Voice Memo Writing Test

A technique to improve writing by starting with a spoken explanation rather than writing directly. This helps capture a more natural, conversational tone.

Core Concept

• Record yourself explaining the topic in 60 seconds or less
• Use this recording as the foundation for your written piece
• Helps filter out boring/uninteresting topics - if you wouldn't tell a friend about it, don't write about it

Benefits

• Creates more natural, conversational writing
• Acts as a quality filter for content
• Forces clarity of thought before writing
• Helps identify the most important points
• Eliminates unnecessary jargon and complexity

Implementation Example (Milk Road Newsletter)

• Writers recorded 60-second voice memos explaining crypto news
• Had to explain "Did you hear what happened today?"
• Voice memo served as foundation for newsletter content
• Helped maintain engaging, conversational tone
• Filtered out boring/technical topics that didn't work in conversation

Key Tips

• Keep recording under 60 seconds
• Explain as if talking to a friend
• Focus on what makes the topic interesting/exciting
• Use natural language and tone
• Don't worry about perfect delivery
• If you can't explain it verbally, you're not ready to write about it

When to Use

• Before writing any important piece
• When struggling with tone or voice
• For newsletter or blog content
• When explaining complex topics
• To test if a topic is worth writing about

The voice memo test serves as both a content filter and writing guide - if you can't explain it naturally in conversation, reconsider if it's worth writing about at all.