Nick R Thomas - A Public Speaker's Blog

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Now, I'm all in favour of free speech (advice)
2007-10-11 10:30:00
Free booklet 'How to Make Effective Presentations' with today's IndependentThis year has seen some excellent newspaper give-aways which have been very useful for anyone interested in public speaking. In April/May, the Guardian gave away 14 booklets and a CD of Great Speech es of the Twentieth Century. These were very nicely produced and contained overviews from historians as well as the content of speeches from JFK, Churchill, Mandela, MacMillan, FDR, Khrushchev, Emmeline Pankhurst, Martin Luther King, de Gaulle, Thatcher, Nehru, Aneurin Bevan, Virginia Woolf and Earl Spencer. With a line-up like that, I can even forgive them for never sending the free storage box that I saved up all those tokens for!Throughout July, the Daily Mail gave away DVDs of the superb documentary series The World at War. Not only did this give me the opportunity to see a brilliant work that I never appreciated as a child in the 1970s but it also contains footage of historic speeches and relaxed, fluent in...
More About: Advice , Free , Free Speech

So let's come right up to date...
2007-10-11 09:06:00
A Speechwriting Challenge Helped by Mind MapsOctober may look as if it's going to be a bit quieter as far as speaking engagements are concerned but on the very first day I found myself busy with other work. I got a call from a client who  was having a  party thrown for him and he wanted a speech written in case he was asked to say a few words. There were just a few problems:1. This was a 'surprise' party which he was not supposed to know about so he could hardly produce a script! He would therefore have to learn the speech by heart.2. Because he was meant to appear 'surprised', the speech could not sound too structured/scripted but had to be in conversational language, as if it was something he had been thinking up in the past few minutes.3. The party was the following evening so I would have to get started straight away with little chance to collect personal information to ponder and write around - just a few biographical facts.We agreed a price and a deadline. Then ...

