Presentation Skills

As daunting as it is to present yourself in front of a group of people is, it's also one of the most rewarding things you can do. It allows you to better discover who you are as a creative and as a person, and it allows you to slowly but surely make your place in the world. If no one knows who you are, then what you do might not make as big a difference as it could. 

There are things, as there are with everything, that can be done to make presenting yourself easier, and whilst at first they may seem simple, everything that helps helps. 

Project your voice. 
By doing this you appear confident and sure of what you're saying and presenting, and it also helps alleviate shaky-voice, if or when you get it. 

Have water handy.
You often see professional speakers drinking from a bottle of water during their presentation. This is handy for a number of reasons, the simplest of course being to avoid a dry throat, which can in turn coarsen your voice. It also allows you to take a mini break whilst you drink, allowing you to think about what you want to say next. 

Be you.
Talking like you usually talk and dressing like you usually dress will help convey a sense of legitimacy and integrity. There is no point in doing a presentation of yourself if you're attempting to be someone you're not.

Be prepared.
Going through your presentation in your mind helps you to create a kind of storyline for what you say. Going through it out loud is even better - it allows you to set a pace and add offshoots to what you have written down. 

Humour can work.
Making people laugh puts you at ease and breaks the ice between you and your audience. It can also make what you say more memorable or more impactful. Be careful not to reach the extent where you reduce the legitimacy of what you're saying, however. 

Anecdotes add a personal touch.
Anecdotes give an immediate personal and emotional element to your talk, making it more memorable and effective. They also improve the impact or add a storyline to what you're saying, giving reasons for who you are or why certain things happened or have to happen.