I sit down at my computer, the off-white of an empty Scrivener text file filling the screen, and I feel calm. Then I open PowerPoint, and I no longer have any idea what I’m doing. For some reason, I find it within reason to sit down and write a 1500 word blog post about almost anything, but writing a 30 minute presentation about something I know intimately well (literally, talk about the things I did) and everything I know flies out the window.
What’re the stakes?
On the one hand, I’m writing a bunch of text right here where you can opt out without me ever knowing. That’s intentional, I’ve lowered the stakes for my writing so that I keep doing it. On the other hand, at the time of the talk I will stand at the front of a room which may contain up to 300 very smart people (and will feel worse if there are only 50) and I have to keep them engaged and entertained for 30 minutes. I also feel bound by the outline I provided when I submitted the topic, and the blurb which is in the agenda. As Brandon Sanderson explains in his creative writing lectures, the promise is the hook for the rest of the book. I set the promise for my talk back in November. If I don’t follow through on it, the audience will leave wondering why they attended.
I have experienced multiple different angles of this “problem”. On the one hand, I have given a mediocre talk to a mostly empty room – I knew it was mediocre, but I didn’t have a lot of options. I have also given a decent talk to a full room – passion shows through. I have sat in a full room listening to many really good to decent talks. I have sat in a decently filled room, and been sorely disappointed by a talk. So, I guess I am sensitive to the stakes. I want my presentation to be at the same standard as any of my other work or major projects. Which is to say, I want it to be a talk I would choose to go listen to.
Somehow, because the writing I do is more spontaneous, and flowing, the stakes are a different shape. Last week I wrote something I needed to write, and then chose not to post it, because I didn’t feel that would be a good use of this platform. Not because I wrote anything I don’t believe, but because not every thought, opinion, or philosophy should be shared in the moment. I will keep those words, and use them elsewhere when appropriate. Not posting does not have massive negative consequences though. Sometimes that happens. I am human, and my readers are (I hope) all too.
Conversational Style
The other aspect which comes into play is my style. I write (and think) very conversationally. I imagine that there is another person there, reading the words. Hearing my thoughts. Understanding the concepts I am imparting. I adjust my language based on the audience I believe I am reaching. I allow thoughts and words to flow out in a natural manner. I embrace the spontaneity and rambling nature of a train of consciousness blog post. Then I try and write a talk. I try and maintain a strict structure, with an agenda and bullet points and specific pictures.
I find myself stifled by the bright colours, and distracted by the interesting options. This happens every time that I try to write a talk. Once I realise the issue (and I relearn this every time too) I put away PowerPoint, open up a text editor, and write the talk. Then I can go back, and edit it into the structure that I need it to follow. I can add as many slides and transitions as I want. The important part of the piece is the content, after all. Slides should have pictures, not words. So why would I use that medium for putting together the series of words I am going to speak?
My slides frequently have fully fleshed out speaker notes which I do not read. I have them there for if my brain turns off, but by the time I am presenting, I know the content well enough that I could do the talk without the notes. It wouldn’t be as good, and I do sometime miss things, but the talk would happen. The process of writing out everything that I am going to say is far more important that the precise words. It helps me to understand if I am spending too long in one place. Or if there are aspects which I want to highlight more strongly in the visuals.
Writing Differently
In the end, I write a talk and a blog post in very similar ways. I just edit the talk more, and usually have more false starts. I can sit down in front of a blank page, and feel optimism and flow. If I sit down in front of the noisy UI of presentation software, I am going to be distracted and all over the show. That won’t be true for everyone, so find your own happy place for flow. Me, I’m going back to boring (and accepting that some blogs are less than 1000 words).
Pippa Hillebrand 