5 Presentation Tips for Authors

One of the best ways for authors to sell more books is to speak. Book readings, presentations based on content or research for your books, or even on your author’s journey are all good topics that fans and potential readers want to hear about. In this post, you’ll find five presentation tips for authors that will help you make the most of those speaking opportunities.

5 Presentation Tips for Authors

5 Presentation Tips for Authors

1. Make your presentation conversational.
A lot of new speakers — or uncomfortable speakers — feel the need to speak in technobabble. This might be appropriate for a science conference, but not for an author speaking event. Your readers are there to get to you and your work. So speak as you would to a friend.

Another point to keep in mind, especially since you are a writer, is that many times words that are perfectly understandable when read can be misunderstood when heard. Besides, a person who is reading can always go back and read an unclear sentence, however, when someone is talking, they can’t go back and listen to the sentence again. This is even more important when you are trying to convey complex information.

So speak simply and conversationally.

2. Keep your presentation simple
One of the best presentation tips for authors I can provide is to not overthink things. Most author events aren’t that long and don’t require you to come up with any all that elaborate.

Most presentation lengths (an hour or less) cover no more than three to five ideas, three is better than five. If your presentation is longer than an hour (not very likely), you can go up to seven. No matter what the topic, people can only understand so much. Much more than three to seven ideas in a speech and people will either lose interest, lose track, or both.

Therefore, keep your author presentations simple and easy to understand.

3. Use clear and natural body language
I think one of the most asked for presentation tips for authors is, “What do I do with my hands?” You want to maintain a balance between gesturing too much and not gesturing enough. Here are some rules of thumb:

  • If a gesture can clarify or enhance a point, use it.
  • If a gesture will distract your audience, don’t use it.
  • When you don’t need your hands, leave them as naturally as you can at your sides

Often, if you can “show what you mean” via body language — hand gestures, body stance — it can make a concept more clear. It is very important, however, that the gestures seem natural and not forced. Also, using body language can put you and your audience at ease. When people are more relaxed, they can convey and understand complex, scientific, and technical information more easily.

So be as natural as you can with your body, and use gestures to emphasize important points.

4. Use vocal variety
Vocal variety adds personality, interest, and emphasis to your speech. It keeps people interested, which is very important when discussing technical information. This becomes especially important when reading your work because you are not only showcasing your book but your personality, as well. And readers often buy books not only because they like the books, but because they like the authors.

Therefore, vary the tone, speed, pitch, and volume of your voice to add interest to what you are saying.

5. Use simple, easy to understand visuals
Visuals often help make a concept clearer than mere words can. This is especially true of difficult to understand and/or visualize scientific or technical information. Your visuals should be easy to understand quickly. Use a lot of white space. Use imagery over text, and use text sparingly.

For authors, the best visuals are you, your book cover, and any illustrations that are already in your book. Additional visuals may include images from your life or simple images that illustrate points that you are making in your presentation.

So, use simple visuals that your audience can understand quickly and easily, without having to lose track of what you are saying to study them.

NOTE: This post was updated on Oct. 13, 2017, and then again on Feb. 13, 2020.

Did you like this post? Please share!

About the author

Carma Spence, is author of Public Speaking Super Powers. She is fiercely committed to guiding women to Owning their Superpowers and turning their knowledge and interests into a profitable business. She is masterful at helping her clients see what is possible for them and supporting them on the journey from where they are to where they want to be, releasing the Mind Goblins of self-doubt, self-sabotage and second-guessing that keep them stuck.

With 20+ years experience in marketing communications and public relations, natural intuitive skills and certification in using some of the most effective transformational coaching tools available, Carma’s mission and commitment is to unleash the inner power every woman entrepreneur possesses so they can boldly go out into the world, transforming the fabric of people’s lives in meaningful and positive ways.

You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Her website is CarmaSpence.com.