A Good Writer Learns How to Speak
The importance to learn public speaking for every writer
I often heard things like this from my writer friends: “What do we learn how to speak in public for? We are writers. We should learn how to write well so our readers will love our story.”
At first, I thought it was true, but after looking at the reality when I joined a book club, attended a book launch from my favorite writers, or joined a short webinar from a publisher, now I’m 100% sure that writers should learn how to speak verbally and communicate well in public.
AI is Our Competitor
Now, AI like ChatGPT can compete with writers in every aspect. ChatGPT has evolved into something special within a few years. Now there are many mentors who teach people how to engineer smarter prompts so the AI-generated result will appear natural.
I also use AI almost every day because I need a friend to make an outline and brainstorm some ideas. But, I always revise and polish my ideas with my brain. AI still cannot beat my taste. However, as a writer, I also have limitations.
I still work as a Japanese Interpreter at my office and have some writing clients. I have a small team to finish our small projects. It takes up a lot of my time. AI helps me make social media content; then we revise it after checking the facts, citations, and fixing the flow to be suitable for our clients.
So, how can we stand out as writers if AI becomes a big competitor to our brains? Yes, AI may never beat writers, but it can beat our brain processes when we don’t know how to utilise it.
Personal Branding Matters
Therefore, to have an authentic presence, I learned more about personal branding. And one of the most important things to build my presence to gain more trust from my audience is showing myself and speaking in front of them.
Learn How to Make a Great Presentation
Before I joined Eagle Toastmasters Surabaya, I made a presentation in my writing class like this:
- Title
- Things I want to teach
- Short introduction about me
- Main points
- Closure
Sometimes, I got bored with my own presentation. Then, I watched some great TedTalk speakers and my international mentors who could deliver their materials uniquely, and I was not sleepy when I watched their webinars.
I learned how to tell a story, adjust my vocal variety, and learn how to engage with audiences by finishing Toastmasters projects. Now, I get more and more opportunities to spread my stories.
Your Story Matters, but Your Real Presence is Essential
I don’t create Reels or upload videos of myself speaking in front of a camera. I prefer to record my voice on a podcast or write it on a blog like this. But, people will love us more than just reading our books or blogs when they know who we are.
That’s why I created free classes on my platform called Wordholic Class, did live sessions on Instagram, and collaborated with other communities.
They need to see how I can explain the importance of reading my book or stories. They also need to love me as a writer to be attracted to my writing projects. Help others first, gain trust, and then we will get more ‘traction.’
Being an introvert is not a reason not to start learning how to speak in public. When you become a good communicator, just like your writing, it means you have unlocked one more skill to be appreciated.
Well, this is my idea of why a writer needs to learn how to speak in public. Start with your small social media presence. Record your voice. Speak in front of your mirror and challenge yourself to have better personal branding.
