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You know that nightmare you have where you’re up on a stage and you suddenly realize you have to give a TED talk but you have absolutely no idea what the subject is and you’re pretty sure you don’t have the little remote that’ll allow you to flip between slides anyway?  That one?  You don’t have that one?  I sure do.  I have that one all the time.  Which is weird because public speaking is a large portion of what I do for a living. Nevertheless there is something about the TED Talk format that utterly terrifies me. Whether it’s the  sheer size of the audience or the bright lights or the headset (it’s probably the headset) my innards freeze into tightly compacted fro-guts when I think about what a TED Talk would consist of.  That’s why I must doff my proverbial hat to the three authors recently featured in SLJ’s spotlight on writers doing TED Talks.  I’ll just post Mac’s here (which has . . . um . . . 123,740 hits as of this post) but be sure to check out Linda Sue Park and Jarrett Krosoczka as well:

One video you will not find on that post is this very recent one posted as of two days ago, starring Grace Lin.  She has that format down, man.  Down.

Thanks to Jarrett Krosoczka for the link.

I got this next one from Travis Jonker. Did I ever tell you about my childhood crush on Gene Wilder?  Seriously those eyes. Blue. So very blue. You can moderate all the debates you want, Willy Wonka.  I won’t mind.

Thanks to 100 Scope Notes for the link.

I think I want to steal this idea.  Last minute book reports is a grand idea.  And, bonus points, it has a theme song. I think they should do a children’s book edition on particularly long or dense titles.  But this will do in the interim.

So they say that Seth Rogan is making a Where’s Waldo film.

Of course, it’s already been done.

And for our off-topic video, I coulda done without the fainting but the tiny octopus is cute.

Writer and researcher Oscar Schwartz gave a talk at the TEDxYouth@Sydney conference to discuss this question: “Can a Computer Write Poetry?” We’ve embedded the full presentation in the video above—what do you think?

Schwartz focused his talk on “why we react so strongly to the idea of a computer writing poetry — and how this reaction helps us understand what it means to be human.” Click here to check out Schwartz’s digital Turing test for poetry, bot or not.

In the past, several poets have spoken on the TED stage including Project V.O.I.C.E. founder Sarah Kay, spoken-word performer Malcolm London, and math enthusiast Harry Baker. What is your favorite poem?

Simon & Schuster has unveiled the book trailer for Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. The video embedded above features Angela Duckworth, a prominent psychologist, discussing her research.

The publisher has scheduled the release date for May 3. Back in 2013, Duckworth has given a talk on “The Key to Success? Grit” at the TED Talks Education conference; follow this link to watch Duckworth’s TED talk.

Has a book ever inspired you to make a prediction about the future? The TED-Ed team has crafted a lesson on “how science fiction can help predict the future.”

The animated video embedded above examines the role of futurists. Over at the TED-Ed website, viewers can access a quiz, a discussion board, and more resources.

In the past, TED-Ed has crafted lessons on “how to write fiction that comes alive,” the hero’s journey, and the oxford comma. What is your favorite story from the science fiction genre?

All the Birds in the Sky author Charlie Jane Anders gave a talk at the TEDxHarvardCollege conference to discuss this question: “Do nature and human ingenuity have to be in opposition?”

Anders focused her talk on how science and nature intertwine. She also discussed her work as a science fiction writer.

We’ve embedded the full presentation in the video above—what do you think? In the past, several authors have spoken on the TED stage including Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park, young adult novelist John Green, and Big Magic author Elizabeth Gilbert. (via Tor.com)

Would you like to take in some writing wisdom? We’ve compiled a list of five TED-Ed videos on how to create captivating fiction, the definition of “orwellian,” pronouns, misused modifiers, and the origins of the English language.

To check out some presentations from the TED stage, the organization has created the “10 talks from authors” playlist. What subjects would you like the TED-Ed team to tackle next?

Do you need a boost of inspiration for the new year?

We’ve compiled a list of five videos featuring writers who have given TED talks throughout the past year. Our list includes StoryCorps founder Dave Isay, biographer Aimee Molloy, book designer Chip Kidd, blogger Ann Morgan, and Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park.

For more talks, the TED organization has created the “10 talks from authors” playlist. Who do you nominate to speak at future TED conferences?

