Overcome Stage Fright: Part I

Yes, you can!

It helps to start with a small audience like I did at The Tea Market.

[Archive from July 2018]

If the title pulled you in, you probably know that fear of public speaking is the number one phobia. Number two is death. The good news is that you can tame stage fright, little by little, until one day you love taking the mike. I know, because I did that. My tips are specific to getting up and reading in front of a group. If you’re a nervous singer, musician, or actor, some of my tips may still help you, but talk to your mentors for more suggestions.

Being an introvert is generally an advantage for a writer. I’d rather be reading, writing, looking at art, or watching a movie than talking politics, playing softball or poker, or (gasp!) mingling at a large party where I barely know a soul. I spent 50 years trying to avoid giving presentations. What changed that? Poetry. My workplace writing was distributed for me. My poetry requires a lot of PR. It’s almost like the poem is the introvert and I’m its stage mom. “Get on out there. Stand up straight. They’re going to love you!” I realized I would need to give public readings if I wanted to sell any books.

Part I: Prepare

Research. 

My first step may be a bit unusual. I read a book on phobias. I had survived giving presentations in the past and figured if others could learn to get back on the horse, plane, or not run screaming from spiders, surely I could manage a few minutes at the mike. Unfortunately, the book confirmed what I suspected: I needed to get up and read again, again, and again to get comfortable. Big fat help! For my first 50 years, it hadn’t mattered enough to me to make that effort. Now that I actually enjoy performing, I wish I had gained confidence back in high school.

Thanks to the Internet, you can find a lot of suggestions on how to calm down and how to give a reading. Some tips may suit you better than mine, but these are the steps that worked for me.

Ask Advice.

I asked advice from poet friends who looked composed and gave polished readings. People are eager to help. I also asked for relaxation tips. My Chinese doctor gave me a helpful technique I’ll discuss in “Overcome Stage Fright: Part II.” I also took note of what I liked or didn’t like from hearing others read.

Plan What You Will Read or Say.

This may sound obvious, yet many do not plan ahead. I don’t like to see a reader shuffling from book to book hunting for a selection, and I know that doing that myself would erode my last shred of confidence. Whether it’s an open mike or you’re a featured reader, you generally have a time limit, so practice your reading aloud and time it.
If you find yourself repeatedly tripping over a word or phrase, you might want to circle or underline that text as a warning to slow down and enunciate clearly.

Also time any introductory remarks you wish to make. If you’re reading your own writing, you invite the audience in when you give them a little background. What inspired the writing? Is there any specialized vocabulary or a foreign word you might want to explain before reading? Also try to give these remarks in a conversational tone of voice, then slow down and project when you begin the poem. One way to set the poem apart is to pause, then say the title clearly. Count slowly to three before reading the text.

I even pencil “3” in after the title so I won’t forget to pause.

Slow Down.

The more nervous you are, the more you will rush without realizing it. You may feel like you’re plodding even when you are not. If you don’t believe me, record yourself. Can you hear every phrase clearly? Did you sound faster than you thought?

Consider Your Audience.

Choose selections that you think will suit your audience. If you’re reading in a public park, remember there may be children in hearing range. When I recently gave a hometown poetry reading, I featured more of my childhood poems, knowing they’d resonate with the crowd.

Try to vary the tone.  Take a tip from Shakespeare. If you write a lot of poems about abuse, depression, or death, blend in some work that is more upbeat.

Make It Easy on Yourself.

What will you read from? It’s a good idea to buy a sturdy, 3-ring binder and put your loose-leaf text inside it. When you hold flimsy pages, the audience will see your hands shake. 

If you have good vision, you may be able to read straight from your poetry books with tabs to mark your selections. I have never seen well and think my vision may be a major reason for my stage fright. It certainly increases my risk of stumbling over words, so I print my text out: double spaced in a large font size. Even if you do see well, double spacing or a slight enlargement may still help you keep your place. If you need reading glasses, you won’t see the audience. You may think that’s a good thing, but I’ll explain in Part II why you want to see them.

Start with Open Mikes.

In your early days of giving public readings, when the very idea makes you shake, open mikes are a good place to start. You can arrive early and sign up near the front of the list to get it over with quickly (but please stay to hear the other readers or you won’t be welcomed back, besides you may learn some tips from others). Check bookstores, especially used bookstores, coffeehouses, and libraries to see if there are regularly scheduled mikes near you. If you are not a writer, but need to learn to get up in front of an audience, you can choose a poem by someone else to read.

Pack Carefully.

Be sure you have everything you need before you leave home. Your reading, glasses, maybe even a clip-on light, books to sell, cash to make change for your books, a water bottle unless you know that will be provided, a pen for autographs, business cards, etc.

Stay tuned for “Overcome Stage Fright: Part II.” I’ll cover tips for the day of the event, from relaxation and food to your reading.

We still had the chance to enjoy a bit of Harborfest, too.