Voice & Accent
Nerves and the body
The physical symptoms of speaking anxiety have specific causes and specific countermeasures.
Topic
preparation
Every I Am Talkative article tagged preparation — 9 pieces across 3 sections.
Public Speaking
Rehearsing properly
Reading the slides through in your head is not rehearsal, and the difference shows in the room.
Voice & Accent
Warming up your voice
Ten minutes before speaking changes the sound substantially, and almost nobody outside performance does it.
Conversation
Interviewing someone well
Whether for a job, a podcast or an article, the skill is the same and it is mostly about the questions you did not plan.
Conversation
Difficult conversations
The preparation determines the outcome, and the most common error is having the conversation you rehearsed rather than the one in front of you.
Public Speaking
Handling questions
The question session is where credibility is won or lost, and it is almost never rehearsed.
Public Speaking
Speaking without slides
Slides are a crutch that frequently damages the talk, and the alternative is more straightforward than it appears.
Public Speaking
Structuring a talk so people remember it
Audiences retain structure rather than detail, which means the shape of a talk matters more than its content.
Public Speaking
Nerves before speaking, and what to do with them
Being told to relax has never helped anyone, and the techniques that do work are more specific than that.