Public speaking is hard for many of us, but since it’s good for marketing books, read on for a few more tips to make it easier.
I’m a writer. I sit alone in my office keyboarding when I’m not sitting alone in a library researching. I once almost fainted walking across a stage during a contest. Some writers shine in the spotlight, but that’s not me.
That said, presentations at libraries, schools, and other venues are basically commercials for selling books, so every author should come up with a presentation and take it on the road to generate buzz and find new readers.
I’ve written about presentations before, but as I recently started doing them again, I now have a few new thoughts on the subject. When my first book came out more than ten years ago, I had a tough time with appearances. I’d be sick to my stomach for three days before it happened, dreading the ordeal. Often, I was the speaker after a meal, but I couldn’t enjoy what was served or even attempt to eat it.
I get very interested in my subject, however, so I am fine once I start talking. In planning presentations for this new book, I began by taking my own advice to pick an interesting topic and really own it. Not that I memorize a whole speech. That would be too stressful if I missed a line or forgot where I was.
Instead, as I’ve said before, I memorize the opening and the closing and have an outline with notes for the middle part. Starting confidently with a well-written introduction boosts my confidence to continue and ending strong with a punchy closing leaves both the audience (and me!) with a good impression.
My routine is to practice multiple times, sleep on it, and practice again. That usually moves everything into long-term memory. Then, a day before an appearance, I rehearse a bit to make sure it’s all still there.
I do hold a written copy of the outline in case I blank out on a detail, which happens, but I find that by using slides, each image automatically jumpstarts the memory of what I wanted to say about it. I print the outline in a big font because the eyes aren’t what they used to be, but I also make sure to have my reading glasses handy, just in case.
Another tip I want to reiterate is to make sure you have a drink handy for a dry throat. I’m nervous that I’ll clumsily knock over an open cup, so I prefer a water bottle, but I open it before the presentation starts because I don’t want to struggle with a recalcitrant cap. Find a safe place to keep your drink, too. A slanted podium surface is a disaster waiting to happen!
The older I get, the more often I need to take a sip of water. I’m trying to use that sipping time to remind myself to slow down because, like many amateur speakers, I tend to talk too fast. That’s bad for everybody. The faster I talk, the more water I need, the harder it is for my audience to understand me, and the shorter my program is. In rehearsal, my talks are about 45 minutes, leaving time for questions. If I finish earlier than that, I know I was talking too fast!
With this new book, I’m finding that, while still nervous, I’m not sick for days before a presentation. I’m even enjoying the pre-start time when people start arriving and looking at my book display. I’m able to comfortably chat and engage with folks before stepping up to the podium.
Who knows, in a few years I might even be able to eat a pre-presentation luncheon!
Photo by Mikhail Nilov