|
Betsy Graziani Fasbinder
Public Speaking Skills for Today’s Authors:
Pitfalls to Avoid, Practices that Pay Off
|
From the time they go to their first writers’ conference, prospective authors learn that they need to start building their “author’s platform”. They spend all kinds of time, energy, and even money creating their websites, their social media presence, and sometimes spend thousands on a publicist to book events to increase the visibility for themselves and their books. But nobody tells us that once we build that platform, we’re going to be the ones standing on it…speaking…in public.
Book launch events, readings, panels, Facebook Live events, even TED Talks are all opportunities for writers to gain exposure for themselves, their books, and the ideas and causes that matter to them most. Skilled speaking helps authors to find readers, fans, and even super fans that help promote their books for them.
Lots of people believe that skilled public speaking is a gift that some got, and others just didn’t. In truth, the ability to speak with skill and confidence to audiences of any size requires a few simple skills, some practice, and some mental shifts that transform a “meh” talk into a dynamic, engaging, even inspirational presentation.
In this short presentation, those who attend will:
- Gather the two most powerful tips for engaging audiences
- Learn of the variety of kinds of speaking opportunities and why to use them
- Understand the value of skilled public speaking for writers, before, during, and post-publication
- Get a handful of mental shifts to manage nerves and approach speaking opportunities with a sense of fun instead of fear
Darlene Frank
In September, Laurel Anne Hill‘s novel, The Engine Woman’s Light, received a Reader’s Favorite Book Award: Honorable Mention, Young Adult Fantasy (General). This was in addition to the Five-Star Reader’s Favorite Book Review earlier in the year.
Ida J. Lewenstein is happy to announce the publication of A Sad Little Dog, her second children’s book. 