Thread by @berkun

When people say public speaking is hard often the real mistake is seeing it as one thing. It's at least 3: 1) writing 2) practice 3) performance.

Good speakers are good at all three. Good writing only becomes good performing through practice.

Novices think there is only #3.

Like most things people try to "tip & trick" their way through speaking, but that's not how it works. Same is true for any important skill. Hoping there's a shortcut ensures a disappointed audience.

This isn't news, but it's worth repeating now and then.

I've coached 100s of speakers - the lessons/insights aren't complicated. But most don't want to do the work. Which IMO is a crime against audiences.

All the concepts are here on a free checklist. But downloading and following it are different things.

scottberkun.com/2011/speakers-…

The "one big advice" I give when forced is drop your ego. It's not about you. There are 10/50/1000 people giving you their time. What are their problems? How can you help them solve them?

If 20 people give you an hour of their life, isn't 20 hours of prep a fair trade?

Most people get lost in ego: What do *I* want to say? Well, that's about you. Unless you're famous, that's not why the audience is there.

But if u clearly answer their 5 most pressing questions/concerns/fears, you'll make their day.

And u can do it w/o jokes or great charisma.

But the process is broken. The person asking you to give a talk might not know their audience. So you get asked "Can you do a talk about X?" But that's broken.

"About X" is a encyclopedia article (zzzzz). "The 5 big mistakes you make with X and how to avoid them" is a talk.

I coach people to think hard about titles. It's the promise to the audience + the spine of your writing.

It should be framed, at least at first, about what the audience will get.

Often the "5 mistakes you make..." is a big improvement over where your ego wants to start.

But these are logical suggestions. Few argue about them.

But if there is fear, which there always is, it leads people astray. The way they prepare isn't about quality, but about allaying fear.

If that's you, please read this:

scottberkun.com/speaking-fear/

A presentstion given to an audience without practice is like:

- software with no usability studies
- a dish at a restaurant even the chef won’t try
- an interstellar spaceship without a test launch
- A drug given to the public without clinical trials

All good public speaking is based on good private thinking.