Columnist Nora Johnson: Timely tips to topple your fear of public speaking

Congratulations! You’ve been invited to give a speech for a wedding (like Brooklyn Beckham’s recent extravaganza), anniversary or business event. But public speaking’s a doddle, nothing at all to worry about. Fortunately, there are ways to make your speech both memorable and entertaining. Simply remember these tips to grab your audience and leave them begging for more.

Use whatever reason you’ve come together for the occasion as fodder for your speech. If it’s for business, use personal anecdotes about work and colleagues. But best avoid recalling that episode in the mailroom when the lights failed and you stumbled over Buxom Brenda from Human Resources.

Another rule is to stay sociable but NOT sozzled and speak before 11pm. Nothing’s worse than seeing your audience slide off the edge of their seats before you do. At 10pm they’ll be mellow. By 11pm, totally knackered.

And one final rule, don’t outstay your welcome, otherwise, you’ll be nodding off long before they do. Simply put: “Be interesting, be brief and be gone.”  A bit like crime writing: keep your audience guessing with unexpected cliffhangers that make it tough to put your book down until the very last page…

Nora Johnson’s critically acclaimed psychological crime thrillers (www.nora‐johnson.net) all available online including eBooks (€0.99;£0.99), Apple Books, audiobooks, paperbacks at Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer charity.

Nora Johnson’s opinions are her own and are not necessarily representative of those of the publishers, advertisers or sponsors.

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