic to a close friend who was sitting next to you.
If you were having a conversation with that person, what words would you use? What would you talk about
first? What examples would you give to help them understand your topic? What questions might they ask?
2 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
Approaching your writing this way will help you write copy that’s more informal and conversational in tone,
that better engages your audience. As it happens, it’s also the best way to write sales copy.
2. Record yourself talking about your topic.
Not sure what you sound like in a conversation? Try recording yourself talking about your topic.
This is especially helpful for people who have clients they talk to on the phone regularly. The next time
you’re explaining something to a client on the phone, record the call and listen to it later (Be sure to check the
laws in your state first. Some states require you get the other party’s permission before you record). The
easiest way to do this is with one of the many available plugins for Skype that do call recording.
3. Take a deep breath, relax, and just be yourself
By writing the way you talk, you can’t help injecting a little of your personality into what you write. After
all, you’ll be writing in your own voice, using plain English everyone can understand, and a tone that makes
you seem more human than textbook.
Combine that with a few relevant, well-placed personal stories and you have the makings of some irresistible
content.
4. Use the same words that you do in your everyday life.
If you write the way you talk, you’ll be more inclined to use common, everyday words that you would
normally use in conversation.
This prevents you from sounding like Captain Jack Sparrow using (in my best Johnny Depp impersonation)
obtuse and generally confounding speech that makes your readers wish they were drinking rum.
So keep your writing simple and clear without artificially inflated language. A good rule of thumb is: if the
average person would need a dictionary to know what your word means, then you need a different word.
5. Toss out the rule book and just start writing
If all the rules about grammar, writing styles, active versus passive voice, and punctuation are adding to your
insecurities about writing, toss out the “rule book” for awhile and just write.
Focus on getting the main points of your idea down in your first draft, and don’t worry about anything else.
Once you’ve done that, you can go back and edit the heck out of what you wrote.
Do you notice any obvious errors? Is there anything that could be rearranged to bring more clarity to what
you wrote? If so, now’s the time to fix it along with any grammatical, spelling, or other writing problems.
After you’ve made those corrections, leave the article to sit overnight and look at it again in the morning with
fresh eyes. Is there anything you can do to make it even better?
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6. Enlist the help of a close friend to keep you honest
Want to make sure that what you write actually sounds like you and not someone else?
Enlist the help of a close friend. Have them read what you write, and tell you if it sounds like someone else
wrote it. This will help keep you true to yourself, and will force you to be authentic with your writing.
7. Read what you write out loud
One of the first editing tests I put my writing through is reading it out loud. Doing that makes awkward
sentences and bad punctuation become obvious, because as you read, you’ll naturally “stumble” over the
parts that need to be fixed.
So as you read your writing aloud, pay attention to those places that tend to trip you up — they may need
some additional work.
The moral of the story
Get over the fears of messing up or sounding stupid. Just write the way you talk and you’ll be able to knock
out your first draft in no time.
If you’re willing to do that, you’ll find that you’ll dread writing a lot less and be able to get more writing done
because you’re working on it instead of fearing it.
I’ve been using these tips to guide my writing for several years now, and today I got the best evidence yet
that they work.
I was talking with one of my clients on the phone about blogging, and as we were discussing the content for
her blog she told me, “Whenever I read something you wrote, you always sound like such an expert. Like you
really know what you’re talking about. ”
Need I say more?
So go ahead. Dive in. Who knows? You may even start to like writing.
About the Author: Logan Zanelli is a business stylist who helps entrepreneurs get found, stand out, and sell
more. You can follow him on Twitter or get more from him on his blog.
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1. Daily Writing Tips - Page 2 - Webmaster Forum | October 11, 2010
Comments
1. Jane@Find All Answers says:

October 11, 2010 at 9:57 am
Oh, just so wonderful. You have spoken out the mind of so many bloggers. The “writer’s block” rules
the blogosphere and no one can escape it- even the A-listers. And you have given a comprehensive list
of tips to get over that. Thanks for the tips.
By the way, I like this tip the most: Use the same words that you do in your everyday life.
Reply
5 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
Raul Sim says:

October 11, 2010 at 1:19 pm
There is no “writer’s block”, it’s only fear… You can’t write because you keep thinking of
something else than what is coming to you. Perfection is impossible to reach. Just do it –
WRITE!
Reply
Eddie Gear says:

Very true Raul. I completly agree with you.
Reply
dotCOMreport.com says:
Agreed. Using the same words makes it feel more like just talking to friends and takes off a lot of
pressure.
Reply
Jane@Find All Answers says:

