Survival Tips for Being the Speaker

This Saturday was a first for me. I spoke about one of my many writing related jobs: organizing blog tours. I was really nervous[this comes out as grumpiness—ask my family]. But I made my notes, gathered my props, and did my dry run. Yes, I do practice my new talks out loud to make sure I don’t go over my time period. Once the men trimming trees for the electric company were able to enjoy the dry run for “How to Break Into Magazine Publishing” through my open living room window.

I’m glad I had the talk when I did because this Saturday I’m going to the Write Stuff Writer’s Conference in Allentown, PA complete with pitch sessions. I’ll be pitching my novel and maybe this boost of confidence I got from my Blog Tour Talk will make it easier for me to talk to an agent. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Most of us aren’t crazy about talking in public. Didn’t I once read that more people are afraid of public speaking than are afraid of dying? There was a time(long, long ago)when authors didn’t have to talk. They just wrote. Not so anymore. If you want to be successful you’ll have to talk. Whether it be convincing an agent to take you on, chatting at a book signing or conducting a workshop at a writer’s conference. So it’s time to start practicing now! Surely you have something you could talk about at your local writer’s group?

I wish I could give you some surefire tips. I don’t do the audience in the underwear tip. Here are my meager tips. Hope they work:

1. Water – Once I got on a roll because the audience asked A LOT of questions. My throat got dry and then I started coughing. Now I always bring a bottle of water.

2. Props – For me it’s usually books or magazines that have to do with the subject I’m talking about. But handouts also work well. What do they do? First, they give people something to look at if they arrive early. Second, they give you something to do with your hands during the talk so you don’t have that voice in the back of your head yelling, “What should I do with my hands?” Hey, the voice thinks about weird things during talks, what can I say? Lastly, the props can help keep you from wandering off on a tangent.

3. Smiles – I’m one of those people prone to staring at the floor instead of at people’s faces. But make yourself look at people and smile while you talk.

4. Questions – Sometimes it gets lonely up there on the podium. So try to get the audience to interact by asking questions and at the end say, “Does anyone have any questions?” You have to ask because sometimes they aren’t sure you’re “done” so they don’t say anything. Of course then the voice in your head(he is a troublemaker) says, “AH! No one’s talking. You have to talk.” So you talk. And the audience thinks you aren’t done so they don’t ask any questions. And trust me, people always have questions.