This
is the third in a four-part series on reading a talk. As I’ve
said, while reading the talk has disadvantages, it does let you plan the
exact words to use. Here are some points to consider as you
practice the talk.
Record
yourself on a cassette recorder and listen to the playback to help
discover spots where you may not be communicating effectively.
Consider
videotaping your presentation to see how you look reading it.
Read and
reread the talk several times, perhaps once a day for several days.
Try to make
your talk sound like conversation, as if you were thinking the words
for the first time as you read them.
Avoid
combinations of words that are difficult to say. Make necessary
changes on the manuscript.
Practice
looking at your audience most of the time as the manuscript becomes
more familiar to you.
Provide
punctuation with vocal inflection, variety and pauses.
Think about
what you are saying as if it were the first time you said the words.
Next month I will
conclude the four-part discussion on how to effectively read your talk
by discussing how to actually present it.
