How To Give A Good Introduction

Members of Netwest are often asked to introduce other writers at the John C. Campbell Folk School, at Coffee with the Poets, other readings and meetings. Today while listening to a podcast on how to introduce a speaker, I learned some new things. I also learned what I’ve been doing correctly, but plan to be more vigilant when making an introduction.

First the speaker should write his own introduction. It should not contain a resume of the person’s life, all of his publications, his successes and all his awards. The introductory speech of about one or two minutes at the most, should only contain information about the speaker that relates to his subject and to this particular audience. If the person is going to talk about Self-Publishing, the introduction should center on his experience with Self-publishing, not his Senior Games Gold Medal for photography, unless he has published a photography book.

When we introduce someone we should be sure to give the speaker’s full name, his position and the name of his topic or at least indicate the subject of the topic.
Secondly, the person introducing should explain why this person was chosen to speak to this audience on this topic. We want to convince the audience that our guest speaker is qualified. For example, when I introduced Scott Owens, the poet, I talked about the number of books he had published. I mentioned how I first read his poems in an online journal and how impressed I was with his book, Paternity.

When we are asked to introduce a speaker, it is our responsibility to build his credibility with those who will be listening. We want to excite the crowd; make them anxious to hear this man speak. If we can, it is good to give our personal impression of him. Most important of all, we should not appear to read every word right off the page. We might ask the speaker to make a bulleted list of the topics he wants covered in the intro, and then we can put it into our words. Sometimes the speaker wants his intro given word for word as he wrote it. If that is so, we should follow his wishes.

The very last part of the introduction is as important as the beginning. Welcome the speaker to the stage by giving the title of his presentation and then his name, spoken more slowly, so that all will hear it and hopefully remember it. An example is, “Now to speak to us on the New World of Publishing, welcome James T. Gardner.”
Give his name last, unless the topic is more important than the person giving the talk. Then we might say, “Welcome James T. Gardner, who will speak on “The New World of Publishing.”

One last tip. Stay on stage until the speaker comes and begins, then quietly walk off so there is no break in the attention of the audience. We don’t want the audience looking at us walk off stage while the speaker is coming to the lectern. We want the audience to stay focused on the spot where the speaker will be standing.

Do you have any other tips on this subject? Let us know what you think.

Glenda C. Beall is a writer, poet and teacher living in Hayesville, NC. Her poetry book, Now Might as Well be Then, was published by Finishing Line Press, 2009
She is director of Writers Circle, classes on writing held at her studio in Hayesville. She serves as the NCWN West Clay County Representative.