Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?
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Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?
#2I am getting a 404 error.
That said, if you will be speaking at a conference, http://perl.plover.com/yak/presentation/ is well worth reading.
Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?
#3I've had to speak often lately in front of small and medium sized groups, and the biggest thing that has helped is to just practice my talk several times alone.
Obviously giving the talk in front of others is important, especially when it comes to message and content, but a practice run for other people will obviously be a little rough around the edges from a word-flow perspective (assuming you have a hard time with this like myself).
Lately I try to give my talk to a blank wall at least 3 times before I will talk in front of real people so that I really know my slides and I know how long it will take. Usually you have a fairly strict time limit, so running through the talk with a stopwatch is critical.
I've also tried writing my talk out and simply reading it for practice, but it always sounds awful and is much shorter than an ad-lib version, which is never the same twice. I imagine people who have had drama, or any other acting/standup experience have a great advantage, just because they seem to be able to say almost exactly what they want, two times in a row. Perhaps it just has to do with have done enough speaking, that you become used to saying things in front of people.
Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?
#4I do think practicing is helpful and also having an outline of the major points you want to make in your head.
I use the 'memory palace' technique* for important talks so that I walk through a place I know in my head and each location is associated with a major point I need to make. This is important because I don't have the points on my slides (necessarily). The slides will often support the point, not make it.
Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?
#5I am getting a 404 error. That said, if you will be speaking at a conference, http://perl.plover.com/yak/presentation/ is well worth reading.
Yea I recently moved my site's hosting. Try http://roguelynn.herokuapp.com/words/crap-im-speaking
Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?
#6(speaking as someone who literally gave buttloads of presentations all over the world for over a decade)
if you use slides i suggest reading cliff atkinson's blog "beyond powerpoint bullets". in it he lays out ideas, principles and templates for PPTs (and any other preso tools) that tell stories. these are based on cognitive studies, like the number of bullet points you should use based on how much your audience can hold and remember.
secondly, advice from one of my ph.d. advisors: "tell 'em what you're going to be telling them, tell them, and then tell 'em what you told 'em". the take home message is not a punchline, so don't be afraid to "spoil" it up front and repeat it.
don't read your slides, use images (see the first paragraph) and tell a story. talk with passion, enthusiasm, and joy. RAVE: rate, articulation, volume, emotion (from mrs hedaman, my old theater teacher back in high school), remember that.
love what you do, and share that joy with your audience. that's the goal.
Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?
#7My favorite talk on giving talks: Caroline Drucker, Ignite Berlin - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H36kbMMrZo
Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?
#8I do think practicing is helpful and also having an outline of the major points you want to make in your head. I use the 'memory palace' technique* for important talks so that I walk through a place I know in my head and each location is associated with a major point I need to make. This is important because I don't have the points on my slides (necessarily). The slides will often support the point, not make it. * ht…
Isn't that premise of Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer? http://www.amazon.com/Moonwalking-Einstein-Science-Rememberi...
Either way - I do little tricks like that too. This is a very good suggestion.
Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?
#9I like to write speeches for clarity's sake and then practice speaking them over and over again leading up to the event. At least a day before I shut everything down and let the chips fall where they may. It usually results in me getting all my points across clearly without sounding like a robot.
Re: Crap I'm speaking at [insert conference here]. How do I prepare?
#10I'm a big fan of "Confessions of a Public Speaker". Even if you don't agree with all the advice, it gives you some great perspective.