10 Tips for Public Appearances
By Kathryn Craft | March 13, 2025 |
photo adapted / Horia Varlan
When you’re in front of an audience, mistakes will happen—you can count on it. From the audience, I’ve seen presenters reassemble pages knocked to the floor after a fumbled page turn. Seen authors squint and scrunch their faces as they try to focus while reading pages from a cell phone. Seen others scroll, scroll through their iPads after one touch from a shaky hand sent it haywire, mumbling all the while, oh no I flipped too far, hold on…
Each of these anxiety-producing incidents could have been avoided by printing out needed pages in a font large enough to see at a glance and then placing them within easy-to-turn page protectors in a small binder. Add a little self-deprecating laughter and you can turn a strained silence into an enjoyable event that will inspire your audience say, upon leaving, “That was great. She was just so…real!”
Unless, that is, fear of public speaking is always along for the ride, waiting for its chance to ambush command central and ruin your moment to shine. I know—it’s happened to me.
I was 19 years old and warming up beneath dim work lights, just before the curtain rose on my first college dance concert. All was well until I heard the stage manager say he was opening the house—and suddenly, my body rebelled.
My heart flopped like a fish out of water. My breath…my breath…too shallow. My mouth too dry. I sought a drink of water and then threw it up. Why had fear yanked me off balance now, when I’d finally graduated from studio to theater?
With the audience filtering in, I had to get a grip—fast. I only had twenty minutes! I took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and removed the exclamation point: I had twenty minutes, and I needed to make good use of them. I did not want the grim set of my lips or a glassy stare to suggest that I had forsaken the privilege of engaging with this audience. Nervous performers inspire only one question: If you’re so miserable, why are you putting yourself—and us—through this?
So, while standing backstage, fifteen minutes to go, testing my balance and falling, I asked myself: As an audience member, what would I want for the price of my ticket?
The answer came quickly. Even more than athletic prowess, I wanted a peek inside the heart and mind of someone who has a deep reverence for what they do. I wanted their passion to challenge me, inspire me, and make me feel seen.
For me to express my love for dance, I needed to reframe my studio experience, where energy emanating from my muscles hit the mirror and reflected back judgment. I needed to trust that my muscles knew their craft. I needed to purify the negative energy churning in my gut so it could emanate from my heart and move straight toward the audience members I hoped would be positively affected by it.
Five minutes before curtain, I realized that my focus shouldn’t be on me at all. It should be on what I could do for my audience. I tested my balance—spot on.
This shift in mindset made a performer of me. Who knew, decades later, I would rely on the same skills as an author? Bookstores, writers’ organizations and conferences, libraries, and other community groups have ready audiences hoping to entice writers to emerge from their cocoon of comfort behind the keyboard to share a bit of the transformational magic they possess.
Here are some specific tips I’ve picked up along the way.
- Remember that you have experience that these people want to hear about. The audience already believes that what you have to say has value.
- Think “interpersonal connection” instead of “crowd vs me.” There are always a few people in every group who nod as if they are personally responsible for soaking up your information—seek them out and rotate your focus between them.
- Download a clock app that will leave your phone open and then put it on a surface you can check in a blink. By avoiding awkward glances at a watch or having to constantly turn on your phone, you can stay tuned in to your message.
- Consider listing topics you might cover, and beneath each, add a few keywords to remind you of stories or relevant information you might share. No one has more expertise about your perspective than you do! It may seem counterintuitive, but writing down every word you plan to say can make you more aware of accidentally skipping a word, a line, or an entire anecdote, making you more nervous. It’s as true in public speaking as it is in dance: the viewer doesn’t know what your next planned step was and will accept anything you have to offer as a gift.
- At a conference, a PowerPoint presentation is a great way to divert attention from you-as-focal point. For presentations without a slide show, consider using a handout as your outline. This gives you a legitimate reason to glance down—and when you move on to the next topic, your listeners will glance down as well. Run your thumb down the page, line to line, to keep your place. Putting the handout in a binder makes shaky hands less noticeable.
- Running out of time? No need to freak out. You’re an accomplished storyteller—just look for a place where you can draw to “An End” and save the rest for another talk. If you’re using a PowerPoint, just select the concluding slide while wrapping things up. These solutions are superior to you speeding up and breaking a sweat while your audience retains nothing.
- Tell the audience in advance that you plan to leave time for questions, and make sure you end ten minutes early. Then, when you ask for questions—this is the hardest part—let the silence stretch until someone raises a hand. Even a forewarned audience can be stunned once the spotlight is turned on them, but once someone breaks the ice, other questions often flow.
- Choosing content that will speak to your audience is key to public speaking success. Writers will want to know how your content will help them become better writers. They will drift toward “The Top 10 Craft Lessons I Had to Learn the Hard Way,” for instance, but that same topic would likely fall flat for the general public. A more personal theme would better suit a library talk or book launch, such as “5 Things Writing for Publication Taught Me About Myself.” Choosing the right talk will ensure that your audience receives the benefit they seek, while speaking from your experience will give you a confidence boost while differentiating your talk from other “10 Ways” talks your audience might have heard.
