Twice each month, Six Minutes weekend reviews bring you the best public speaking articles from throughout the public speaking blogosphere.

Please share them with anyone you feel would benefit from the tips and techniques.

This review features topics including:

• recently released public speaking books;
• storytelling and details;
• remedies for voice malfunctions;
• handling hecklers;
• thanking the audience;
• cartoons in presentations;
• rehearsal strategies;
• a speech critique of Sir Ken Robinson;
• and more!

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Have you ever fainted in mid-sentence?

Have you ever shown up for a 1-hour seminar only to be told you had to give it eight times in a row?

Have you ever had your blouse pop open while speaking?

These were just a few of the confessions shared by Six Minutes readers in our contest to win a copy of Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun.

Thank you to everyone who participated. The responses are collectively funny, surprising, and educational. A few of the most shocking confessions and the most valuable insights are featured below. Click here to read all of them back at the original contest article.

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Is your audience listening even before you speak your first words?

Do they have high expectations?

Are they prepared to be convinced by what you have to say?

If not, you are suffering from poor ethos.

The first article in the Ethos, Pathos, and Logos series introduced these core concepts for speakers.

In this article, we define ethos, we look at ways that an audience measures your ethos, and we examine why it is so critical for a successful speech.

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Last week, we reviewed Scott Berkun’s latest book, Confessions of a Public Speaker.

I asked Sara Peyton over at O’Reilly (the book publisher) for a few copies for Six Minutes readers, and she kindly agreed.

Now, you can win one of three copies by sharing your own public speaking confessions!

• What speaking lesson did you learn the hard way?
• What was your most embarrassing speaking experience?
• What secret speaking techniques do you use?

[Another reason to celebrate? This marks the 200th article at Six Minutes. Yippee!]

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2300 years ago, Aristotle wrote down the secret to being a persuasive speaker, the secret which forms the basis for nearly every public speaking book written since then.

Do you know the secret?

If you don’t, you might be wondering what a 2300-year-old theory has to do with public speaking in the year 2010.

In a word — everything!

In this article, you’ll learn what ethos, pathos, and logos are (the secret!), and what every speaker needs to understand about these three pillars of public speaking.

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Confessions of a Public Speaker is a highly entertaining and insightful insider’s view of public speaking, with value for speakers of all levels.

This article is the latest of a series of public speaking book reviews here on Six Minutes.

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Six Minutes weekend reviews are back for a third year of bringing you the best public speaking articles from throughout the public speaking blogosphere.

This review features topics including:

• speechwriting lessons from Martin Luther King Jr.;
• structuring your presentation logically;
• becoming aware of your voice;
• benefits of a flip chart;
• mistakes with visuals;
• speaker habits;
• stages in a professional speaking career;
• and more!

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Imagine… you are the speaker that people want. They crave your expertise, and they are willing to pay you for it.

A dream? Not if you understand how to brand yourself as an expert, one of the steps to becoming a speaker in demand.

In this article, we tap into the wisdom of five experts from the fields of branding and public speaking. They discuss the importance of personal branding, and they offer advice about specific tools you can use to shape your personal brand.

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Everyone breathes. It’s one of the most natural things we do.

However, if you ask singers to name the most important part of vocal technique, 9 out of 10 will say “breathing.”

So, is there some special way to breathe that makes your voice better?  Yes!

In this article, we explore breathing as it relates to vocal variety as a speaker. I’ll provide you an easy to follow technique, as well as tips to improve your voice through better use of air.

The results of applying these tips will be more Power, better Pacing, more interesting Pitch and more effective Pauses in your speaking.

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Universal Principles of Design is a valuable resource for anyone who designs anything, including speeches and presentations

This article is the latest of a series of public speaking book reviews here on Six Minutes.

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The Six Minutes reader survey results are in.

Thanks to everyone who was able to participate. Your feedback is valuable as it helps us plan Six Minutes articles for the future.

Based on the success of this survey, we plan to conduct more frequent surveys to formally solicit feedback from you.

Your informal feedback is welcome anytime. If you have questions or comments about anything on Six Minutes, please contact us.

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