A young, aspiring writer once asked me: "Sir, you have such a powerful narative and descriptive ability that when I read your writings or listen to you speak, it is as good as watching a movie or following real life events. How did you develop such a powerful writing and speaking skill?"
I looked at him carefully and I could see in his eyes that he was expecting a magical formula, a sort of an abracadabra, that will confer on him that ability in an instant. But I knew better than that. There are no such quick-fix, fix-all, instant formulas. I am afraid, a lot of time and energy goes into developing this very useful skills.
Two (2) important skills:
Before I go ahead and emphasize the things that I pointed out to this young man, things that every aspiring writer and public speaker needs to know and work on to become better and do better, let me say here that the ability to write well and speak well are two of the most important abilities that all young people, regardless their area of interest and endeavour in life, should have. You see, the ability to write and speak well increases your connectivity to the rest of the World and, with that, your value and marketability, eventually positively impacting on your productivity and profitability. Simply put, the ability to write and speak well, greatly increases your chances of success in life and profession, regardless your location or profession.
A good observer:
Now, I pointed out to this young man that, first, you must be a very good observer with a good presence of mind. Do not miss or ignore anything, no matter how small or insignificant.
A good listener:
Secondly, you must be a good listener. It pays more to shut your mouth up and listen. Speak only when you need clarification on some point. You learn more that way and such learning gives your writing and speaking added wieght and punch.
Pay attention to details:
Thirdly, pay attention to details and keep records of incidences, sequences, and consequences. Meaning, keep a sharp mind. In other words, use all your senses in all situations and all the time. Be mindful in all situations and at all times. Do not allow any detail to pass you by unnoticed and uncaptured. In other words, master all environments and situations you find yourself in.
Practice makes perfect:
Fourthly, and this is the nitty-gritty that most aspiring writers and speakers want to avoid: practice recounting events, even if its an imaginary event, in long-hand writing. I am not talking about writing for publication. No. I am talking about writing long and hard, correcting spellings and rephrasing sentences, just for practice. Do the same with speaking. Verbalize what you have written, over and over again, paying close attention to:
1. Pronunciation - correct pronunciation is an important key to effective speaking. Always pronounce works deliberately and correctly.
- Avoid slangs and street pronunciation.
- Every language has its accent. Always use the recognized accent of the language you are using.
2. Pace - the main requirement for effective speaking is intelligibility. If you are not understood, your thoughts are not conveyed, and if you are to be understood, then you must speak at a pace that enables your listeners to get your message. So, strive to be unhurried, measured and not frantic.
- Avoid speaking too fast. Rapid-fire speech is not an acceptable form of regular and good communication.
- Avoid speaking too slow. Slow-motion speech is also not an acceptable form of regular and good communication.
3. Pauses - everyone pauses from time to time in the course of giving a talk.
- Avoid hemming, using the all-purpose "uh" and its cousin "um".
- Avoid bogging down in mid-sentence.
- Use breathing to fill-in spaces instead of hemming or bogging.
- Pause for a few seconds and collect your thoughts, then carry on confidently, measuredly and smoothly.
Practice! Practice!! Practice!!!
My experience:
I mentioned to him the endless stack of exercise and note books in my study, containing writings that will never be published because they represent endless hours of mental practice and exercise. I also mentioned the countless times I stood in front of a full-length mirror in my room and blew endless spoken English at myself. I also formed the habit of walking to the farms and bushes on the edge of Numan town and shouting sentences into the air, punctuated only by the sweet chorus of the birds.
It was not a waste of time. No. My descriptive and narative powers, both in writing and in speech, were developed and honed during those long hours of exercise and practice.
Confidence:
Let me add here that confidence is important in becoming a successful writer and public speaker. No matter how much you practice writing and speaking, if you are not confident to present to the public what you have written, or stand up and speak before an audience, and be critiqued, then all your effort is wasted. It is never easy for first timers, but (and this very important) the more you present your work and speak publicly, the more confident you will become. So, overcome your initial fear, present your work to the public, and you will be on your way to success.
Conclusion:
There you have it folks. If you are an aspiring writer or public speaker hoping to follow my example, I just shared with you some of my 'secrets', for free!
Please note (for emphasise): the ability to write and speak clearly are among the topmost skills that every youth should have, regardless their primary professional interest or preoccupation. As I have pointed out earlier, they increase your value and enhance your marketability. You see, ever since paper and pen were invented and the first public colloquiums were organized, writing and public speaking have not diminished in value. Even with the coming of the World Wide Web and the growth of Information and Communication Technology, basic writing and basic public speaking skills remain hugely relevant, and will remain so as long as human beings exist. This is because communication is a basic human need. Without the ability to communicate, there won't be community and all the interactions and engagements that entails.
Get down to practice, therefore, because you will be needing this skills for the rest of your life!
Quotations:
Let me leave you with two quotations that I find very helpful. The first is on writing and the second is on public speaking. These quotations are by people who are well-experienced and, therefore, know what they are talking about. You will find useful hints that will help improve your game:
1. "A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” - Richard Bach.
2. “There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience.” - Alexander Gregg.
I expect you to go ahead and do better than I have done. Oya, wetin you dey wait for?
You can do it!
It is all within you!
It is Agoso Bamaiyi, your friend for a greater Nigeria and the best things of life.
No comments:
Post a Comment