Giving a Talk
Tips on public speaking from one writer to another
Being a writer marks you as an expert — not just at writing, but at whatever you write about. As a result, there’s a strong possibility that you’ll eventually be asked to give a talk.
That’s a pretty daunting prospect if you’ve never done it before, so here are a few tips to help you succeed.
Get the arrangements in writing.
Judging by my own experience, you need to ask:
- The name and contact details of whoever is organizing the event.
- What do they want you to talk about?
- How long do they want you to talk for?
- Do they want a questions and answers session at the end of your talk?
- Are they offering to pay a fee and/or expenses?
- How easy is it to park near the venue if you travel by car?
- Do they want you to bring some of your books to sell?
- Will there be a microphone?
- Do they have the facilities for you to show Powerpoint slides or pictures if you want to?
If the original contact is by phone, ask them to confirm the arrangements by email. Then confirm the booking in writing yourself, including everything you think has been agreed to avoid confusion later.
Check the arrangements a week before the event
Arrangements for talks are often made well in advance and things can change. As I discovered last summer, groups can even close down completely without anyone thinking of telling you. My last minute check saved me the embarrassment of turning up for a meeting that wasn’t happening.
Work out in advance what you’re going to say
You don’t need to write out a complete speech, but you do need to have a clear idea of what points you are going to make and what anecdotes you plan to include. Then have several practices to make sure you’ve got the timing right.
It’s good to have a couple of extra anecdotes as well, in case you speak quicker than you expected — something that’s easy to do if you’re nervous. The extra material also gives you something to fill in with if there aren’t many questions.
Make cue cards
You’ve been asked to give a talk not read a speech, so make sure you know what you’re going to say well enough that you don’t need to read it. That’s where cue cards are a huge help. Put a memory jogger for one of the main points of your talk on each card so you can use them as prompts if you get stuck. Number them in case you drop them at the last minute, and write big enough to make them easy to read when you glance down.
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If you’re using Powerpoint, your slides will help you remember what to say, but it’s a good idea to have cue cards too just in case. I’ve learned the hard way that technology doesn’t always work and sometimes fails to materialize completely so you need to be able to manage without it.
Wear comfortable clothes
When the big day finally arrives, wear clothes that are smart but comfortable. That’s particularly important for your choice of shoes, because it’s difficult to concentrate if your feet are hurting.
Dress in layers so you’ll be warm enough if the room is cold, but you can take some clothing off if you’re too hot. Crowded rooms warm up quickly, and stage lighting can produce daunting amounts of heat.
Arrive in plenty of time
Allow for bad traffic and trouble finding where you are going. (Satnavs aren’t always accurate, especially if more than one building has the same postcode.) It’s better to arrive too early than race through the doors at the last minute, stressed and out of breath.
Look at the audience while you’re speaking
Your voice goes in the direction you are looking. If you are so nervous that you stare at your feet, your shoes will hear you but no one else will. So look at the audience as you speak. That will help you be heard and help them feel connected to you.
The same advice applies if you are being interviewed by someone in front of an audience rather than giving a talk. This approach works well and can be less stressful for you, but it’s important to address your replies to the whole audience, not just the interviewer, so everyone can hear you.
Look up when you are reading
Unless you have an autocue, reading involves looking down at the words and, if you’re not careful, that’s where your voice will go. If you need to read an extract from your book, use a lectern (if one is available) or hold the book up high so it’s easy to look at the audience between quick glances at the text.
Questions and answers
Questions are often predictable. “How many books have you written?” “Where do you get your ideas from?” But sometimes they’ll take you by surprise, so be prepared for anything and don’t be ashamed to admit your ignorance if you don’t know the answer.
Some audiences are slow to ask anything at first so you can break the ice by saying, “Something I’m often asked is …” and then answering your own question. Alternatively, you can use a technique recommended by a fellow writer who has several questions written on cards and asks someone in the audience to pick a card and read it out. Choose someone who looks confident enough to do it — maybe one of the organisers.
Once that first question is asked, others usually follow. If they don’t, fall back on that extra material I suggested you had ready for just this situation.
Being on a panel
Event organisers often like to have a panel session involving a few experts. These can be fun and are usually a cross between a question and answer session and an interview. If you’re asked to be on a panel, ask if you’ll have to say anything to introduce yourself so you can prepare in advance.
Finally
I hope you enjoy your first experience of public speaking. If you do, you may have opened up an interesting, new source of income. If you don’t, just say “no” next time you’re asked. Not all writers give talks — it’s not obligatory.
A note from the author
If you enjoy my articles on writing, you may also enjoy Plots and Plotting: How to create stories that work. It’s the first in what I hope will become a series of jargon-free guides for writers, and it deals with the topic I found most difficult when I was starting out.
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