Less Than 24 Hours Remaining for the Effective Public Speaking Kickstarter
My Effective Public Speaking Kickstarter ends Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at noon Eastern. If you’re on the fence, get off the fence and back it. It’s time.
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Public Speaking Myth Nine: I Have Nothing to Say
Public Speaking Myth Nine: I Have Nothing to Say If you focus your writing or consulting, you might not think you have anything to say to “everyone.” You might even feel some imposter syndrome. That’s a myth, because the most effective public speakers choose one aspect of their expertise to highlight. Just one. Use your
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Public Speaking Myth Eight: Speakers Should Copy Someone Else
Public Speaking Myth Eight: Speakers Should Copy Someone Else Many less-practiced speakers think they need to copy someone else’s speaking style. But audiences can see right through that lack of authenticity. Instead, show your enthusiasm by being more of you. I am not saying bring your “whole self” to the stage. I swear a lot—I
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Public Speaking Myth Seven: Stories Do Not Matter
Early in my public speaking career, a fellow speaker asked me to sit in on his session and offer feedback afterwards. I did. And I had a very tough time staying awake. His slides were too dense, his delivery was almost a monotone, but there was a reason for that: He did not tell a
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Public Speaking Myth Six: Fiction Writers Have Nothing to Say
Several of my fiction writer friends say they write fiction for one of two reasons: They want to read this kind of book. And/or They want to live in a world like the one they wrote about. These dear writers think that means they have nothing to say to other people. Hello? At the very
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Public Speaking Myth Five: Shy People Cannot Be Effective Speakers
Public Speaking Myth Five: Shy People Cannot Be Effective Speakers Anyone can be shy. Shy people tend to be more reserved and more reluctant to share their ideas in public. Yet, those reasons are why shy people can be effective public speakers. That’s often because shy people purposefully curate their ideas. They clarify their thoughts.
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2026.03 Part of a Carnival Short Story
This week’s podcast is from a carnival short story. Enjoy! And in my never-ending experimentation, I embedded the video itself into this blog post. Before, I had just used the link to the video. We will see how that goes. The Podcast: The Transcript: This is 60 Seconds of Writing in Public with Johanna Rothman
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Public Speaking Myth Four: Only Extroverts Can Be Effective Public Speakers
There is another pernicious myth about public speaking: that only extroverts can be effective public speakers. Early in my speaking career, a fellow speaker, an introvert, said, “You’re so lucky to be an extrovert. It must make public speaking so much easier. I have to think every time someone asks me a question.” I laughed.
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Public Speaking Myth 3: Exposure is Enough Compensation for the Value You Offer
There is another pernicious myth about public speaking: that exposure is enough compensation. That myth ignores the value the speaker offers. Imagine this scenario: a large, multinational company or a famous conference asks you to speak. You feel flattered and warm all over. You have exactly the right presentation for their audience. Then you ask:
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Wave Goodbye to Happy Hour: Bring Back Cafeterias and Lunch
By now, you’ve probably seen the Wall Street Journal article on happy hour, or seen the various news coverage stories mourning the loss of drinking after work. What caught my eye was a video of a man asking, “Why should I work longer for free?” He has a point. He should not work longer for