Quake Not (BUT be prepared) ~ by Brenda J. Wood

 Some of the worst presentations I’ve ever endured were by authors reading their own work aloud!

First of all, the writers probably haven’t read their own words since they wrote them and they almost certainly have not read them aloud.

They choose a passage meaningful to their own hearts but not the least bit interesting to the listeners. Thus, the audience is unmoved and uninterested, maybe even bored.

I once saw a woman trying to hold her book, the microphone (and maybe her skirt?) all at the same time and she even refused help when offered. It was awful and we were all in agony. Worse, the author didn’t get it. She announced that the place needed a better microphone. (No, they needed a speaker who was prepared.)

So then, how do we prepare to speak? And the question is when we speak. Because we write, people think we have something worthwhile to say and they ask.

Our words should be useful and enduring and edifying. We definitely do not want to come across as unprepared or even worse, foolish.

At one author event, I simply took five or six of my books to the podium and used my two minutes to say this. “Two things you will find in my books, is Jesus and humour. And I sat down.

Note: I never read directly from my books, but photocopy the pages I want to read and hold the book up for all to see.

Speaking is a learning curve and I’m grateful that I’ve had several opportunities as a 4-H leader, Weight Watchers coach, Stonecroft and more.

President John F. Kennedy always marked his speeches with breathing spaces, highlighted words and pauses for audience reaction.

I decided if it was good enough for the president, it was good enough for me! All of my notes are laid out exactly that way.

I print my message in 14 font, double spaced, because once on a four-day speaking tour, I broke my glasses and I couldn’t see the words.

I used to practice in front of my three- and six-year-old children. They always approved of course, but I got practice reading aloud.

Record your message. Listen in. Play it fast forward and slow it down. Find your errors. If you video it and fast forward, you find your often repeated hand movements, like touching your hair, your necklace or some such. Stop it. Those multitudinous gestures deflect people’s attention.

Number your pages. Crumple each page completely and then straighten it out. This prevents them from sticking together. Deliver the message on one page and then slide it over so the next page is ready to ‘read.’  (No shuffling of papers.)

Did you know that the fear of death is number five and the fear of speaking in public is number one?

Whatever happens when you give a message, you are braver than your audience!

Again, I say, practice, read out loud, repeat and do that until you actually mean and believe what you are saying. Then you can give any presentation with ease.

Brenda J. Wood has authored more than fifty books. She is a seasoned motivational speaker, who declares the Word of God with wisdom, humour, and common sense.