More Hints for Public Speaking - Workshops

What I'm reading: Murder in the Mind, by L.L. Bartlett; Treachery in Death, by J.D. Robb

Yesterday, I gave a presentation to my local RWA chapter. This was a craft workshop, and there are different considerations when doing an informal chat, which is what I talked about last week.

For a workshop, you're going to need more preparation, of course. Here are a few more hints for a successful presentation.

1. Even if it's one you've given until you think you could do it in your sleep, REVIEW THE MATERIAL in advance. You don't want to have to stop to read your notes.

2. Work from notes, NOT a printout of your workshop. You'll put everyone to sleep, because "reading" isn't "talking." You don't want to sound like a boring professor.

3. Have handouts. People will be more attentive if they know they don't have to struggle to write down everything you're saying.

4. Touch base with the organizer to make sure any equipment you required will be available.

5. Arrive early to set up. Make sure everything works. Be prepared with plans B and C if everything doesn't work. Can you give your talk if there's no powerpoint projector, or if your computer won't communicate with it? While technology can make your talk lively and give your audience something to focus on other than you, it can break down, or not work the way you expected.

6. Try to be interactive with your audience. Ask for their ideas if your topic permits. You're probably not talking about something where you're the only person in the room who's had experience along those lines. (Hint: I offer chocolate to anyone who participates in any fashion. Ask a volunteer to hand it out.)

7. HAVE FUN.

And, although I've never been invited to give a "featured presentation" at a conference, I found this on Bob Mayer's site yesterday and had to share. The tongue-in-cheek humor isn't really all that far off.And I urge you to check his site, because he has some excellent advice for going to a conference as a featured speaker. Some day, you might need it!



Tomorrow my guest is Jacqui Jacobi, who's talking about writing the Second Paragraph. Come back!

More on the Big E

I was going to continue Emerald City workshop recaps today, but decided to piggyback onto Pamela Loewy's post from yesterday, especially after a conversation with a couple we met while out to breakfast. The coffee shop is small, as is the community. We'd seen this couple in the shop many times, and finally made those introductions. During the getting acquainted phase, I mentioned I was a writer. Things followed the usual path from there, and I offered them my bookmarks. Normally, I get, "Can I get these at the bookstore?" This time, I got, "Are they on the Kindle?"

First, and I've said this before, I'm all for choices. Abolishing either print or digital formats is NOT a good thing. There's room for both, and definitely places where each works "better" for an individual reader.

Right now, we're watching e-publishing move from infancy to crawling. Publishing itself is changing, and digital options are nudging the changes at a speed traditional publishing isn't used to.

Emerald City 2 and School Pride

Not long ago, my guest,Tom Stroup talked about his involvement with the School Pride project. It debuts tomorrow night on NBC, and I encourage you to check your local listings, and if you can't watch, set your recorders. It's gratifying to see people giving back instead of taking for a change.



And, for more of my Emerald City recaps....