Write like you talk!

Too many people have been told to never write like they talk. Nonsense. Write like you talk! I'll give you two good reasons to do so. First, if you don't write down what you would say, then you will probably leave big gaps in your logic when composing sentences. When you tell a story verbally to a friend, you don't leave out any important parts. But all too often, when that same story goes on paper, chunks of information get left out because simple little sentences seem unimpressive. Trust that what you would say is what you should put on paper so the entire story is told. You can always cut rambling sentences later. Second, you may not write what you say because you think you have to sound fancy on paper. If you think your writing must sound grand and important, it will turn out bloated, confusing, and boring. Please don't be afraid to use little words, the same 5 cent words you use when you speak. Write a first draft exactly how you would say it aloud. Then, by all means, turn a few of those 5 cent words into 25 cent words. Turn "eat" into "devour" sometimes, and your writing is interesting. However, if every other word is made up of four to six syllables, your writing becomes heavy like your credit card agreement or the last will and testament of your great aunt Hazel.