Jeff Moden (12/15/2010)

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...it's going to take about 4 hours (or more) of preparation time for each hour you're on the podium. If you have working code examples, it may take you 10 or 20 hours of preparation per hour on the podium to actually do it right....

And, yes... do get some podium time in front of your local user group. It's a great way to get started.

Jeff Moden (12/15/2010)Having some jitters is not a bad thing. Shaking uncontrolably is a bad thing... especially if you've had lots of water to drink.

I was a Navy instructor and was qualified to teach and did, infact, taught all hours of a 26 week 8 hour a day course (1040 hours altogether). I also wrote and taught a 200 hour course on microprocessors and troubleshooting digital interfaces before Bill Gates could spell CPM. I found that the attention span of most folks was limited to about 50 minutes which was perfect... at the top of each hour, I called a 10 minute break and broke the antlers off of anyone that didn't return on time. Since we were all heavy coffee drinkers, the only problem any of us had (I usually had about 30 people in each class) was standing in line for a chance to fully process the coffee.

I taught at that pace for about 2 years. The jitters go away after you've done 3 things... get a little podium time behind you, review the "movie" you made of yourself so you can get rid of your speaking "tics" and shortfalls, and be very well prepared as the subject matter expert. Keep in mind that if it's a new subject for you and you don't have lesson plans, it's going to take about 4 hours (or more) of preparation time for each hour you're on the podium. If you have working code examples, it may take you 10 or 20 hours of preparation per hour on the podium to actually do it right.

I used to do double duty in the Navy... After teaching for 8 hours, I'd have a quick dinner and then study the lesson plans for the next day for about another 8 hours that day. Walking into the classroom the next day knowing full well that no one was going to be able to pin me to the wall with a question really helped the jitters go away.

And, yes... do get some podium time in front of your local user group. It's a great way to get started.

Grant Fritchey (12/16/2010)

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It's going to sound funny when I say this, but the sore throat must have something to do with how you speak. I really don't do anything in particular to prep and I've only had a sore throat once or twice, and I know, one of those was because I caught some disease or other. Possibly you were tense and the tension went into your throat. Make a conscious effort to speak more slowly and possibly a little more quietly. You'll have to experiment.

If you can, volunteer for cub scouts. If you can yell over the top of 60 screaming 8-10 y.o. boys, presenting is easy.

As to the adrenalin, I like it. I prefer it. I'm pretty nervous before every presentation. Usually, I'll shadow-box a bit before hand. It pumps me up a bit, but more importantly, it forces me to breathe correctly, so I'm less likely to (notice I didn't say I wouldn't) gasp my way through the presentation because of my excitement.

As to the bladder, it's a race-horse thing. I always have to go about 90 seconds before the presentation starts. First time I presented at the PASS Summit, it was bit of a gamble, because they didn't know me, so a board member was in the room. When I ran out, right before the start, he thought I was going to puke from nervousness, but I just had to prep for the race, if you get my drift.

Brandie Tarvin (12/16/2010)

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The key to keeping your throat from getting sore is to not swallow that stupid frog in the first place!