To paraphrase the proverb: you can't please everyone - just the vast m
2007-10-10 10:24:00
Barton on Sea ProbusMy last speaking engagement of September was for Barton on Sea Probus on the 26th. This was my third visit to this club and, as on previous occasions, it was a mixed meeting with members' partners present: 67 people in all.The room at Shorefield is a bit of a barn and I was asked to use a microphone. Neither of the club's own mics (a wireless hand-held and a clip-on) were suitable - both were tinny and there were also feedback problems. The venue then offered two of their own: one that clips on the ear so the speaker looks like Michael Jackson or Madonna, and another hand-held. I felt self-conscious with the clip-on so I opted for the latter!The Patrick Campbell talk seemed to go pretty well and I also added a new 'prop'; Val had bought me some copies of Lilliput magazine from the 40s and 50s, a publication Campbell wrote for, and knowing that they were of age to remember this, I invited audience members up afterwards to look at one. This was a great hit!Publ...
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A Motioning Table
2007-10-08 00:58:00
Brain MenAfter my talk in Romsey, I caught the train for Southampton. I don't think I ever go there without visiting both branches of the remaindered bookshop chain The Works which are situated within a few hundred yards of each other in the city centre. I have often picked up books and recordings which are of use for my public speaking research and on this occasion I bought a copy of Marcus Berkmann's Brain Men for just £1.99. This is a humorous look at quizzes, from the pub variety to big-money TV game shows.As a speaker, I have hosted three quizzes for Blah di Blah, Dorset's Festival of Words and Literature (these were linked to the BBC's RaW project) and co-hosted two others for the Bournemouth Literary Festival. I am currently putting together a new quiz where I will be the one devising the questions so I hope to pick up a few tips from this book as well as being entertained by Berkmann's writing (and not for the first time; in the late 80s he co-wrote Lenin of the Rovers...
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Moving swiftly on...
2007-10-06 17:49:00
Romsey U3AI was up early the next morning as I had to be in Romsey for a 10am talk about 'The Wits of the Algonquin Round Table' for the town's U3A, a group I had last spoke to nearly five years earlier. It has grown considerably since then, in fact this was the largest audience I'd had for a while: 200!Public Speaking Tip #28: To a beginner, even an audience of 20 can seem daunting but once you get in the habit of regular public speaking, you will find that numbers don't seem to make a lot of difference to you, in fact, if you are anything like me, you will soon come to regard audiences of less than 60 as small!This even carries over to speaking on radio where there may be tens (or even hundreds) of thousands of listeners - it can feel no different to speaking to a group of 40 in a hall. This is what regular practice can do for you.I handed the Speaker Secretary who would be introducing me a card with a few brief details.Public Speaking Tip #29: If you are asked to provide inf...
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It's the way I sell 'em!
2007-10-02 05:41:00
Milford-on-Sea WIOn the evening of the 18th I spoke about 'My Life as a Freelance Comedy Writer' to Milford-on-Sea WI. This is one of the biggest Women's Institutes in the New Forest and there were about 65 at the meeting. It's funny how often before a talk like this I will get someone asking if I find it daunting to speak to a large group of ladies. Not at all, in fact I once spoke to 500 at the Spring Council Meeting of the Avon Federation of Women's Institutes and really enjoyed the experience. In future posts, I might mention some of the audiences who were daunting...!The Milford ladies were a great crowd and afterwards a number of them took the updated free 'Twelve Tips for Terrified Speakers!' leaflet. Sales of my booklet 'Nick R's in a Twist!' were excellent - 22 copies!Which brings me on to merchandising. The first item I offered widely at talks was the BBC double cassette 'Roy Hudd's Pick of the Huddlines'. I eventually sold all the copies I had ordered from BB...
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The Eyes have it
2007-10-01 16:37:00
Speechwriting ad in Private EyeOn 18 September I also decided to run another classified ad for my speechwriting in Private Eye. The Eye is the place to advertise such services nowadays but I also wanted somewhere with a very large readership to mention this new public speaking tips blog.While Private Eye pretty much has the monopoly as far as print advertising for us speechwriters is concerned, there are other national publications which can be extremely useful to speakers in other ways. Obviously the big major political speeches are reproduced in the papers (sometimes in their entirety in the broadsheets) but all national newspapers print stories with snippets from other high-profile speakers. Sometimes a broadsheet Diary column will reproduce a good one-liner from a successful topical after dinner speech by someone like Rory Bremner and you can use this to see what type of material works with certain audiences. You will also get the occasional tabloid story about some celebrity wh...
More About: Eyes

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you...
2007-10-01 01:18:00
Something to take away from these talksTuesday 18 September was pretty busy. In the morning I made some changes to the 'Twelve Tips for Terrified Speakers!' leaflet that I give out free at all my speaking engagements by adding that additional tips can now be found at this website/blog and also updating the details of my speechwriting and presentation skills training services and the ever-growing list of my talks.This leaflet started out as 'Ten Tips...!' in 2002 but I expanded it when I was booked to give a presentation for the Central Management Unit of the Home Office three years later. I have given out  thousands of copies, not just at talks which are specifically about public speaking skills but everywhere I am booked, whatever my subject. Of course, it does contain the aforementioned advertising and contact details as well but the important thing is that it gives people useful free advice - any resulting bookings to write speeches, coach speakers or give further talks ...
More About: Give , Ladies , Gentle , Gentlemen , Gent

There's an old song which says 'Please don't ever change
2007-09-28 04:34:00
National Grid UK R.E.A. Southampton BranchOn 17 September, I began a run of four talks on different topics in a three-day period (I had a similar schedule back in January; it's the way the bookings fall sometimes). The first engagement was a return visit to the National Grid UK R.E.A. Southampton Branch (although when I first spoke to them in February 2005 they were simply called Lattice). They had originally booked me for 27 September but rang a few weeks ago to say that their venue, the Southampton Novotel, would not now be able to accommodate them on that day and would I be available on any of three alternative dates?This does happen from time to time; in the past few years I have had bookings cancelled due to: a member's funeral being scheduled for the same date as the club meeting, a WI inadvertently double-booking speakers and a ladies' group  learning that a speaker from Sainsbury's was unexpectedly available, a speaker who would not want a fee and would even bring f...
More About: Song , Change