- Practice—but not in front of a mirror, for reasons stated at the top of this post. I have a developmental editing client who conquered his severe social anxiety by participating in Toastmasters, finding a speaking topic he was so passionate about he simply had to conquer his fear, and practicing in front of his parakeets.
- Still nervous? Consider asking a more experienced public speaker to co-present. “In conversation with” presentations are popular, the better known speaker can be a draw, and most importantly, the easy way they have about them can soothe your frazzled nerves.
Public speaking isn’t for everyone. But if fear is stopping you, I offer these tips as a bridge toward sharing your writing journey in public, where you can be of service to the community, build anticipation for your writing career, make a little money, and receive the gift of immediate gratification from an audience. Proficiency may not happen overnight—everything worth doing takes practice. In front of parakeets. But maybe one day, like me, you’ll be able to look back on your growing ease with public speaking and say, “You’ve come a long way, baby.” Chirp!
Have you had to overcome anxiety about public speaking? What additional tips might you add? Embarrassing stories and lessons learned the hard way are welcome!
Kathryn Craft (she/her) is the author of two novels from Sourcebooks, The Art of Falling and The Far End of Happy. Her forthcoming book, Crafting Story Movement: Techniques to Engage Readers and Drive Your Novel Forward, draws from decades of experience as both a story consultant and a movement specialist/dance critic. Learn more on Kathryn’s website.
Wow… so much solid advice all around, Kathryn — and that first insight of yours most of all. The best cure for fear is the speech or the act or the thing itself, the sense of how we love what we’re here for and the audience wants to love it too.
I like to think of it in one way: being pulled. It’s too easy to get caught up in ourselves, in our “effort” to get the next word out and keep smiling and all the rest. I’d rather think of the next line, or the next point that’s come up, and just picture all of that drawing me further and further on through what has to be said, and bringing the audience with me. After all, any moment when you get to say the word “dragons” or “betrayal” or “shenanigans” to an appreciative crowd is a good moment.
I’m a Toastmasters graduate myself, and I agree with every point you’ve made — and I wish they’d had that tip about handouts when I was there. One favorite lesson I took from them: of course you practice the speech, plenty, but also practice the first line or two constantly until it’s *impossible* that you fumble it. The rest is just being pulled along.
Love this perspective about being “pulled” Ken—pulled along by your own argument, your own story. It’s a good reminder that the argument or story you hope to share is compelling enough to do so! In that respect, what works for public speaking works for writing a novel as well. And this is golden: “After all, any moment when you get to say the word “dragons” or “betrayal” or “shenanigans” to an appreciative crowd is a good moment.” So true, haha! Thanks for sharing.
Great advice, as always. Thanks for the tips.
You’re welcome, Cindy, and thanks for reading!
Great tips, Kathryn. I especially appreciate the idea of focusing on what you want to convey, why you wanted to do the thing in the first place–what drives you… Not how it may come across or be received. That centers me every time (along with judiciously applied Wonder Woman pose beforehand).
One of the best tips on public speaking I ever got was this: I don’t have to change anyone’s life or appeal to everyone. I’d just like to reach *someone* who needs this message. That’s the tool that often focuses me back on your first point: what motivates me about what I’m doing.
And good timing for this! I’m headed to be the keynote speaker and partner at a conference this weekend. Reminders are always welcome.🙂
*presenter* not partner
Haha—I was trying to figure that one out! You’re a great presenter, Tiffany, and I’m happy to offer these reminders (of things you already know!) as you head off to your keynote and…partnering. Have a fun weekend! I’ll picture you standing in your hotel room in your Wonder Woman pose (please tell me you wear a full costume!) before heading to the venue.
Bravo Kathryn. My first career as a teacher of juniors in high school prepared me for, well, everything! One student actually raised her had and asked if my husband cheated on me when he traveled. Trouble in her parents’ marriage? I realized that no matter what or who is your audience prepare for anything and everything.
I love that story, Beth! It reminds me of something that happened when, at the ripe old age of 21, I was student teaching life science to ninth graders. I’d been talking about plant reproduction—the interaction between stamen and pistil—and a kid shot his hand into the air to ask, “Does it make you nervous to talk about sex like this in public?” Well it hadn’t… until then…
As a retired high school teacher, I agree. Teaching is extemporaneous practice, practice, practice. And almost every subsequent audience is bound to be a more attentive one.
Thanks for your comment, Grace, and I follow you on the benefit of a teacher’s consistent practice, but I want to make sure I understand your next point: are you implying that your audiences become more attentive because you’ve become a better presenter?
Great post, Kathryn. I remember hearing a bestselling author speak to my MFA program. She HAD printed out her pages, but as she read, she realized she’d lost pages 3-5. We all waited patiently for ten minutes while her husband, who was in the audience, used his phone to find the NEW YORKER website where the story had been published. She read the missing part from his phone.
