Transcript Dave Bricker (00:07) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakipedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk, smart strategies, and amazing … More ☛
Transcript: Dave Bricker (00:07) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakepedia .com. I’m your host, Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from … More ☛
Writers often ask about the difference between “straight” or “dumb” quotation marks and traditional printers’ quotes, commonly referred to as “smart quotes” or “curly quotes.” Add in the need to distinguish between left single quotes and apostrophes, and the primes … More ☛
If you’re not using your Word Processor‘s Track Changes function, you’re missing out on one of the best writing tools of the digital age. The good news: it’s quick and easy to learn. This video tutorial will show you how. … More ☛
This article explains how to produce and market a professional quality audiobook using Amazon ACX. Through ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange), I was able to audition voiceover talent, choose a professional producer, review the work in progress, and make my audiobook … More ☛
A few years ago, I attended a nonfiction–writing workshop where I was told by the instructor that to qualify as nonfiction, a work must adhere as strictly to truth as possible. But such an edict rests on the naïve assumption … More ☛
How can speakers, indie writers, and self-publishers use a blog to build a platform? This article explains how to publish online content to build community around your books. Build a Platform: Set up Your Blog A blog (short for web … More ☛
Few subjects arouse more passion among writers and designers than the debate over how many spaces should follow a period. If you adhere to a style manual, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one that doesn’t specify a single-space. Chicago and … More ☛
What do you think a professional editor‘s pay scale should be? Assume that a proofreader would be at the bottom of the scale and a developmental/line editor would be at the top. An examination of the work editors perform sheds … More ☛
I recently published a post about the difference between vanity publishing and true self-publishing. Fundamentally, the article defines a publisher as “someone who takes the risk on a book.” Vanity Presses represent themselves as publishers and accept royalties while the … More ☛
One question that loops endlessly on writers’ forums is “How can I sell more books?” The question is a natural one, but for many self-publishers, it betrays a certain lack of awareness about the publishing business. Lest I sound holier … More ☛
The word processor has placed new burdens on writers to understand how to use italics, big and small capitals, dashes, hyphens, initials, etc. Writers who do their own typesetting often produce mediocre results. Likewise, trade publishers sacrifice typographic aesthetics when … More ☛
NITIAL CAPITALS have historical roots in the early days of book design; their use predates the printing press and the invention of moveable type. Today’s initial caps are not as fancy as those carefully rendered in gold leaf in ancient … More ☛
Thesis writing is one of the purest forms of self-publishing. In my work as a professor, I regularly encountered students who got “stuck” while writing their thesis papers. A good framework for developing, presenting and supporting a well-developed thesis reveals … More ☛
If you’re hoping to have mainstream bookstore distribution, using a Vanity Press may present some obstacles. Book buyers will likely tell you, “your book may be excellent, but you’re using a Vanity Publisher and the vast majority of their books … More ☛
Syncrisis is a rhetorical device that involves reframing an argument by redefining it. Unlike a “straw man” argument, which misrepresents an opponent’s position, syncrisis allows for direct comparison and reevaluation. It’s a comparison of opposites. “It’s not about spending more; … More ☛
Tone in writing and speaking refers to the attitude or approach that the author or speaker takes toward the subject and the audience. Tone can be formal, informal, serious, comic, sarcastic, sad, or cheerful, and it plays a crucial role … More ☛
Transcript Dave Bricker (00:06) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by Speakipedia .com. I’m your emcee Dave Bricker, bringing you straight talk and smart strategies from … More ☛
Transcript Dave Bricker (00:06) Want to expand your speaking and storytelling skills and grow your influence business? This is Speakipedia Media brought to you by speakipedia .com. I’m your MC Dave Bricker bringing you straight talk and smart strategies … More ☛
When you’re asked to argue in favor of a position, your opponent may counter with the absolutist position: Let’s say the debate topic is whether or not ANY and ALL subjects should be allowable in high school debate competitions. Your … More ☛
Whether you’re debating alone or on a team, the way you treat your opponents will affect your credibility. When asserting the superiority of your arguments, it can be tempting to denigrate the other team: My opponents are clearly ignorant of … More ☛
Dialogue… So many speakers miss this fantastic opportunity to engage the audience. When it’s time for dialogue, they narrate it. My wife walked in and she asked if I’d pick up some groceries on the way home from work. I … More ☛
It’s pitch day and five big construction contractors show up, each of them hoping to convince the university that they should be the ones to build the new STEM building. One by one, each contractor drags the selection committee through … More ☛
I watched a speaker disperse the audience into discussion groups of four people … And then struggle to get them to stop talking and return their focus to the stage. The exercise was a success—the audience got caught up in … More ☛
Over the years I’ve spent speaking, I’ve developed special ways to explain a variety of concepts. I’ve written books, created beautiful slides, and shared a number of workshops. But as clearly as I’ve mapped out my messages, I’ve discovered only … More ☛
“Storytelling…? I don’t know.” A troubled look flashed across Sally’s face. “You’ll have a hard time selling me on your topic. Last year’s speaker was a dud. I need to deliver some wow-factor this year or I might not be … More ☛
Use storytelling for problem-solving. Think about the various stories involved in a conflict and plot a course for resolution. Seen through the StorySailing™ spyglass, a story is analogous to the voyage of a sailboat across the rocky, stormy seas of … More ☛
Great storytellers are masters of time and tempo. What is this mysterious thing called “time?” Does it flow at the same speed for everyone? If we encounter a life-threatening situation, time is a stream of cold honey. If we’re nervous … More ☛