Now we come to a WI, a PROBUS, a TG, someone AWOL and the occasional BF...
2007-09-25 22:12:00
Kingscote WI Annual LunchOn 5 September, I delivered my talk 'The Power of Humour in Everyday Life' at the Annual Lunch of Kingscote WI. Although they are part of the West Sussex Federation, the event was held at a terrific venue in East Sussex, Barnsgate Manor near Uckfield. I was given a lift in from East Grinstead and we travelled through Ashdown Forest, an area which reminded me of the New Forest, except with sheep roaming everywhere instead of ponies. We passed a llama park and there were even some in the grounds at the venue.Llamas aside, there were about 65 audience members including a few men (WI trustees or their husbands) and we enjoyed a very good meal served in a dining room with views of miles of unspoilt countryside.It was a very hot day and the room was sweltering so I asked for as many doors as possible to be opened before my speech.Public Speaking Tip #19: Before you speak, consider the comfort of the audience who will be listening to you. Opening doors/windows on...
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You've all gone very quiet!
2007-09-25 00:57:00
Quiet monthsThe last five speaking engagements that I have posted about were in July and August. Many organisations that book speakers don't meet during the summer, or if they do, they have other activities, such as trips or an AGM. June, July and August can therefore be barren months unless you plan your speaking calendar carefully. If I get calls from clubs or societies which do meet all through the year and they offer me any month I want, I will often choose a summer date. The audiences may be a little depleted due to members being on holiday or looking after children but at least it guarantees that I have something in the diary. December can also be quiet because so many organisations book a cabaret act or put on their own entertainment instead of a speaker for their Christmas meeting.Public Speaking Tip: Once you are getting regular requests to speak, try to spread your bookings throughout the year so that you keep in practice. The quieter months may also be a good time t...
More About: Quiet

Which brings me to you, my Lord...
2007-09-24 00:59:00
New Forest Past Rotarians and AssociatesOn 22 August, I delivered a morning talk to the New Forest Past Rotarians and Associates at the East Close Country Hotel, Hinton St Michael, a venue where I have spoken on numerous occasions. As with my previous visit to this particular club in 2005, the audience of just over 20 gave me a very good reception.One of my fellow diners at the top table afterwards was Mr Redman. We were talking about public speaking in general and he mentioned that he is a preacher. Now, a while back, I was asked to deliver my talk entitled 'Public Speaking = the Triumph of Technique Over Terror!' (the title is a tip in itself so let's call it Tip #17!) to the Wednesday Club in the Church Hall at Colbury, another part of the New Forest. I have to admit that one of the questions afterwards rather threw me; a couple of the ladies wanted to know how to make giving a reading in church easier for the speaker - and the congregation! As I have no experience of this p...
More About: Lord

