One of the things I spoke to the One Book Many Brisbanes mentees about last weekend was the importance of learning how to do a reading in public. Things like practice, realising that what looks lovely on the page doesn’t necessarily come out beautifully from the mouth, not to use long rambling introductions, to choose a piece to read that’s about 3 minutes long, and to make sure you’ve selected a piece that will engage the listeners.
And never, ever appear bored or as if you don’t want to be there – give the same performance if you’re reading for 300 people or 3 people and a dog.
Mary Robinette Kowal – an awesome writer, puppeteer, costumier, cat-owner, artist, art director at Weird Tales – has done an wonderful and informative lecture about this, in parts one and two.
Go. Watch. Learn.