Anyone else had it? I had a research paper to read in front of my History class at college this evening. The longer I read the more my voice quivered and I sounded like I was scared to death! After the first paragraph I stopped reading and told the class I didn't know why I was so nervous. As they assured me I was doing fine, I continued reading but only to sound more scared and my voice sounded like I was going to cry! I just couldn't get control of my stage fright.

After I sat down I felt so embarrassed and more upset at myself that I acted that way. Some things are just ridiculous!

Anyone else have this happen and if so how do get control?

When I had to take Speech in college - my first one was - well.... interesting :roll: I read so fast no one could keep up , it was the nerves . The teacher told us to make eye contact with people and remember they all have to do the same thing . Also practice the speech many , many times before you have to give it to a live audience , that way you are more comfortable . We have all been in your shoes , and it does get better :thumbup:

You will get better at it! I had to take public speaking 2 classes ago and I was dreading it! I have spoken in front of audiences from 3 to 150 people for work and I had no problems but to speak in front of 12 people in a classroom terrified me! Just remember, the audience doesn't know what you have planned to say so if you mess up or skip something, they will never know! Just keep plugging away at it!

Oh man! I have it BAD! I took 3 speech classes in college. I'd get up to speak and pass out! It got so the instructor wouldn't let me get up in front! But I could sing in from of a class scared but not pass out! I couldn't even get up in front of our church!! I hate being the center of attention! When I gibe a quilt or craft away I try to get DH to do it! Lol

For speech class I practiced at home in front of a mirror. Hard to watch myself and read my speech. Finally I set up the tripod and video taped myself. Oh, did I learn what I was doing! This helped me so much to see what I needed to do differently.
I read to look at every person in the audience and then look at each one again. Tip look at their foreheads. The eyes and mouths are the scary part. If you look at their foreheads they don't know you aren't making eye contact.
Practice is the best teacher! Just like quilting, we get better with practice.
Relax, pretend to be someone else! When I had to speak in front of 500 peers and I was told go on stage and tell them about xxxxx I decided to pretend I was Oprah! Hope she didn't mind. It made all the difference in the world.

I'm scared, too.....

When I get up to read in front of a group (church), I don't look at them, or, as someone else said, look at their forehead, or look just over their head. My trouble is when I look up, I lose my place in the reading, so I get more nervous. I look at them in the beginning and at the end, but not while I am reading. That way, I can read without speeding, and can focus more on accentuation, and tone of voice placement, etc. If I feel I must look up, I keep a finger on the spot where I am. I just try to pretend to myself that no one is there.

Hope there is something in there that is helpful. Good luck.

In the Public Speaking course I took in college, the professor told us that people are more afraid of speaking in public than of death. Yikes! No wonder people pass out.

I can so relate.

I joined the Catholic Church about 5 years ago and in my RCIA class I asked about lectoring in the church not expecting to do it for quite some time. To my surprise, and shock, Father put me on the schedule the do the first reading the night of my confirmation! I was terrified and horrified! But, with quite a bit of practice beforehand, I did it! Oh, was my voice shakey, heart beating like a drum and I was dripping in sweat. But, I did it! I now lector regularly and doesn't bother me at all. After that first time in front of the whole congregation, what else could there be to fear about it? It gets much better with time!

The largest audience I have had to speak in front of was 5,000 people (in the Columbus Ohio Convedntion Center)and it was televised. I was nervous but I wanted to do a good job and not look foolish so I got control of the nerves early on by taking a deep breath. I am more nervous in smaller gatherings 10-20 people and tend to suffer with cotton mouth. It does get easier but it is always uncomfortable at the start. Public speaking is the number 1 fear, dieing is second.

I am definately scared to death to do public speaking! I have been putting off speech class until I absolutely have to take it!!!

The more comfortable you are with your material, the easier it is to perform. If it were me, I would have it just about memorized beforehand--that way you have your notes as a safety net, but it's not likely that you'll lose your place.

I majored in theatre, so I've spent quite a lot of time singing and acting in front of an audience. I never had bad stage fright, but I never really loved it, either (which is why I now work behind the scenes). Preparation goes a really long way to controlling anxiety and fear.

For me, pretending the audience wasn't there or making "eye contact" with their foreheads didn't help. Making a real, honest connection always helped steady my nerves. It made it feel more like I had a friend in the audience, not just some guy watching me talk.

If what I'm talking about is something I feel strongly about or am excited about, then it doesn't bother me as much. Also I do better with speaking from an outline of the important points than with a word for word set text to speak from. That way I can 'just talk' about it instead of 'make a speech'. Somehow that helps me with the scaredness. But I do need to feel confident that I know what I'm talking about, whether it is 1 person or a whole bunch of people. Sometimes its harder to talk to just one person - like doing cold call sales - than talking to a group.

Practice, practice, practice... in front of classes; but, sometimes it never goes away, you just get used to presenting anyway. In a doctoral class I was in once a quiet fellow was presenting. He started by telling everyone that he would rather be doing just about anything rather than standing in front of everyrone, what he was doing now... he and everyone giggled and laughed because we all could identify. No one thought any less of him and he became very charming and well-liked. Dont worry about it... we have all been there.

I was always the shyest kied, hiding behind my father. Terrified about any group speak, but finally I had a messsagethat I thought was important to share. I knew my subject, studied my presentation, tape recorded it so I could listen to it while driving. The big day came. My legs were so weak I thought I could not walk. When finally stabilixed, my legs would not move. Got to podium in a haze. The intro from the moderator, then I was on. My voice would not work, I know it looked like I was gasping for air. I opened with "It is said the most commonly shared fear is public speaking........and I am TERRIFIED". The audience laughed, the "I'm with you" laugh, heads were nodding, a few murmured "I'm with you". I found a kind face and survived. I used that opening line for years, and now I don't have to. {rA

You all are so kind to share your similar experiences. I realize now some very important things that could have helped me.

My topic was about weapons created during WWI and I really didn't feel comfortable with the subject. I even jokingly told the class before I started if they had any questions afterwards about the subject not to ask me.
Another thing I realize now is that I should have practiced, practiced, practiced reading my paper! I figured reading it would be a breeze and I didn't need to. I won't do that again.

I have given a couple of presentations to this same class before and practically had my lines memorized and wasn't this scared. So I know it makes a difference. I just wish I could be like others who got up and talked so easy and appeared unafraid.

Thanks for all your help!