You know that recurring nightmare where you have to give a TED talk at TedX Beacon Street in Boston?  The one where they fit you with a teeny tiny hand free mic on your head and then you have to stand in front of a series of two-tone cubes?  To combat this fear of mine I watch other people’s.  Particularly if they are about children’s literature, of which, I can only think of three.  As a wise woman once told me, children’s books are woefully underrepresented on ted.com.  To get on the site, a video needs many many views.  Therefore, it stands to reason that I should promote every last single one of them I see.  Ladies and gentlemen, the great, the only, Linda Sue Park!

Switching gears, when I moved to the Chicago area I had a vague idea of the already existing children’s literature community in place.  What I didn’t know was the degree to which it existed.  The people here . . . they dwarf me with their talents.  Take Toby Rajput for example.  She’s an assistant professor at National Louis University’s reading and language program and a children and youth literature librarian at National Louis University.  Here’s she talks on Good Day Chicago about buying diverse books for kids this gift giving season.  Go, Toby, go go go!

In spite of appearances, I actually don’t get a chance to see that many fan-made videos by kids about their favorite books.  So when Amy Ignatow linked to this video on Twitter the other day, I was grateful.  Particularly to whatever mom it was that allowed her clothes to be paraded about like that.

My sole problem with the Politics & Prose Bookstore in D.C. is that it’s in D.C.  So I live in the impossible hope that at some point they’ll be picking that puppy up and moving it to the Chicago area.  Preferably Evanston.  Tomorrow works for me.  But until this happy day arrives, I get to show you some of their events, particularly when they feature my co-writer Julie Danielson.  This was the store’s third annual picture book panel discussions called “Too Good to Miss—Picture Books for Older Readers.”  Jules was kind enough to recap it over at Kirkus, with videos of the previous two years as well.  Enjoy.

Thanks to Jules Danielson for the link.

And finally, an off-topic video that appeals to me because of the life I rejected.  Coming out of college with a Fine Arts major and a concentration in photography I was accepted to the SALT photography program in Maine.  Ultimately I decided not to attend the program, which I think was the right choice.  Nonetheless, up until that moment photography, particularly portraiture, had been my love.  With that in mind, this:

Thanks to Wendy for the link.

Have you ever feared the semicolon? Get ready to tackle this fear with a grammar lesson from the TED-Ed team.

The animated video embedded above features a three-minute lesson to discuss the semicolon and demonstrate its proper usage. Over at the TED-Ed website, viewers can access a quiz, a discussion board, and more resources.

Click here to check out a comic by The Oatmeal for more information about the semi colon. What’s your favorite punctuation mark?

Couldn’t make it to the TED Global conference? The Innovation Arts organization has create a graphic novella to recap the event.

According to the TED blog, the book is entitled Beyond the Edge. It features an infomural on the last page.

Every talk given at this conference was captured by a three-panel comic piece. Some of the subjects that were discussed include addiction, photography, and climate change. Follow this link to download a free digital copy.

What’s the best way to give a strong first impression? Chip Kidd, a book designer at the Alfred A. Knopf imprint, delivered a TED talk on “the art of first impressions — in design and life.” The video embedded above features his entire talk.

In his 2012 TED Talk, Kidd stated that a book cover provides a first impression on what readers will be consuming. Throughout this new lecture, he focuses on the importance of inspiration, clarity, and mystery. He also showcases the jackets he created for Only What’s Necessary: Charles M. Schulz & The Art of Peanuts, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki & His Years of Pilgrimage, and Fraud: Essays.

Kidd further elaborates on the subject of first impressions in a TED Books project entitled Judge This. Over at the TED blog, he shares several pieces of “advice for young writers and designers.” To glean more wisdom from this famed artist, check out the TED talk he gave in 2012.

2015 TED fellow and slam poet Lee Mokobe recited a poem about “what it feels like to be transgender” at the TEDWomen 2015 conference.

The piece features mentions of body image, social issues, and TV personality Caitlyn Jenner. The video embedded above features Mokobe’s full performance. Have you ever written an autobiographical poem?

To learn more, the writers behind the TED blog have created a playlist called “7 talks on the transgender experience.” Follow this link to watch more videos showcasing poetry on the TED stage. Which writers do you nominate to speak at future TED conferences?

A new official trailer has been unveiled for The Walk. The story focuses on Philippe Petit’s famous high-wire crossing between the the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center as told in Petit’s 2002 book, To Reach the Clouds. To learn more about Petit’s stunt, check out his TED Talk.

The video embedded above offers glimpses of Joseph Gordon-Levitt starring as Petit. According to Entertainment Weekly, this film adaptation is set to hit theaters on October 2nd. Click here to watch the first trailer.