I love your vulnerable sharing of your pre-performance panic attack. I tell myself that every time I appear before an audience, it will be a little bit easier than the time before. And it is. I also listen to my playlist of songs that calm me and pump me up. I’ll have to try Tiffany’s Wonder Woman post while I blast GET READY FOR THIS by 2Unlimited through my airpods.
Oh wow, Liza, that’s a horror story if I ever heard one—although since it didn’t happen to me, a very entertaining read! And an excellent reminder to check that all the pages made it into your binder at home. (Although why do I suspect she was carrying loose pages in a file folder?) With the method I use, you touch the pages once when you print them out, again when you put them in the page protectors, and a third time when putting the page protectors into your binder. I now know to appreciate that means there’s a much lower chance that something like that could happen (she wrote, knocking on wood…)
Kathryn, these are all wonderful tips! And Toastmasters is a fantastic group to help overcome public speaking fears.
I can vividly recall my first time public speaking 10+ years ago and how I thought I would pass out! And it was to hundreds of kids at my first author visit AND at my son’s school. AND the pressure was on as he said, “Mom, whatever you do … do NOT be boring!” So another tip I’ve held onto. Don’t be boring!
But getting past that first author visit and first time as a presenter at a writer’s conference, gave me just enough of a confidence boost to continue and do more and more and then absolutely love doing them. I’ve also realized (when I’m nervous) that the people are in the audience because they WANT to be there and they WANT me to do well!
And I’ve realized, that if I feel confident in my knowledge and passion abut sharing it that this will shine through to the audience. You will be elevated as an expert. I’m lucky to have sat in many of your presentations, Kathryn–you are one of the best! A great speaker gets the audience thinking in new ways through their passion, creativity, knowledge, delivery, and insight. Just like you :)
Donna thank you for your kind words—but how did I skip the most important tip? DON’T BE BORING! Hahaha!
I’m glad you persevered, practiced, and conquered your fear of public speaking, because you are so good at it.
What an excellent post, Kathryn, thank you! I’m bookmarking this one. I really appreciate your focus on connecting with the audience on a personal level. I also appreciate the suggestion of putting the notes in a binder rather than loose pages. I’ve lost my place more than once in a presentation. Embarrassing.
You didn’t mention dressing for the presentation. I always want to make sure I’m wearing comfortable, easy to move in clothes so that I’m physically at ease too.
And yes, way back when, I did Toastmasters to learn to overcome my stage-fright. I still experience it, but know as soon as I make that first personal connection–smile/eye contact–I’ll be OK.
Good tip to add comfortable clothing, Judy, thank you! For me that starts with shoes. At one hour-long presentation my feet cramped up so badly (in a pair of new sandals…ahem…another lesson learned) that I had to slip them off and carry on as if everyone did such a thing!
Kathryn, that you were so nervous you threw up the water made me feel so bad. But you recovered…you had a story to tell. And I agree, when we take the focus away from ourselves and to what the needs of the audience are, things go so much smoother. I used to teach organic chem and it was such a fascinating topic, that I would forget about myself. Thank you for your wonderful tips.
I’ve stuttered my whole life, though it’s not very noticeable now. But still, I stumble. I was doing a school visit with middle-schoolers and stuttered a little bit and although I’m in the habit of mentioning that I stutter if and when I do so that we can all relax (I know how painful it is for the audience too), the snickering did not stop and all those awful memories from childhood surfaced (kids can be terribly cruel). I ended up with a horrible block reading an excerpt of a story. I mean, no sound at all. Finally, I was able to ask the teacher to finish reading the story, while I composed myself. I went on with the rest of the workshop and it was fine. But I’ve never been so humiliated. I knew I had to write about growing up stammering if only to give hope to other kids and I was so lucky Tongue Tied was accepted. See: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2019/08/tongue-tied-conferences-and-quiet.html
The effect of consistently reading someone’s writing, even comments, is so interesting—I could swear I’ve “heard” your voice, Vijaya, and guess what—you’ve never stuttered! That’s surprising to learn. We all have so many dimensions.
Also interesting that you mention a middle school experience, because I was in eighth grade the first time I flipped my own POV camera to “watch” myself speak. I’d raised my hand to answer a question in algebra, and when called upon, I suddenly felt the weight of everyone’s eyes on me. From then on, it was like I had to manually arrange my features—they no longer behaved! I wonder if this self-consciousness it a normal part of tween development.
I never stutter while writing or singing or speaking another language (learned as an adult, like French or German).
Good tips, Kathryn! I ended up doing a lot of public speaking after my memoir about being on welfare was published. I discovered a trick that works for me every time: memorize the first sentence of my speech. Instead of drying up when I first take the podium and see all the people, I’ve got that first sentence ready. After that I’m launched.
Thanks for that tip, Barbara! Especially important for those of us hoping to hook our listeners with our opening line!