Make Your Writing Sound Like Real Conversation

We’ve established that writing is a form of conversation and that every conversation works best when both sides take turns. But there’s more to it. Since writing is essentially a conversation we’re having with someone, our sentences should feel like natural dialogue: conversational, approachable, and human. This doesn’t mean we should sacrifice grammar or clarity; instead, our writing should be tight, clear, and sound as if it came from real conversation.

Think about it: in actual conversations, you wouldn’t dryly state facts. Imagine someone speaking like this to a friend:

Product-market fit is a crucial concept for any startup to understand. Simply put, it refers to the degree to which a product satisfies a market need. In other words, it’s the match between the features and benefits of a product and the needs and wants of its target market.

Sounds odd, right? No one naturally talks that way! Instead, here’s how I might explain product-market fit in a conversation:

Suppose you’re building a startup. One of the first goals is to find product-market fit, right? This means a certain group of people really find value in what you’re offering. For example, if you’re creating a dating app, and you notice it’s especially popular among young professionals in big cities, you’ve likely achieved product-market fit. This customer segment is actually using your product, so now you’re ready to invest in reaching more people like them!

See the difference? The second explanation feels like part of a dialogue. It’s more understandable because it mirrors how we’d actually talk, even if we’re explaining something complex. But how can we make our writing sound like this? Here are some techniques to make your writing feel like a real conversation.

1. Integrate Questions in Your Writing

Questions are central to human conversation. We ask questions, answer them, or even ask ourselves questions, and they help break the monotony, sparking curiosity. Questions turn the reader into an active participant, drawing them into the dialogue and inviting them to consider the answer.

Take Seth Godin, the well-known marketer and writer, who often weaves questions into his text. In Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, he writes:

It’s simple: there are tribes everywhere now, inside and outside of organizations, in public and in private, in nonprofits, in classrooms, across the planet. Every one of these tribes is yearning for leadership and connection. This is an opportunity for you—an opportunity to find or assemble a tribe and lead it. The question isn’t, Is it possible for me to do that? Now, the question is, Will I choose to do it?

The questions at the end make it feel like Seth is speaking directly to us: Will you choose to do it?

Similarly, Randolph M. Nesse’s book Good Reasons for Bad Feelings takes this technique further, organizing the entire book around questions like “Why are minds so vulnerable?” and continuing to ask questions throughout, creating an engaging, natural rhythm.

Questions transform passive readers into active thinkers. Instead of just absorbing information, readers feel compelled to answer, an effect driven by our instinct to respond to questions. Try it out—it’s a simple way to make your writing more engaging.

2. Use Imperative Verbs to Engage the Reader

In conversations, we use imperative verbs constantly: they help us explain, suggest, warn, or invite someone to imagine something. Imperatives naturally command attention, prompting the brain to focus on the message and consider a response.

Consider this passage from an essay by Tyler Cowen, where he uses several imperatives. Notice how your mind responds to each command:

Consider this thought experiment. Assume that driverless cars could certainly reduce deaths by avoiding accidents caused by people who drive while intoxicated or who simply make stupid driving decisions, like driving on the wrong side of the road. Add in the likelihood that even after they are perfected and well inspected, driverless cars would lead to special problems, perhaps if the computers don’t respond properly to some unusual situations.

To continue this experiment, imagine that the cars would save many lives overall, but lead to some bad accidents when a car malfunctions.”

With each imperative—consider, assume, add, imagine—we’re drawn in, feeling as if Tyler is presenting his ideas directly to us, not as an audience but as participants. The imperatives turn the passage into an interactive experience rather than a one-sided explanation.

Apply this technique to your own work: add a few imperative verbs in an email, blog post, or social media update. Read the text aloud and see how much more natural it sounds. Imperatives are a subtle way to create an intimate, conversational feel.

Takeaway: Write Like You’re in a Dialogue

Writing that feels like conversation isn’t dry or robotic; it’s dynamic, human, and engaging. To achieve this:

1. Ask questions to spark curiosity and involve your reader in the thought process.

2. Use imperative verbs to create a sense of urgency and focus attention.

When you incorporate these techniques, your writing gains a rhythm and flow that’s reminiscent of real-life dialogue. Writing becomes more than just words on a page—it becomes an exchange, a chance to connect with readers on a genuine level. Give it a try in your next piece and see how much more alive your writing can feel!