When reading an author’s discussion thread, I noted that more than one person assumed the trick to creating a unique writer’s voice was “writing like you talk.” There is some truth to this if you are a good verbal storyteller. A storyteller often uses “colorful language” to appeal to people who comprehend their regionalisms. Reaching a larger crowd requires more than a smattering of colloquial phrases. Write like you speak and you may be understood by your neighbor today. But, readers removed by a few years, a few hundred miles, or a few rungs on the socioeconomic ladder, must work harder to read what you have written. 

In a discussion on a book written by a prominent newscaster one person observed, “You can really hear him speaking as you read it, and that really slows you down.” The book mimicked the newscaster’s conversational style. However, without the vocal inflections the text was harder to interpret. I prefer reading to listening for the very reason that I can read about three times faster than I can listen. This led me to consider the complications of writing like you speak.

Most people tend to be more dramatic and less accurate when speaking. This allows them to be heard over competing voices. Frequent repetition is a hallmark of speech making. People use filler speech, such as “when you think about things,” because they are actually thinking about things–such as what to say next. One of the biggest drawbacks to writing this way is increased word count for the amount of content. This may be at the root of my friend’s perception that reading a book written in that manner, “really slows you down.” 

Tone is necessary in writing. Much of how we interpret what people say is by interpreting their tone of voice. But because there is no audible tone in writing, it requires unique phrases to achieve the same impact as vocal inflections. Use of current catch phrases and regional interjections set the tone for the text, but may contribute little to the content

Occasionally, I enjoy books by authors who write in the vernacular, in small doses. Mark Twain actually got his start as a lecturer who made his living by talking. His novels were published as serial installments in magazines for a reason. Short passages in folksy language are interesting. However, I witnessed too many students dread the time they spent slogging through his imitation of Old English speech in The Prince and the Pauper. I eventually had to give up on his unabridged version of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.

So, when you write like you speak, recall when conversations with another person who chattered on assuming their tone of voice made them sound interesting. Remember all the meandering thoughts and unfinished sentences. Then, edit your work to remove these but keep the tone. People may pay attention when you speak because that is polite. However, you’ll never know when they stopped reading what you have written.