Using the same words as we speak also makes writing quick. Otherwise we have to look
for new words, their meanings, examples and so on (if we don’t want to publish stuff with
grammatical errors ). But once in a while it will be good to try new words and writing
styles.
Reply
2. Mark Wolfinger says:

October 11, 2010 at 10:16 am
I know someone who writes as he speaks, and the result is horrible.
Grammatical rules are ignored: sentences have no ending, commas and apostrophes don’t count. He
ends many sentences with prepositions and split infinities are the rule, not the exception.
M y question to you: How is this a good thing?
6 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
I don’t object to the principles mentioned, but I believe the writing must be corrected for grammar.
Reply
Sonia Simone says:

October 11, 2010 at 10:40 am
M ark, Logan covered that.
Reply
Logan Zanelli says:

October 11, 2010 at 11:17 am
M ark, that is indeed the danger with writing the way you talk which is why you need to be
ruthless in your editing to catch those mistakes. But if you let yourself relax and just write the
way you would talk about your topic for your first draft, it will help you get past the writer’s
block so you can get your ideas down – and then edit from there.
Thanks for the comment!
Reply
3. Seth Etter says:

October 11, 2010 at 10:25 am
Awesome advice. This is an issue I ran into quite a bit early on. The internet has this way of doing that
to people once they know that their online communications entirely make up the persona that people
perceive on the internet.
So the tendency is to try really hard to impress those people on the interwebs by talking in big words
and not being yourself. But nobody wants to see someone try and be someone else, it never turns out
right.
Reply
Logan Zanelli says:

October 11, 2010 at 11:18 am
“..nobody wants to see someone try and be someone else, it never turns out right.”
So true Seth!
Reply
7 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
4. Shane Arthur says:

October 11, 2010 at 10:34 am
I agree. Write like you talk…but edit like someone’s charging you per word. Be yourself, but cut the
flab afterward.
I’d also advise turning off your monitor during the 1st pass. Just type. You know the words are there.
You don’t need to see them, and your inner editor won’t have anything to gripe over until it’s his turn.
Reply
5. Karen Everett Watson says:

October 11, 2010 at 10:34 am
Great article! I had the same advice from one of my J-professors. I always brainstorm on a blank piece
of paper before beginning my computer work. I start with writing down the main idea and all the details
as quickly as possible. It gives me a “road map” to begin. Thanks for the article!
Reply
Logan Zanelli says:

October 11, 2010 at 11:22 am
That’s a great brainstorming technique Karen! I once heard one that’s similar involving notecards.
The idea was to jot each idea on a 3×5 note card, then you could arrange them in the order you
wanted to cover the ideas in your article.
Thanks for sharing that great tip!
Reply
6. MarVeena says:
October 11, 2010 at 10:48 am
Thanks for sharing your ideas! I do procrastinate on my blog. Sometimes it flows very nice and
sometimes it feels so sticky.
I am just getting into blogging more and gaining a better respect for the bloggers who really have it going
on. Thanks again!
Peace
M arVeena
Reply
8 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
7. Carol Tice says:

October 11, 2010 at 10:54 am
Great post — your #5 reminds me of a writing trick I learned years ago at a seminar put on by the
Reynolds Center for Business Journalism — if you’re writing a reported story and you’re boggled by
trying to weave together your interviews into a coherent whole, just put all your notes aside and write a
draft without notes, quotes or attribution.
Don’t worry about who said what or exactly what it was. Just spit out a dummy draft based on what
you remember. The most interesting and important stuff will naturally rise to the top. Then you can go
back and clean up your quotes to be precisely what was said and find out how to spell that guy’s name,
and all that administrivia. Take that junk out of your writing flow, and it’s a lot easier to create a
compelling story.
Reply
8. Andrea Pokorny says:

October 11, 2010 at 11:01 am
Thank You! That frees up a lot of tension and apprehension I’ve had with writing. I’ll have to print
this and keep it handy as good reminder for me…some of my English profs have really messed with my
head when it comes to writing.
…it keeps things uncomplicated, just the way I like it!
Thank You Again,

Andrea Pokorny
Reply
Logan Zanelli says:

October 11, 2010 at 11:51 am
I was the same way Andrea. Isn’t it amazing how all the learning we do can trip us up
sometimes? Glad these tips helped you as much as they have me!
Reply
9. Samuel says:
October 11, 2010 at 11:02 am
Awesome post! Yea the best solution is to write the way you talk. That’s how you can keep the spirit
of writing in you to keep flowing. And it’s also good to tell a friend to help you read your article.
Thanks for sharin. Have fun.
9 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
Reply
10. Stacy says:

October 11, 2010 at 11:04 am
Awesome tips!
I have been trying to add a nice story to my photo blog posts and these writing tips and your whole
blog in general hav been a gold mine for me.
Thanks!
Reply
11. David Léger says:

October 11, 2010 at 11:07 am
Thanks for sharing. As a newbie to blogging, I was a little nervous about not only how my content
sounded, but I was also stressing that it would slow me down to a point that it would take a long time
between posts.
Reply
12. Kirsten Cross says:

October 11, 2010 at 11:11 am
M ind if I chime in with the thoughts of an Editor? While ‘writing how you speak’ may work for the
Blogosphere, it doesn’t work so well for article writing or web content. In these cases, you will find
that your clients give you guidelines about the tone they want (if you’ve designed your briefing
procedure properly, that is), what audience they want to reach and how they want to portray their
business and their message. As a writer, you have to take these instructions into account when creating
content, otherwise you will find your chatty, friendly, ‘having a goss’ with a mate’ style roundly
rejected.
A more relaxed, informal style is what is expected in Bloggerverse, but in the commercial world there is
a clear definition between this particular style and more business-orientated copywriting.
However, in blogs this more informal style does work, but my advice would be not to take it to
extremes. Don’t shy away from using ‘big’ words – credit your audience with a level of intelligence.
People’s use of language is much more complex than we often assume, so don’t be afraid to use ‘der big
words’ from time to time. It won’t necessarily make you sound like a pompous ass – it can give you an
air of authority that promotes a level of trust in your expertise amongst your readers. The most
important questions to ask are ‘does it convey the message effectively’ and ‘are my readers engaged’?
And please, for the love of GOD, spellcheck before posting! Nothing will scream ‘amateur’ faster than
a blog or any other piece of writing that is peppered with spelling mistakes, grammatical errors or even
10 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
colloquialisms. (On that point, also remember that not everyone speaks the same version of English
either…)
Reply
Christi Reed says:

October 11, 2010 at 11:32 am
I agree with you to a point, but for your rough draft is should still be ok to write as if you were
having a conversation. This allows you to get the basic ideas you want to cover down on the page
and gives you a place to start from.
After you have that, you can go back and fine tune it to fit what the customer ordered. The
audience you are writing for is always important to take into consideration. If you are writing for
experts on a topic, then using words that they understand is fine.
I do agree with you on the spell check, I love to read, and there is nothing more likely to put me
off than finding simple spelling errors in the material. I immediately, begin to wonder if the
material is worth reading at that point.
Reply
Logan Zanelli says:

October 11, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Hi Kirsten! Thanks for the comment, and I do agree with you that journalism, copywriting, and
blogging are different “genres” of writing.
Choosing which style to use should be based on what will engage and connect with your audience
the best.
However I’ve seen many articles and instances of web content that use a relaxed, informal style
that works great and generates a higher conversion rate than more formal-sounding text.
Again, it all comes back to “who’s the audience” and writing in a style that connects with them.
Reply
13. Aqif Azizan says:

October 11, 2010 at 11:12 am
Hi there Logan,
First of all, I would like to thank you for this post. I really mean it. Because right now I’m having some
kind of mental block and I really need a medicine to cure this thingy.
11 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
Guess what, your post is the medicine that I’m talking about!
I totally agree with your ideas about ‘Write the way you talk’. It is what I’ve done again and again in
blogging atmosphere and the best thing is it creates more loyal readers because we’ve communicate as
friend.
Thanks once again for this post. Looking forward to read your upcoming post with Copyblogger.
Reply
Logan Zanelli says:

Take two doses of “write the way you talk” and call me in the morning.
So glad you found this helpful Aqif! I have no doubt it will help unleash your inner
awesomeness!
Reply
14. Andrew Nhem says:

October 11, 2010 at 11:24 am
This is a great post. I’m trying to hash out a piece for my site and came across a few of the insecurities
that you mention.
It’s so easy to fall into that vacuum when the writing engine isn’t firing on all cylinders.
I’m glad I read this today, before tackling the project again. Thanks so much!
-nd
Reply
15. Kathy Condon says:

October 11, 2010 at 11:37 am
When writing my book, I got so much advice about what voice I should use, what I should say or not
say that confusion was rampant in my my brain.
Gave it all up — wrote the book in simple language- the way I talk- AND won USA Book Finalist
Award…..
Living proof that straight talk works.
http://www.kathycondon.info
12 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
Reply
16. Santhosh says:

October 11, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Excellent. Very helpful.
Reply
17. Joseph says:

October 11, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Logan,
The one thing that has helped my writing the most is learning that it’s best to write conversationally
and not academically. It’s also incredibly liberating.
I learned this in a book called:”Writing with Style” by John Trimble. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly
recommend it. He’s a professor at UT in Austin, and the book is incredible. One of his biggest points is
that writing is a conversation between writers and readers, and good writers treat writing like a
conversation. He also includes 7 “rules” that good writers should break. They are:
1) Never begin a sentence with But or And.

2) Never use contractions.
3) Never refer to the reader as you.
4) Never use the first-person pronoun I.
5) Never end a sentence with a preposition.
6) Never split an infinitive.
7) Never write a paragraph containing only a single sentence.
If you think any of this sounds helpful, you’ll definitely want to check out this book. It’s more helpful
than ten college English classes and a whole lot cheaper.
Great post Logan! Thanks!
Reply
Brian Clark says:

October 11, 2010 at 12:42 pm
The fact that those 7 things were “rules” in the first place just shows you why so much
corporate writing is so bad. Really, never refer to the reader as “you”? That’s just Psychology
101 bad if you want someone’s attention and action.
Reply
13 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
Joseph says:
Very true. In a public speaking class I learned that the most important word in public
speaking is “you.” Why wouldn’t this also be true for writing?
Reply
Logan Zanelli says:

Ditto what Brian said.
Actually, when I’m writing, I can’t help referring to the reader as “you” because in my
mind, it’s almost like I’m writing a letter to an individual reader – not just assembling
words on a page.
As you can tell, I broke a lot of those “rules” in school.
Reply
18. Stacy Hawkins Adams says:

October 11, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Great post! Thanks for the practical and helpful advice.
I’m forwarding this to my group coaching students and recommending that they subscribe to your blog.
Stacy
Reply
19. Karen says:

October 11, 2010 at 12:52 pm
Hi Logan,
Oh, do I know that feeling of staring in front of the computer and being scared to start writing. You
know intellectually that you do have something worthwhile to say and yet fear rears it’s ugly head,
time and again. I’m glad to read that someone with 15 years experience (and who won awards yet!)
feels the same way. You’ve offered some great tips in overcoming the fear and I especially like the
‘write the way you talk” approach. I often get stuck in the ‘pretentious’ writing patterns because that’s
what I’m used to during the years and years of being in school taught me, even though I’ve been out of
school for longer than I had been in it. It’s definitely a shift in mindset and approach which is needed
for the net than for written papers. Funny enough, when I do write off-the-cuff articles they go over
14 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
better with my readers than something that I spent hours researching.
A very helpful post, so thank you for sharing your experience and wisdom.
Karen
Reply
Logan Zanelli says:

Karen,
I think you hit the “nail on the head” with this:
“…when I do write off-the-cuff articles they go over better with my readers than something that
I spent hours researching.”
It’s amazing how people connect with what you write when you’re letting your humanness
show. Those parts of you that some people see as “chinks in your armor” are in fact
vulnerabilities that endear you to your audience in most cases.
Thanks for the comment, and keep stepping out of that comfort zone to be authentic. Your
readers will love you for it as you’ve noticed.
Reply
20. Jasmine says:

Fantastic tip to “write the way you talk.” I am definitely guilty of struggling to sound literary when all
I really need to do is say it!
Reply
21. Kristi Bernard says:

This is a great post. I find that I have the same fear of writing because I spend too much time looking
through the Thesaurus for a better word. Thanks.
Reply
Logan Zanelli says:

15 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
Glad you liked it Kristi! I also used to dig through the Thesaurus like I was on a scavenger hunt
for the “right” word – until I realized the perfect word I was looking for was the same one I
would use when I was talking.
Thanks for the comment!
Reply
JoCarol says:
It was Stephen King who said, “Any word you have to hunt for in a thesaurus is the wrong
word. There are no exceptions to this rule.”
Reply
22. Matthew says:

Thank you, Logan. This is a very helpful post.
Reply
23. Petula says:

