This is my first time replying on this forum. I have had a lot of experience doing public speaking and giving public readings (reading what is already written on the page). I am also a professional writer. I have noticed that most people rush too much when they are in front of an audience. They do not pause at the end of sentences or where there's a natural pause. Your punctuation, or what you imagine as punctuation, can be your guide. If you really want to emphasize something, make it stand out by contrasting it from the other things you say. Think of those statements as a single-sentence paragraph. Another thing is what some people call "vocal variety." This mean speeding up sometimes, slowing down, pausing, and varying your pitch. Remember to breathe, too. While doing video you have to imagine an audience. Look right at your audience. Don't stare, but make sure you are communicating with your eyes. Use the punchline effect. End each sentence with a strong word. Take the word "death," for instance. The impact of that word increases if it is at the end of your sentence. In stand-up comedy we were told to avoid peppering our acts with too many swear words. The reasoning, which I see as sound, was that they will lose their shock value and power if you overuse them. The same goes with any word. If you want to shock, surprise, enlight, or delight, remember not to overuse your most powerful or shocking words. Smile! And be yourself! Avoid talking like a robot even if you really know your stuff. Don't be afraid to use colloquialisms but at the same time, be aware of your international audience. You will need to be very careful with slang that could be misunderstood. Mostly, Be friendly. This will help your audience trust you more. I have seen presenters act too animated, but usually, they are not expressive enough. You want the audience to identify with you. Be personal, but not so personal that you seem to be only talking about yourself. If you are presenting a skill, you want to show them that "a person just like me" can learn these things and become a pro.
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