Comments on: Good Talker Doesn’t Equal Good Writer

By: jesse dziedzic

jesse dziedzic — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:52:52 +0000

I couldnt agree with you more!!!

By: Jean

Jean — Mon, 23 May 2011 05:26:02 +0000

My experience has been as a storyteller and speaker that I am unable to write as well as I speak. When I am speaking before a crowd something magical happens: colorful phrases just flow out of my mouth without any premeditation. Once when I was a puppy Toastmaster I entered a contest, which I didn’t want to enter, and consequently the day of the speech did not have a speech. Walking the floor and wringing my hands did nothing to bring a speech up from the depths of the well of good speeches. Or the well was empty. I wanted to call in sick, but I had made a commitment. So, I went. I knew I was not going to win, so I asked God to give me a beginning and ending sentence and to let me speak with passion from my heart. I didn’t even have a title! And they had the nerve to ask for the title of my speech about three minutes before the actual contest started. So, I blurted out a title: “From the Heart.”

With great passion I told them why I didn’t want to make a speech and why I didn’t want all the honorable judges and governors to think I was ignorant. It just came flowing out … my passion and colorful expressions combining to make a point – that what mattered if you wanted a good speech or story was not the ability to have perfect diction, nor to have good gestures, nor to wear the proper dress and shoes (one of the things by which the judges graded the speakers), but it was to forget all the physical stuff and speak with passion from you heart!

I won the contest! I was astonished as I was up against veteran contest winners. But the thing that amazed me the most was that after the contest many people came up and said they loved the colorful phrases I used. I didn’t understand. So, they repeated some of the phrases for me that they thought were especially wonderful. I had never heard them before. I didn’t remember saying them either. Didn’t have a clue where they came from, but they had come from deep down inside me, from that passionate place into my speech.

The other scary thing was that I was told I would have to do the speech again in two weeks at the next level. How could I do that? It wasn’t a prepared speech and apparently I didn’t even know what I was saying, because I was told I had said these wonderful words. With lots of prayer and talking to people about what I had said I was able to reconstruct it for the next level. I won there too. Where I failed to win was when I became so concerned about winning, not wanting to let down my club, that I let fear overcome my passion.

For a sample of my writing, here are some blogs: http://www.thepassionateheart.wordpress.com

I also read your essay on how to become a writer. I loved it! But I think I’m too old to go to college … way past the 47 year mark.

By: John Shore

John Shore — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 02:49:54 +0000

Nice job, Alex.

By: Alex Altorfer

Alex Altorfer — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 20:40:56 +0000

Interesting. I think this shows the importance of small talk as a social lubricant. I suspect people who have a hard time maintaining a social life – you know, “nerds” – read a lot and also talk as if they were reading or writing, giving others the impression that they are “conversational nazis”. By being too objective and encyclopedic in their conversations, nerds shun potential friends. Yes, relativism is important in our speech.

By: Beth Luwandi

Beth Luwandi — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 05:31:15 +0000

This explains a lot about me and the work environment! Aha!
Totally agree! And I’m having fun following old links to good insights!
Thanks

By: Conversationally Controlling « Significana

Conversationally Controlling « Significana — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:50:01 +0000

[...] Back in January, John Shore wrote about the difference between talking and writing. I had to agree. It also got me thinking about how this relates to my ex-wife’s [...]

By: Wahid

Wahid — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 03:08:20 +0000

Hey Kaz

I am interested in field work in Kazakhstan. I am a doctoral student studying epic and community development. I am right now in Kabul, Afghanistan and I would like to travel to Almaty in June for one week at the most. Any tips would be very much appreciated.

By: John Shore

John Shore — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:20:17 +0000

Too perfect. I’m on it.

By: Kazakhnomad

Kazakhnomad — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:39:37 +0000

The name of the institution is: Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics and Strategic Research. Yes, it is in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Thanks for whatever you write up, I’m looking forward to reading it and eventually deciminating to my Kazakhstani students.

By: Kath

Kath — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 09:50:30 +0000

Hey John,

Your response in reaching out to these Kazah students is pretty great — and, wow, the power of the Internet for doing good in the world!!

-Kath