WRITERS WHO SPEAK: HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR MESSAGE

Greetings from Golden Keyes Parsons here again, from 100 plus degree Central Texas, addressing the topic of writers who speak.It may be scorching outside, but we are going to be cool, calm and collected when invited to speak at a conference, right? You've attended a seminar somewhere that has given you some speaker's training; you've a few topics from which to choose--now you need to develop your speech. Where to start?

Introduction - Develop an introduction that is uniquely yours, preferably something that is a bit humorous and draws the audience in. Most audiences decide within the first few moments whether a speaker is worth listening to or not. I mentioned in my first entry on this blog that when I'm speaking to Christian fiction writers, I start out with, "I have a confession to make." And I "confess" to my former snobby attitude toward fiction writers. "Humph! They are just telling stories." Then I realized that Jesus conveyed truth by telling stories. And now I am a fiction writer myself! They get a chuckle out of that, and I have gotten their attention.

In addition to a bit of humor in the confession, I have made myself vulnerable to them. I have admitted a fault. Perhaps some of them have felt the same way at one time or another. Making yourself seem ordinary and vulnerable to your audience is another way of drawing them in.

Or use statistics or a shocking statement or a quote. For instance, if you are speaking to a writers group at a writers conference, you might start out with, "It might surprise you to know according to a New York Times article by Joseph Epstein 81% of the American public aspires to write a book ... but most never do." And then congratulate them on being at a writers conference to pursue that goal. They are moving up the ladder just by attending a writers conference.

Your audience will not remember much of what you say, but if your opening and closing are noteworthy, they are likely to remember them.

Next time we'll discuss about how to develop the body of your talk. In the meantime, be thinking about your topic and your introduction and please visit my web site at www.goldenkeyesparsons.com.