Stage Fright: Turn Nervous into Service (10/31/2023) Advice on how to deal with stage fright ranges from absurd (don't picture the audience naked unless you're speaking at a super-model convention—and that could be distracting) to just plain useless. The popular assumption is that people are naturally fearful… READ ON
Jazz and Musical Storytellingmusical storytelling (10/16/2023) What is musical storytelling? Many of our favorite storytellers rely on music to help them deliver their messages with impact. Depending on what's happening in the story, they use specific techniques and strategies. For example, when there's a dream sequence,… READ ON
The Three Circles of Storytelling (10/3/2023) A story's success relies on three perspectives—three lenses through which its component parts must be viewed: What to Say: Choose the right words How to Say it: What media and skills will you use to deliver your message? Why They'll… READ ON
Find the Music in Your Words (9/19/2023) Find the music in your words! A speechwriting colleague told me she always guaranteed her clients that her work would be well received by the audience. “That's a big risk,” I said. “No matter how good your writing is, you… READ ON
Take the Twerking Out of Networking! (9/5/2023) Another agonizing networking event! You walk around the room, introduce yourself to the next stranger, ask them what they do, and pray they'll offer anything remotely relevant to you. Great! Another realtor! Wow! Another financial manager! Nice to meet you… READ ON
The Essential Absurdities (8/21/2023) Watch a sunbeam Magic! The light reveals swirling dust, a hidden universe Slip a jar under it Close the lid What do you have? Nothing   Take a picture of a sunset. Can you capture the grandeur of the frameless… READ ON
Why AI-Generated Marketing Copy Misses the Mark (8/8/2023) Is -Generated Marketing Copy the powerful shortcut we've been told it is? The explosive growth of online content has done little for the evolution of graphic design or copywriting. Publishing has never been so easy, and the demands of producing… READ ON
Never Play the Victim Card (7/25/2023) Keep your poor me stories off the stage. My friend Tony showed me a of a who told the story of her escape from alcohol and depression and her long, hard road to personal and professional success. “It's… READ ON
An Interview with Voice Artist Humphrey Bower (7/11/2023) Find Your Voice … And Someone Else's! Do you enjoy a good audiobook as much as I do? Australian actor Humphrey Bower voices hundreds of characters—men and women with accents from around the world. I've listened to over 350 hours… READ ON
Survive and Thrive in the Land of Clocks & Calendars (6/27/2023) Is your digital calendar robbing you of the you need to be productive? Maybe the problem isn't your calendar. Back in my carefree boat bum days, my course was governed by the world's natural rhythms. I rose and retired… READ ON