Excellent post. I definitely see myself in that post. I waiver back and forth between the experienced
writer and the frazzled newbie. Procrastination definitely makes it worse and it makes me fearful
regardless of whether I was or not in the beginning.
I wish someone had given me that advice long ago. I started doing that as I became more experienced,
but when I first started out editors would say to minimize my voice – in so many words – it wasn’t ’til
I learned to make it sound natural, like me, that I finally got it all wrapped up in one bundle. I’m not
sure if that comes out in my blog (LOL!) as far as magazine or newspaper writing goes, but my voice is
all over the place in everything I write.
Reply
24. Jonan Castillon says:

M agnificent seven writing tips, which I believe would help carry me through any writing task. Indeed it
is very liberating to just write the way that one talks and in doing this I would really talk to myself
while writing just like dictating to my writing hand or fingers tapping the keyboard keys what ideas to
bring out in writing. It really helps to let your draft stay overnight because on the following morning
16 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
you will be able to review and revise your copy to improve it more. For those who might be writing on
a difficult topic, may I share a technique that is really working great for me. I would think about the
topic and “storm my brain” how to go about it while I am about to sleep. In fact I would fall asleep
thinking how I would write about the topic, imagining the outline and even the introductory sentence.
The following morning you would be surprised that words and ideas flow as you write. Thanks for the
tips!
Reply
25. Fran Civile says:

I definitely agree with your advice Logan and read every one of the comments with great interest too
while at the same time wondering who would be the first one to mention that so many people, men
mostly, need to pepper their conversation with swear words for emphasis!
So I ask, with tongue in cheek, would applying your method of ‘writing the way you talk’ lead that
particular group to start talking the way they write? In a conversation with a friend would they learn to
put their point across using only cleaned-up language?
Just saying …
Reply
Logan Zanelli says:

I think the warning signs would be if you started opening your everyday conversations with “52
ways to…” or “The Zen of …” and everything you said was coming out in bulleted lists, after
which you paused for comments.
Glad you liked the post!
Reply
26. Betty Suarez says:

Hi Logan,
Your tips are wonderful. When people get anxious or fearful, it is when we can see their lowest level of
performance. Writing is not the exception. A relax and simple communication will give us run to focus
on the content. Thank you for that reminder.
Reply
17 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
27. Jeff Johnston says:

How many times do you have to hear the same message before it finally sinks in? It seems like
everywhere I turn lately, and every post I read, the author slips in something along the lines of, “Get
over the fears of messing up or sounding stupid.” I realize that wasn’t necessarily the heart of your
article, but I think I’m starting to notice that is the message that always sticks out to me. I guess I know
what I need to change about the way I write! Thanks a million for continuing to write and making an
effort to inspire.
Reply
28. John Sheridan says:

Hi Logan,
One of the most well written and informative articles I’ve read in a long time. Keep them coming.
Reply
29. Nin says:

I;ve never been much for writing, but there are some great tips in here that will help me keep on
truckin’. Thanks!
Reply
30. Anthony Karl Harris says:

I use to looooath writing with a passion, but then one day I bought a voice recorder and lapel clip-on
mic and the words flowed.
Reply
31. Jef Menguin says:

Write the way you talk. I follow this.
So, one of my readers who heard me giving an inspirational speech said, “I like the way you write. You
write the way you talk. I like to attend your next talk.”
18 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
Write the way you talk. if your talk sucks, improve your talk. Then you can improve your writing.
Reply
32. Steph says:

Thanks for that post, Logan. I am the queen of procrastination and I often struggle with being able to
articulate my thoughts. Great tips – the idea of writing like you talk is great and such a liberating one at
that!
Reply
33. Renee Hoekstra says:

Something about this is very intuitive and I love it! I started thinking about how I engage my audience,
or my group members, and what it is I actually say to them. This helped me write my blog- and I’ve
found that creatively writing for the intended audience is much more fun and less tedious than those
papers I cranked out in graduate school.
I had a conversation with someone last weekend about the fact that I used the words ” a whole ‘nother”
in my blog post, ’cause I would definitely say that…don’t know how kosher it was but it was fun.
Reply
Logan Zanelli says:

“…and I’ve found that creatively writing for the intended audience is much more fun and less
tedious than those papers I cranked out in graduate school.”
You’re so right Renee! It’s amazing how much you can enjoy writing when you relax and focus
on being yourself.
Thanks for the feedback!
Reply
34. J.D. Meier says:

> “Write the way you talk.”

