Insignificance of public speaking, for writers?

[Kyriakos]

A couple days ago i gave my (more than likely) best ever speech/presentation, to 30 people or so. It was on account of translating a collection of stories by Franz Kafka. The speech was ok, the audience was interested, i was even surprised that 5 people i didn't know came to me and asked that i (the translator) would sign their copy of the book.


But it seemed pointless. Speaking to a crowd. It can appear interesting if one speaks for 1 hour or so, but in reality nothing is gained for anyone. I have to suppose that i was good exactly because i didn't care much, at least not to an OCD level of aspiring to make an impression or say very specific things. I just mentioned information that i knew, and alluded to other things, and in general the presentation was a lot less interesting than even a badly written story plot. But a public speech is not a story plot. It supposedly is more direct and factual.


Maybe a writer should just write, and not speak to crowds. I know that a (very established) translator is of the habit to never speak publicly, and is reclusive all around, but this meant that the publisher he works with decided to not present a second book of his (own, original) work later on.

But an actual writer shouldn't be seen as a showman or presenter. Neither a rhetorician.



Ultimately i view this as pointless. Even if one was talking to a crowd of thousands, in some concert hall, and enjoyed a standing ovation - it is still without meaning, and fleeting. Writing itself should not be like that.



-Do you think that public speaking is a needed part of writing? Does it serve much of a purpose?

[Iskar]

You did something well and immediately ask yourself whether it wasn't probably all in vain and meaningless? Maybe you should consider dropping Kafka for a while in favour of something infinitely more cheerful and positive, like, Remarque or Tolstoi?

[Kyriakos]

You did something well and immediately ask yourself whether it wasn't probably all in vain and meaningless? Maybe you should consider dropping Kafka for a while in favour of something infinitely more cheerful and positive, like, Remarque or Tolstoi?

What do you mean? I AM Kafka.

Well... I (rather) am 2.500 words away from finishing my ETA Hoffmann Sandman translation. But yes, i was disappointed by stuff also following the presentation, and generally dislike public speaking. I used to work for more than 300 hours as presenter/speaker in an ancient philosophy seminar for the local municipality.

[RubiconDecision]

It used to be common knowledge that the greatest fear in adults is public speaking. In fact, that's one reason in the USA that Speech is a high school class and highly encouraged.

How can you NOT practice at public speaking? You need to appraise an audience and their reception of your presentation. Oh gosh, in the old daysyou didn't have Powerpoint and had to use all manner of visual aids, multiple modalities, tone, audience participation, humor, etc in order to capture their interest.

Visit a storyteller's convention sometime and see how talented folks can present a story. It's very entertaining and only a shade different than acting.

In young adult ministry, we would encourage those teens to get over public speaking and nervousness by perpetually getting them in front of their peers because it helped them as young leaders but importantly in dating.

[Kyriakos]

I ad-lib, in every speech i ever gave, and i used to work as a seminar presenter (ancient greek philosophy, ie the subject of my uni degree) for over 300 hours.

I can do it, if i don't care enough about what i am saying. But i am interested in constructing things, which is why i write. You CANNOT construct a high-level presentation in the style of an intricate piece of fiction, cause you are there, and it makes everything into an interaction with others (ie vanity oriented, which i dislike) instead of some attempt to present an artistic passage and progression of intersecting lights flying about in the dark of the story.

That some writers (eg local) think of themselves as showmen, is something i heavily dislike

[AqD]

Come on you'll make a great politician, like Gaius Julius Caesar!

[RubiconDecision]

So is this a roundabout way of saying, "I can't act out a story?"

[Kyriakos]

Come on you'll make a great politician, like Gaius Julius Caesar!

AqD, lend me your ears as to why the insult by Rubicon must be answered in blood

[Lord Oda Nobunaga]

If you can connect to your audience by speaking words you will understand the differences and similarities of connecting to them using written words.

[Godfrey I of Leuven]

I do not believe speeches are a requisite to consider yourself a writer. However, being eloquent in your speech and being somewhat adept at wit can only serve to your benefit. In that regard, practice makes perfect, though you don't need a crowd for that per se.