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Forums » Smalltalk » Free or cheap ways to practice public speaking?

In the past, I have not been very good at speaking in front of crowds, but I need to get good at it fast, because it's an integral part of a job I really want. I figure it's like riding a bike, and if I do it enough, even if I fall off 1000 times, I will eventually get good at it. It's a skill. So, does anyone know of cheap or free, easy, non-stressful ways to practice public speaking? Has anyone ever overcome problems with public speaking themselves? Thanks for any tips.

Things I've Thought Of So Far:

1. Giving speeches in front of friends (of course)
2. Toastmasters
3. Making YouTube videos


That's all I've got so far!
This is what worked well for me prepping for public speaking: read everything out loud in my normal speaking voice, and singing whenever I had time to. Next thing I needed to work on was engaging people, so I went to a few friends and would ask for a bit of help (to have them as a personal audience) to explained a topic in detail. Had them sit and listen while I stood and spoke. Karaoke's good for this too if you don't mind spending a few bucks at a bar.

How you speak counts just as much as speaking itself, so don't let your friends reciprocate for at least few minutes (it'll help you be more conscious of speaking fillers like umm, and how to emotionally cope with deafening silence with all eyes on you). Open the floor to questions at the end and invite them to challenge whatever points you may have made, its an excellent sign of a good speaker if you can keep your cool and respond to difficult questions. I noticed a big difference in speech articulation and confidence just a month's time. If you're hoping to be rid of the anxiety, it will never truly go away, this is the case with even the most famous public speakers. Hope that helps some.
Abigail_Austin Topic Starter

United wrote:
This is what worked well for me prepping for public speaking: read everything out loud in my normal speaking voice, and singing whenever I had time to. Next thing I needed to work on was engaging people, so I went to a few friends and would ask for a bit of help (to have them as a personal audience) to explained a topic in detail. Had them sit and listen while I stood and spoke. Karaoke's good for this too if you don't mind spending a few bucks at a bar.

How you speak counts just as much as speaking itself, so don't let your friends reciprocate for at least few minutes (it'll help you be more conscious of speaking fillers like umm, and how to emotionally cope with deafening silence with all eyes on you). Open the floor to questions at the end and invite them to challenge whatever points you may have made, its an excellent sign of a good speaker if you can keep your cool and respond to difficult questions. I noticed a big difference in speech articulation and confidence just a month's time. If you're hoping to be rid of the anxiety, it will never truly go away, this is the case with even the most famous public speakers. Hope that helps some.

Yes, that helps a lot, thanks. Thanks for responding. I really appreciate it.

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