I've been working away on preparing for my humor talk for New England Roundtable of Children and Young Adult Librarians. It's supposed to be an hour, but I can't seem to get past 37 minutes more or less.
It takes me a long time to prepare for speaking engagements because I suffer a bit from performance anxiety. I like to have the speech written out well in advance so I can rehearse like mad. Back when I still offered traditional slides as an option, I would rehearse with my own projector in the dining room every day leading up to the event.
I like to be performance ready. My fantasy is to be able to have a wide array of writerly things I can talk about on the drop of a dime.
Of course, there's a reason why I call that a fantasy.
5 Comments on An Hour Is A Lo-o-ong Time, last added: 3/2/2007
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You know, my 30 minute talks always seem to take at least 45 minutes to deliver. Especially when you factor in audience response and the ad-libing that seems to creep in. Add in time for questions. You are probably almost at an hour!
I'm totally with you, Gail--I have to give a 45 minute prepared speech Friday night and it is A LOT of words--around 5000, I'm estimating. Quote a lot!
Add readings! And slides!
I'm up to around 46 minutes, and I'm going to wrap it up soon thereafter for that very reason, Camille. No one is supposed to ask questions because the speakers will be taking part in a panel discussion in the afternoon. But since it's a talk on humor, there's a remote possibility that the audience might laugh, which could use up some time.
I spoke to that crowd in 2005! Leave lots of time for questions -- they are a friendly, interested bunch! Also, they like to laugh loudly and boisterously, and that takes time, too.
My goodness! I'm reading Monsoon Summer right now. What a coincidence.