Your presentations are their own best advert
Totton South U3A, HampshireOn 16 July I delivered my talk My Life as a Freelance Comedy Writer for around 45 members of Totton South U3A in the town's Masonic Hall. It was a successful talk and was followed by a good question and answer session.My thanks to Dr John Dracass for the lift from Southampton Central and back to Totton station afterwards.In Totton, I picked up a copy of a local weekly magazine and noticed that its classified section had a section for Speakers. A few were using this to advert

An audience worthy of a Mengham!
Mengham Women's Institute, Hayling IslandI gave an evening talk on 8 July to Mengham Women's Institute on Hayling Island. Although technically in Hampshire, they are actually part of the West Sussex Federation.I had only been to the island once before and that was later at night so it was fascinating to see the place in daylight. The WI meet in the hall of the South Hayling United Reformed Church in Mengham village.There were about 35 ladies there and my talk on

A 'handy' hint for public speakers!
Monks Brook U3A, HampshireOn 1 July, I spoke about the Power of Humour in Everyday Life to around 90 members of Monks Brook U3A at St Boniface Church Hall in Chandlers Ford.Regular readers may remember that last year I was plagued with a skin problem (eventually diagnosed as eczema) on my feet. This was only visible to my audience in as much as it meant my having

Upskill, yuckskill: beware of the buzzword!
Distracting neologismsRecently, I was studying the current brochure of an adult learning provider in my area and it mentioned that as well as running daytime and evening classes they can also offer the services of tutors in certain subjects if you are 'an employer who wants to upskill your valuable staff'.Whoa - do what? Upskill? Upskill? Is that even a word?Apparently it is - but would you want to use it in your public speaking...yet?

Two years of public speaking blogging and looking ahead - through new spectacles!
Nick R Thomas - A Public Speaker's Blog: two years oldThis blog recently passed its second anniversary and it continues to bring in bookings to speak, speechwriting and other scriptwriting commissions plus presentation skills training (even if I do occasionally have to