My First Keynote

I did my first keynote presentation recently at the Anthology Writers Conference in Mesa, AZ. I was nervous. As the opening keynote speaker, I wanted to inspire the attendees and set them up for a great day of sharing and learning, and encourage them to "Write Forward."

I have never considered myself an inspirational speaker. So, as the big day loomed, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I would say to my audience. What would be most beneficial for them to hear?

I didn’t want to write 45-minute speech, then have to memorize it. Even with crib notes, I find that sort of thing nerve-wracking. And I certainly didn’t want to read it from the page! I wanted to look my listeners in the eye and connect and engage with them.

So, I didn’t draft an entire speech from start to finish. Instead, I did plotted it out. And then I spent a lot of time mulling over not only what I wanted to say but how I wanted to say it.

I have come a long way in public speaking. From a shy kid who had trouble standing in front of a room of twenty, to a young woman reading—then finally reciting—my own poetry off page, to someone prepared to speak in front of a hundred other writers and speak from my heart following an outline.

Yes, much of my ability to deliver the talk can be attributed to my many years of practice, speaking in front of audiences, especially groups of writers, helping them to hone their craft and develop their writing skills. All of that work helped build my confidence and showed me that I have something worthwhile to say. However, without that outline, that plotted out blueprint, I would have fumbled my way forward, potentially losing track and meandering rather than delivering.

Having a map that points the way, while allowing for side trips, is how I like to roll, in speaking, teaching, and writing. That’s the reason I spent so much time thinking about and plotting out my talk ahead of time.

It's the same reason many writers find developing a story blueprint so useful, and it’s why I coach the Blueprint for a Book method developed by Jennie Nash, the founder of Author Accelerator.

Having some idea of where you’re going helps take the pressure off so you can focus on the journey.

The results of using a blueprint process for my keynote?

No one fell asleep! They stayed in the room. They were engaged. And people came up to me afterward to tell me…they were inspired by my talk.

Mission accomplished! Whew! And Huzzah!

I am now, officially, a keynote speaker.