So true.
When somebody on my team gets stuck, I tell them just write an email to them self or to a friend … and
19 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
that busts through their block in no time.
Reply
35. Vee Sweeney says:

October 11, 2010 at 10:43 pm
In order to get over my writing blocks, I use what I like to call “dirty” writing. Essentially I simply
type whatever comes to mind no matter how sloppy, how poorly written it is or how irrelevant it is. I
keep on writing until I am done with the article and I do not read any of it until I am done. In the end,
the article or writing only usually needs small revisions even though I paid no attention to the writing
process when I was actually writing. The point is that I simply go in with a carefree attitude and I fully
expect to end up with a major revision at the end. Having a lesser expectation seems to make me jump
over my writer’s block. The advice your Professor gave you is spot on though; write like you are
writing to a friend is some of the best advice that I have ever received as well.
Reply
36. Andrea Mercado says:

October 11, 2010 at 11:08 pm
I love it! It feels so much more natural and honest when I write the way I speak and I feel like it
definitely makes the writing flow. The people that are supposed to connect with you will resonate with
your writing style and your personality.
Reply
37. Mark Scott says:

Absolutely! And beautifully put Logan.
Reply
38. Roy Sinai says:

Absolutely! I sometimes like to think of it as writing a letter to my mom or grand mom – when
confronted with trying to explain layered ideas and complex processes. It forces simplicity and getting
to the core of the idea. And then can be fleshed out as needed, once the heart of the matter is on the
page/screen.
Reply
20 of 24 10/12/2010 6:10 AM
39. Philippa Anderson says:

I wish I wasn’t such a perfectionist, it would make my life so much easier! Great tips – thanks.
Reply
40. Solomon says:

When experts like you endorse that writing is hard and difficult task …it feels great. Your techniques
are all great and very very useful. Thanks!
Reply
41. Carolee says:

LOL- I was a great English student in my day and have even been published before, but I love blogging!
It is so liberating to be yourself!
Although, like mentioned above by M ark W, you do need to end sentences properly, spell correctly,
etc…..
Joseph’s advice is also pretty good, but it’s hard not to use you or I- I speak to my readers about my
experiences(that would be the “I”)
And occasionally, I start a sentence with and . It’s not grammatically correct, but it’s me!
Reply
42. Devin Elder says:

Great post Logan, thanks for sharing.
I like #2, and for some of my sites I’ve taken it a step further by doing video recordings. You can get a
video for YouTube, a transcribed article, and a podcast all in one shot.
Reply
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7 Tips For An Authentic and Productive Writing Process - Copyblogger

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7 Tips for an Authentic and Productive Writing Process | Copyblogger http://www.copyblogger.com/authentic-writer/?utm_source=feedburner...

Copywriting and Content M arketing Strategies

7 Tips for an Authentic and Productive

Does this sound familiar?

You’re sitting in front of your laptop, staring at a blank screen.

It’s your own Dr. Jekyll to M r. Hyde transformation experience.

I’ve been there.

I used to hate writing

Well, actually, it was more like loathing than hating.

My insecurities were turning me into a monster

Then one sentence from my college professor changed everything

“Write the way you talk.”

1. Imagine yourself having a chat with a trusted friend

2. Record yourself talking about your topic.

3. Take a deep breath, relax, and just be yourself

4. Use the same words that you do in your everyday life.

5. Toss out the rule book and just start writing

6. Enlist the help of a close friend to keep you honest

7. Read what you write out loud

The moral of the story

Need I say more?

Find out more about the framework features

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“The Catcher in the Rye” and the Art of Phony M arketing

Sites That Link to this Post

1. Daily Writing Tips - Page 2 - Webmaster Forum | October 11, 2010

1. Jane@Find All Answers says:

Raul Sim says:

Eddie Gear says:

Very true Raul. I completly agree with you.

Jane@Find All Answers says:

2. Mark Wolfinger says:

I know someone who writes as he speaks, and the result is horrible.

M y question to you: How is this a good thing?

Sonia Simone says:

M ark, Logan covered that.

Logan Zanelli says:

Thanks for the comment!

3. Seth Etter says:

Logan Zanelli says:

4. Shane Arthur says:

5. Karen Everett Watson says:

Logan Zanelli says:

Thanks for sharing that great tip!

7. Carol Tice says:

8. Andrea Pokorny says:

…it keeps things uncomplicated, just the way I like it!

Thank You Again,

Logan Zanelli says:

10. Stacy says:

11. David Léger says:

12. Kirsten Cross says:

Christi Reed says:

Logan Zanelli says:

13. Aqif Azizan says:

Logan Zanelli says:

14. Andrew Nhem says:

15. Kathy Condon says:

Living proof that straight talk works.

16. Santhosh says:

Excellent. Very helpful.

17. Joseph says: