5 Tips to Develop Your Public Speaking Skills

This last mod of the Weekend MBA program at Purdue, I’m taking communications. It’s a class that comes fairly easy for me because I’ve spent the last 20 years intentionally working to become a better public speaker. When I graduated from undergrad many moons ago, I knew I wanted to develop as a speaker. I’d had a speech class in college, but the standard was so low, I could literally get up on days when no one else was prepared, extemporaneously give a speech, and get an A. Nice for the GPA. Not so nice for developing real skills.

Because I wanted to develop skills in this area, I intentionally sought a job in D.C. that would allow me to try, fail, and try again. I’m blessed that my bosses at the Leadership Institute gave me abundant opportunities.

I kept looking for them.

Today, public speaking is relatively easy for me. People often assume it’s always been this way. It hasn’t. Here are 5 tips that I hope will help you become more comfortable speaking.

1) Seek opportunities to practice. When the fear of public speaking ranks right up there with death, it’s often the last thing we want to do. Why on earth would we seek opportunities to do something that makes our knees quake, our stomachs tremble, and our vision blur? Because being comfortable speaking is an important skill that opens doors. So push yourself. Join an organization like Toastmasters.  The key is to practice.

2) Develop an area of expertise that you are passionate about. It is much easier to talk about areas where our passions lie. I can talk about the Monuments Men all day. I could elaborate on why I think it is so important to mentor young people consistently. You have areas of passion, too. Tap into those and your voice and gestures will be more enthusiastic and lively.

3) Watch other speakers. What do they do well? What could they improve upon? What can you learn from watching them? How do they engage with their audience? How do they use words and their voice to catch your attention. Imitate what you learn until it becomes natural to you. There are some masterful speakers to study.

4) Read Public Speaking Books. Wait. That sounds an awful lot like non-fiction, and we love fiction around here! There is a place for non-fiction and this is one of them. A lot of really smart people have written books sharing their secrets…we don’t have to learn the hard way. We can jump ahead to a new level of skill. There are a host of public speaking books out there.  A few I have in my library are Well Said by Darlene Price, The Exceptional Presenter by Tim Koegel, and How to be a Presentation god by Scott Schwertly. Others would add different books to this list. The key is to find a couple books, read them, and slowly incorporate suggestions into your speaking. The Exceptional Presenter has great tips on how to move, gestures, etc. Well Said has great basics on every aspect of speaking. Each has a strength. Taken together they form a strong picture.

5) Listen/Watch your speeches. Eric teases me when I listen to the podcasts or radio shows I’ve been a guest on. It’s not a matter of hubris, but a matter of listening to what I said and how and using that information to look for areas to improve. In the MBA class, each presentation is videotaped and we have to review and critique our performances. You should do the same. It’s only when you listen to yourself that you notice fillers (umms, uhhs, etc.) and note the speed you talk. It’s when you watch that you pick up nervous tics you’re completely unaware of. It’s not always comfortable, but it is a great way to learn.

What would you add to this list?

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Are you a #writer who wants to grow your #publicspeaking platform? Then check out these tips from @cara_putman: http://bit.ly/2yVl5mb

Cara Putman

An award-winning author of twenty books, Cara is a lecturer on business and employment law to graduate students at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. Putman also practices law and is a second-generation homeschooling mom. She lives with her husband and four children in Indiana.

Marketing Your Persona

No one wants to buy or read the proverbial off-brand story. 

Readers want the vibrant voice of the real author embedded in the page.

Lynn Austen spoke at the first writing conference I attended. That was more than ten years ago, and yet, above any other speaker I've heard since, I can still remember she wore a red business suit, she spoke with the gentle, knowing voice of a first lady, and her message was taken from the story of the alabaster jar. Why did that presentation stick with me? Because the same voice appeared on the pages of her books.

1. Lynn presented her persona in a true and honest way. 

Lynn Austen is a biblical and historical fiction author. She has won numerous awards. These awards basically had little impact on my decision to purchase her book, Gods and Kings. What caused me to buy, read, and buy more was her voice. What she said at the conference. The way she spoke to people in the lunch room. 

Her writing sucked me into the story. Even though I knew some of the account (like we would reading a Titanic story) the fresh revelation of truth spoken in an honest way unfolded on the pages and touched my heart. I finished the series then bought copies for Christmas gifts. 

I now know and expect that when I buy a Lynn Austen book the story will be told in her true and honest voice.

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I attended an awards dinner for writers last year. The recipient of one award (I can't remember what it was for) walked to the podium to give an acceptance speech. From her first word to the last, the entire audience laughed. How did this writer turn a mundane appreciation speech into pure entertainment? Her persona. Her voice, her words, her facial expression, her body language, everything said: I am happy and I want to make others laugh.

2. This debut author's book hit the stands this year. Guess what? Her historical story was bursting with amazing wit and humor. I literally laughed out loud so many times. This alone did not prove the value of her book, I also had a basic knowledge of the period of time. Had something in the story not rang true, the humor would not have fixed the problem. She had done her research and crafted an entertaining story true to the historical time frame.

I now know and expect that when Kristi Ann Hunter's second book is released, the story will be told in her entertaining and well researched voice.

~~

Ruth Logan Herne has been running an amazingly creative and unique series on Facebook. Each day the next saga of the Mighty Finn (her young grandson) has visited the homes of many readers. Recently, the Little Princess has joined the posts. These creative posts have lured readers to look for Ruth's posts in the newsfeed. 

3. Not every writer has the opportunity to speak. Not every writer wants to. However, I think we've all had fun on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. Writers can show their persona in what they choose to post in social media. The point is not to post. The point is not to be a presence. The point is to reveal your voice. When I see a post from Chandra Pierce, I expect something funny. When I see a post from Kay Arthur I expect something spiritual. When I see a post from Ruth Logan Herne I expect to see creative and unique. Why? Because this is their persona. Their voice. What I will find in their books.

I now know and expect to find Ruth Logan Herne's creative and unique voice in her books and am so excited to read her stories.


A year or so ago, my son told me he didn't want to watch any Tom Cruise movies. I asked why. He said, "Because what he says and stands for." (referencing outside the movies)

Then I wondered, how does our persona attract or turn people away from our stories. 

A good cover can sell one book. 

An amazing title can sell one book. 

But a good author's amazing persona can sell as many books as he or she can write.

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What questions do you have?
How can we help you?

I can't wait to read your comment(s)!

 Photo Courtesy-permission to reuse with modification 
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If you found any typos in today's post...sorry about that. 

Mary writes young adult mystery/suspense Christian fiction, is honing marketing and writing skills, and loves to pen missionary and Bible adventure stories on her ministry blog, God Loves Kids. She has finaled in several writing contests.

Visit Mary at her website and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

The Terrifying Benefits of Public Speaking for Writers

Public speaking is one of the best marketing tools available to writers. 

However...

Public speaking seems downright scary. 

There are a token few authors/writers who can stand in front of an audience and wax eloquently about a given topic while engaging listeners for say thirty minutes without sweating. The rest of us prefer to hide in our caves or hover in introvert cliques.

BUT, public speaking still is one of the best marketing tools available to writers. Way better than posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., which entice readers for a only a brief moment. 

Speaking to an audience:

1. Offers a setting where the listener can be fully engaged in your message.

2. Provides an avenue for people to meet you personally.

3. Give listeners a chance to ask you questions and hear your immediate feedback. 

4. Helps listeners understand you are interested in them by use of eye contact, hand shakes, responding to their greetings and comments, and willingness to speak face to face.

5. You can sell your books afterwards or for those of us who are not published yet, we can have a flyer about our current WIP to hand out.


So how can we convince ourselves to peel off the scary and take advantage of these benefits? The key is total preparation and a bucketload of gumption. 

1. Choose three topics you could talk about. The material does not need to be about writing. What do you really like to do? 

*Is there a craft you enjoy? (scrapbooking, quilting, cooking, woodworking, gardening, etc.)
*What is the theme in your current WIP? (homeless, marriage, dating, abortion, traveling, genealogies, etc)
*What is something you would like to learn? (more about the writing craft, how to play an instrument, how to set up a neighborhood Bible study, how to host a book club, how to ski, how to hike safely, how to plan menus for special diets, time management, etc)

2. Write an outline of the main points you would like to share. Research, making sure to have a list of resources for the curious listeners. Write the exact words of your presentation, bolding key points (Did you know our pastors have their sermon printed out word for word? Of course they deviate when needed, but it is there for them if needed). 

3. Read the script you just wrote out loud and time it. Does the script need to be longer? Shorter?

4. Practice in front of family members. Did you feel nervous? Good. Was your talk longer or shorter as a result? This is great information. Adjust the script to fit the thirty minute time.

5. Make a list of places you could present any of your three scripts. Some presentations are best for specific audiences, (for example a library, an elementary school, junior high, high school or college, ladies Bible study, church gathering, community gathering, girl/boy scouts, 4H, craft clubs, etc.) 

Be open minded. With a little tweaking, the same presentation could be given to a ladies group or an elementary school group. Prepare the tweaked version ahead of time. You never know when someone might invite you to speak.

6. Design a simple advertisement. This can be a post card, flyer, etc. Include basic information about you as a writer. List all your available topics to present along with a brief summary for each. Include contact information. Send to the organizations. Post them in libraries, coffee shops, and other community bulletin boards.

Recommendation-do not charge until you have some experience. The purpose of these opportunities is to get your presence (not just name) out there.

7. Take every opportunity offered. Even if you think five-year olds won't listen to a presentation about quilting, or a teen group won't listen to a talk about writing, or a senior group won't be interested in dating, you might be really surprised. AND each listener has friends and family who could be interested in your next published book!

The last piece of advice: kick yourself out the door and go. Stand strong. Ask God to calm your jitters. Your listeners will not bring apples or shotguns. ;)

When you try - amazing things happen. I know! I spoke at the Great Lakes ACFW group meeting, June 2014. They gave me an honorarium and paid for my lunch. What meant more to me, though, was the tremendous feedback and the successful opportunity to get my presence out there. 

"After fifteen years of writing and knocking on publishing house doors finally relying on self-publication to get my work out there, I found Mary’s insights about pre-publication work not only valuable but essential knowledge that I lacked.  Her interactive presentation was not condescending, which produced incentives for further goal setting and hope for the future."

And guess what--you can do it, too!

I know there is so much more to say on this topic - like handouts, etc, maybe another time.

What concerns do you have about becoming a speaker?

I can't wait to read your comment!

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If you found any typos in today's post...sorry about that. 

Mary has moved to Michigan with her husband, closer to her three college kids. She misses the mountains of Montana, but loves seeing family more often. She writes young adult mystery/adventure Christian fiction, is honing marketing and writing skills, and loves to pen missionary and Bible adventure stories on her ministry blog, God Loves Kids.

Visit Mary at her website and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter