Reading Your Talk: Part 2 – Preparing the Reading Draft

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speeches and training by Dr. John A. Kline

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John A. Kline, PhD
PO Box 522
Troy, AL 36081
(334) 670-3389
jkline@klinespeak.com

February 2006

Reading Your Talk--Part 2: Preparing the Reading Draft

This is the second in a series on reading a talk. As I said last month, while reading the talk has disadvantages, it does let you plan the exact words to use. This month I give some considerations for preparing the reading draft so it is easier to do a good job presenting the talk.

Guidelines for Preparing the Reading Draft:

Use as large font as practical to increase visibility and readability.

	Use serif fonts, those with little lines at the top and bottom of the letters to help guide the eye from letter to letter and see the word as a whole. For example, use Times New Roman font rather than Arial font.
	Double space to make words stand out and reduce confusion.

	Write out difficult to pronounce words phonetically or put the correct pronunciation immediately following the word to keep you from stumbling.
	Type on only one side of the paper for easier handling.
	Mark your draft in ways that help as you read it, such as boldface or underlining for important words or lines between words where you plan to pause.
	Mark places where you plan to use visual aids.
	Use short paragraphs to reduce the chance of losing your place.
	Number the pages with large numerals in the upper corner.

Next month I will give suggestions for practicing the talk.

This material is adapted from my book Speaking Effectively

John Kline
Montgomery, Alabama
jkline@klinespeak.com

Feb. 2006 - Reading Your Talk: Part 2 – Preparing the Reading Draft

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