CreateWorkLive

Artists seem to fall into one of two categories: Either we are at home in front of the footlights, flirting with interviewers and seducing audiences, or we are nervous wrecks, cowering in the back of the room hoping no one will call on us. Some of us are both: I am completely comfortable giving a prepared talk to an audience — it doesn’t matter how large — or being interviewed on radio or television. I am also perfectly happy to be up on stage in the back of the band, hiding behind my piano. But ask me to patter with an audience between songs, or to make small talk during a sound check, and I fall apart: I can’t think of a single thing to say, and it all sounds ridiculously stupid (never mind that sound checks ALWAYS sound stupid…) And I don’t much care for being the ONLY musician on stage, either. Solo piano performance gives me the hives.

Well, we can’t all be performers, but we do ALL have to be able to articulately answer questions about what we do. At least, that’s the goal: After all, radio and television interviews drive public awareness and sales.

Good news: You’ll almost always have plenty of notice before you have to go on stage or talk about your work into a microphone. Examples might include: A class you teach, a public library event, a bookstore signing, a school classroom, a meeting of a book club or another group that folllows your work. Radio and television interviews are also pre-scheduled, giving you plenty of time to prepare.

Here’s how:

• If you are absolutely terrified by the prospect of speaking in public, practice. A local Toastmasters group is a great way to get comfortable speaking in front of others. Other low key, low-stress entrees include classroom visits to local schools, a book club, or an interview on local radio.
• Organize your “talking points” and write them down.  These are the things you want your audience to know: The name of your new book, the place and time of your next concert, the opening date of the gallery show. While a radio or TV host is going to get pretty annoyed if you plug your gig every 10 seconds, it’s understood that that’s what you’re there for. Find out if they’ll be plugging the product or event for you when they introduce you. If they do, you can lay off, otherwise try to work it into the conversation in the least self-promoting and obnoxious way possible. “That’s a great question, Gary; In fact it’s one of the reasons I wanted to write “Create, Work, Live in the first place: So many people were asking me blah blah blah. Here’s how I look at it.”
• Consider using visual aids such as slides, a Powerpoint presentation, or props: it engages the audience, takes the focus off of you, and helps keep you on track.
• You are not a professional radio announcer, and you don’t have to sound like one. You DO have to sound like someone who can string a whole sentence together.   Words like “totally” and “awesome” should be eliminated, as should “uhms” “likes” and “you knows.” (If you really think something you expect to be asked about is “awesome” try to think of another, more specific, adjective — and have it ready.) Tape yourself speaking about what you do.   
• Eliminate verbal tics.   I was recently on a trip where a group of us travel writers were being shown around museums. In one, the guide said “Truth is….” about every second sentence, regardless of whether the information she was about to impart deserved any kind of special introduction. “Truth is, we all really like working here….blah blah  blah, Truth is, we close at 5:00.” The other guide kept sayng ”if you will” at the end of every other sentence. In both cases, the speaking tics almost over-rode the content of the talk.
• Don’t try to use the biggest words you know to sound “smart.” Most of us trip over our tongues when we try to fancy-up our everyday speech. You are much better off trying to sound “real” than trying to sound “smart.”  
• Edit yourself on the fly: Most of us talk in circles, using far too many qualifiers. Try to simplify your speech to get your basic points across.
• Practice answering the questions you expect the interviewer to ask. A good interviewer will throw some curves, but hopefully they’ll give you a chance to warm up on some standard questions.
• When answering questions, don’t get caught up in long stories: Bring your answer back to your main points. 
• Decide in advance whether to take questions during the talk or hold them till after: Be aware that many questions people ask during the course of your talk may address topics you plan to cover.  Beginning speakers are often more comfortable holding questions till the end so as to avoid getting thrown off course.
• If it looks like you’re going to be spending a lot of time in front of a camera, consider media training. You might be an excellent speaker, but that’s only part of the equation: Knowing how to dress, look, stnad, and gesture are important, as well as knowing how to pace your speech and emphasize your main points. It’s a whole other craft! No, you don’t need it for local cable access T.V. — but if Oprah calls? Probably worth it.