How to Never Run Out of Things to Say & Banish the Awkward Silence

Learning how to never run out of things to say is actually a little easier than you might think. You simply need to expand your horizons!

Learn how to never run out of things to say. Seriously, wave goodbye to awkward silences for good!

How many times have you been a victim of the awkward silence? It’s horrible. You talk a little, it seems to be going okay and then bam! Your mind goes blank and you can’t think of a damn thing to say.

Awkward silences are the worst, but they are avoidable.

How?

[Read: Loosen up! Your complete guide to overcome social awkwardness]

It’s actually easier than you think. You don’t have to be a master of every subject on the news to be a real conversation starter… or to keep one going. Of course, it also relies on the other person being engaged in the conversation too. One-sided conversations are doomed for failure at some stage.

How to never run out of things to say

So, let’s look at how to never run out of things to say in nine easy steps.

#1 Ask question – a lot of questions. The best way to expand a conversation and keep it ticking along nicely is to ask questions. It keeps the other person talking too. If you do this, you’ll find that the conversation barely stalls. However, don’t fire question after question at them. Otherwise, you run the risk of everything becoming a little interview-like! [Read: These funny conversation starters will help you fit right in]

#2 Make sure you ask open ended questions. It’s not just about any old question, it’s about open ended questions too. These types of questions require more of an answer than “yes” or “no.” They require an explanation and from that explanation, you can chip in and give your own opinion or your own insights into the issue.

#3 Expand your own horizons and give yourself more to talk about. When you have a lot going on in your life, you’ll find it easier to come up with new ideas on what to talk about. The more experiences you have, the more hobbies you engage in, the more you’ll be able to keep a conversation ticking along. You might also find that you inspire the other person to try new things. [Read: How to be funny and make people love your company]

#4 Try the “that reminds me of…” technique. Memories are ideal conversation-starters, and you can easily take a small detail and continue a conversation based on details you remember. As a result, the other person you’re talking to will be able to chip in with their memories and views on the entire subject, leaving you free of awkward silences.

#5 Compliment them. Compliments are ideal conversation-starters, but they’re not necessarily ways to keep a conversation going. However, you can base the conversation around the compliment you’ve just given and link it up with the “that reminds me of …” technique.

For instance, “I really like that top you’re wearing” is a good way to start the conversation. It also shows that you’re friendly and open to discussion. Then, if the conversation stalls, pick out a detail of the top they’re wearing and weave in a memory, such as “the color really reminds me of the sea; I could really use a holiday right now, how about you?” This is one of the best ways to learn how to never run out of things to say.

#6 Know that nobody will judge you on what you have to say. Part of the reason why awkward silences happen is because people worry that if they continue to just talk, even babble a little, they’re going to be judged. In reality, it’s more likely that the other person is relieved you’re the one in control and that the aforementioned awkward silence isn’t taking over! [Read: A quirky guide for the quirks on how to not be awkward]

#7 Pick out small details and get them to expand. When they other person is talking to you, look for small details you can pull out. Ask them to expand on them. You can then weave in some open questions to further explore the topic. Ensure that nobody is short of anything to say!

#8 Read more so you have more to talk about. It’s not only about expanding your horizons with hobbies and experiences, it’s also about knowing what is going on in the world. Read the news and celebrity gossip magazines, and know what’s going on. Then, you can weave these quick news spots into your conversation. For instance, if you compliment someone on their hair, you could say that you saw it’s a new fashion trend.

#9 Expand on the topic that’s being spoken about – with a twist. Stay on the same conversational lines, e.g. whatever the subject is, and then twist it slightly so it goes in a different direction. For instance, if you’re talking about the weather, talk about when you visited a specific place and the weather took a nasty turn. Then the conversation would continue from there. [Read: 10 very subtle body language moves that’ll make you appear way more confident]

Be creative with fun topics

Learning how to never run out of things to say is really about thinking outside of the box and being inventive and creative. Don’t worry if you think you’re talking too much. The other person is probably relieved that they don’t have to do the thinking. Plus, they don’t want to endure the awkward silence either!

Do not simply fire question after question without giving your input. This simply turns into a churn of questions which might make them uncomfortable or feel like an interrogation! In this case, they’re probably not going to stick around for long. The awkward silence you’re avoiding might actually come your way regardless. [Read: How to keep a conversation going without ever breaking a sweat]

Open ended questions are a great way to encourage the other person to give their input. It also takes the responsibility of the conversation away from you completely. If the other person isn’t giving you anything back, if they’re simply nodding along and looking uninterested, you might want to rethink whether you even want to talk to this person!

It could also be that they’re simply a little shy or not sure what to say back. It’s something you should consider when encouraging them to open up a little too. [Read: 6 small words that can stretch any conversation for hours!]

The good news, you can master these steps and never endure those horrible awkward silences again! You’ll never sit there rapidly wracking your brain for something to say. Anything you can say to save the conversation from the abyss, while also not trying to appear as awkward as you’re obviously feeling.

[Read: How to talk to anyone and master the art of real conversation]

Seriously, awkward silences are the worst! Learn how to never run out of things and be creative. Open your mind and read more, have new experiences, and develop new hobbies.