Stories sound alive when they feel like real voices on the page.
This starts with writing the way people actually speak.
Simple words help readers feel close and relaxed.
Short sentences can carry emotion and pause.
Long sentences can carry thought and movement.
Details from daily life make scenes feel real.
A small action can say more than a big description.
Tone matters more than fancy language.
When the voice feels honest, readers listen.
A living story feels less like writing and more like a conversation.
The reader does not read it.
They hear it.