Conceived following his songwriting breakthrough with "Let Me Love You" for fellow R&B singer Mario in 2004,[5] Ne-Yo worked with musicians Ron "Neff-U" Feemster, Brandon Howard, Shea Taylor, and Curtis "Sauce" Wilson, as well as Norwegian production duo Stargate on most of the album, some of which would become regular contributors on subsequent projects.

Four singles were released from the album, including "Stay", "When You're Mad", "Sexy Love", and the number-one hit "So Sick".

[6] AllMusic editor Andy Kellman gave In My Own Words a four-and-a-half-out-of-five-stars-rating and noted that it "could turn out to be the most impressive R&B debut of 2006, as well as one of several milestones in a lengthy career [...] It's very focused and surprisingly taut, especially for a debut that involves several producers [...] Its modern approach, interlocked with touches of '70s and '80s R&B sensibilities, is also in effect for the entirety of the album.

"[19] Slightly less impressed, Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani found that In My Own Words "might pale next to [John] Legend’s stellar debut, but, even at its Robert Kelly worst, it’s not hateable.

[22] On March 29, 2006, the album has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for sales of over a million copies.