Is this thing on...?!?
2007-09-22 17:27:00
Speaking in KentI am delighted that I already have three bookings to speak in Kent next year. Any speaker will soon discover that the responsiveness of audiences, especially to humour, can vary from county to county and even within them - just a few miles on the map can make a difference. It's not that these quieter audiences aren't enjoying my material - they often come up afterwards and say how much they enjoyed it and ask for my details so they can recommend me to other organisations - but of the 25 counties in which I have spoken (and I have had some great responses across a very wide area, including Eliza Doolittle's Hertfordshire, Herefordshire and Hampshire!) the dozen or so talks that I have delivered in Kent really stand out in terms of level of attendance, immediate response to my opening lines and loud laughter throughout. Do speak there if you get the opportunity.Public Speaking Tip #16: Audiences can vary in response from region to region (and according to a number o...
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How are we doing for time?
2007-09-21 17:41:00
More about timingMy previous post was about timing humorous material, in other words, delivering it for maximum effect, but there is another type of timing that speakers need to master: simply knowing how long your speech, or a particular section of it, will take to say.English speakers deliver approximately 180-200 words per minute in conversation but this will usually reduce to around 100-120 for public speaking (unless you happen to be a cattle auctioneer!) Furthermore, the material you have carefully timed in rehearsal is bound to take longer to deliver on the day so further editing will be required.When I took my public speaking exams (I passed the LAMDA Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals and Associate Diploma in the space of a year) I had to deliver a number of short talks, starting with two prepared, four-minute presentations plus a three-minute 'impromptu' speech (just 15 minutes' preparation allowed) for the Bronze Medal. I timed the prepared talks, editing the material acco...
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But that's enough about July; let me now mention a wonderful June...
2007-09-20 23:53:00
June Whitfield on the South Bank ShowI finally got around to watching a video of the recent South Bank Show about June Whitfield. It's often fun when I see comedy documentaries to count the number of people featured in them who I have had some professional involvement with (an edition of The Comedy Map of Britain earlier in the year had six!). There were four in this one: June herself (I was lucky enough to have her perform my material over 23 series of the News Huddlines), Roy Hudd (of course!), June's daughter Suzy Aitchison who was in a sketch of mine on Radio 2's June Whitfield's Variety and Sarah Thomas from Last of the Summer Wine who once delivered a couple of my lines when she guested on Week Ending.Something that was mentioned again and again on the South Bank Show was June's excellent comic timing. Aspiring speakers who want to include humour in their speeches are sometimes worried about not being able to do it justice; their catchphrase is often 'But I'm not a come...
More About: June , Wonderful , July

And still on the subject of July...
2007-09-14 08:14:00
Farnham N.H.S. Retirement FellowshipThings got off to a difficult (and somewhat slapstick start) when I was in my rehearsal room (ok, the Gents) just before my talk and a jet of soap from the dispenser flew straight into my eye!I mentioned this to the audience and it got a laugh. I also forewarned them about my chest infection. Sure enough, the inevitable coughing fit interrupted me a few minutes later (I must say I felt as if I was in the right place as they were retired NHS staff!) but the glass of water wasn't enough to deal with the problem so I kept a lozenge in my mouth and that seemed to do the trick.Public Speaking Tip #8: If you have a problem, such as a cough, briefly forewarn the audience, preferably in a humorous way. It prepares them for the fact that you may have to stop. They will also appreciate the fact that you have still turned up.Public Speaking Tip #9: If you do have a coughing fit which interrupts your presentation, try slipping a lozenge in the corner of your...
More About: July , Subject

To continue on this theme...
2007-08-30 20:47:00
A Difficult DecisionOn 8 July, I did something I hadn't done in eleven years as a speaker: I cancelled a booking through illness. Two days earlier (Friday), I had accepted a short notice booking to give a talk the following Monday. I then came down with a very bad cough. By the Sunday evening, I had to decide whether to cancel. There were a number of factors to consider:1. Although I might feel better by the next day, there was also a strong chance I might be even worse!2. My talk was for the Dorset Respiratory Group and I really did not want to risk passing on my chest infection to people who had breathing problems anyway. I also thought that listening to an 'entertainment' featuring a lot of coughing might seem like a bit of a 'busman's holiday' for them!3. I had two more engagements that week, including a long-standing booking involving some travel on the Tuesday and I wanted to rest so I stood a good chance of getting through that one.I phoned the Speaker Secretary and exp...
More About: Theme , Conti

Opening Remarks
2007-08-14 23:05:00
Honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen, Now that my blog is finally up and running, I have decided to make my first entries a round-up of my public speaking experiences and observations from the past few weeks... Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards 2007 On 2 July I was invited to the Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards  at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Hyde Park as a guest of the Radio Magazine. Highlights of the day included a fabulous lunch, an acoustic gig by Travis, a long conversation about the BBC and American comedy with Adrian Juste plus a chance to finally meet the magazine's editor Paul Boon and his assistantCollette Hillier after writing for them for such a long time. From a public speaking point of view, I was hugely impressed by the compere, Virgin Radio's breakfast presenter Christian O'Connell, who used some excellent, well-prepared radio industry humour to great effect in front of 700 of his peers. Public Speaking Tip #1: Tailored hu...
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