How to Make a Book Presentation: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you preparing to give a book presentation whether you’re a student or an aspiring author, delivering an engaging book presentation is a crucial skill. to help you ace your next presentation, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide filled with tips and tricks. let’s get started.

How to Make a Book Presentation: A Comprehensive Guide

What is a book presentation?

A book presentation is an opportunity to introduce and discuss a specific book to an audience. It involves summarizing the plot, discussing the main themes, and sharing your personal insights. Whether you’re presenting for academic purposes or promoting your own book, a well-organized and captivating book presentation can leave a lasting impression.

Step 1: Choose the right book

The first step in making a book presentation is selecting the right book. Consider your audience, the purpose of the presentation, and your own interests. Choose a book that aligns with these factors to ensure you’ll be motivated and passionate throughout the process.

Step 2: Read and analyze the book

Before you can effectively present a book, you need to thoroughly read and analyze it. Take notes on important plot points, characters, themes, and any significant literary devices used. This will help you provide a comprehensive overview in your presentation.

Step 3: Create an outline

An outline acts as the backbone of your book presentation. It helps you organize your thoughts and ensures a logical flow of information. Divide your presentation into sections such as introduction, plot summary, themes, characters, and your personal analysis. This will make it easier for your audience to follow along.

Step 4: Prepare visuals

Visual aids can greatly enhance your book presentation. Consider creating slides or posters that include images, quotations, and key points from the book. These visuals will not only engage your audience but also help you remember important details during the presentation.

Step 5: Practice, practice, practice

Delivering a polished book presentation requires practice. Familiarize yourself with the content, timing, and transitions. Practice in front of a mirror or record yourself to evaluate your body language, voice modulation, and overall presentation style.

Step 6: Engage your audience

An effective book presentation involves active audience engagement. Encourage questions and discussions throughout your presentation. You can also include interactive activities like quizzes or group discussions to make it more dynamic and interactive.

Step 7: Be confident and enthusiastic

Confidence and enthusiasm are key to delivering a successful book presentation. Stand tall, make eye contact, and use a clear and confident voice. Let your passion for the book shine through, and your audience will be captivated by your presentation.

Step 8: Conclude with a call to action

Wrap up your book presentation with a strong conclusion and a call to action. This can be recommending the book, encouraging further exploration of the author’s works, or even inviting your audience to contribute to a related cause. End on a memorable note that leaves your audience excited to explore the book further.

By following these steps, you’ll be well-prepared to deliver an engaging and memorable book presentation. Remember to personalize your approach and connect with your audience on a meaningful level. Good luck with your presentation and happy reading!

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Nicholas C. Rossis

Nicholas C. Rossis

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7 Tips to Write a Killer Book Presentation

Jul 11, 2020 | Marketing , My friends' Guest Posts

Daniela McVicker | From the blog of Nicholas C. Rossis, author of science fiction, the Pearseus epic fantasy series and children's books

Sometimes, a book you have written draws enough attention that you are asked to speak about it to an audience. You may be asked to present as a subject expert, talk about your material at a conference or convention, present at a book fair , or give a quick presentation as part of a book signing.

As they say, more people are afraid of public speaking than of death. Which means that most people would prefer being in a casket than giving the obituary.

And now, you’re going to be in front of an audience discussing your written work. For many writers, this is a daunting task, to put it mildly.

Fear of public speaking | From the blog of Nicholas C. Rossis, author of science fiction, the Pearseus epic fantasy series and children's books

What public speaking feels like for most people

Still, with a bit of planning your presentation can be impactful and successful. In fact, as you prepare to make your presentation, you may find that your writing skills are quite useful. You can leverage those skills by following these seven tips to write a killer book presentation.

1. Use Your Storytelling Skills

The people attending your presentation want to know the story behind your book. What motivated you to write it? What was the inspiration behind the characters? Is the book inspired by real-life events? Is there a specific message you are trying to send? How do you go about writing?

That’s a lot of great information to share, but if you give your audience a laundry list of factoids about your book and writing, you’ll likely bore them to tears. Instead, use your writing skills to tell the story of the book . Weave in the most important details in a way that keeps your audience engaged.

Oh, and if you have an upcoming book that’s related to your current one? Weave a bit of a teaser for your new book into your presentation.

2. Add Visuals

Every good presentation has visuals. First, you’ll add an interesting element to your presentation. Visuals make your presentation more engaging . You’ll keep the interest of the visual learners in your audience, and better illustrate the points you are making.

3. Learn About Your Audience

Before you prepare your presentation, consider your audience . First, who are they? What is their demographic? Why are they coming to see you? Is there a particular message you are expected to communicate with them? Are there any questions that you should plan on answering in your presentation? What is it that you want them to take away from the event?

Remember that no presentation should be an exercise in self-indulgence . Your goal should be to meet your audience’s needs by giving them the presentation they are interested in listening to.

4. Write a Presentation That Matches Your Personality

Here’s a bit of a conundrum. You want to cater to your audience, as mentioned above. On the other hand, you also want to be genuine. Your content should interest your audience, but you shouldn’t have to put on a mask to do that .

As a writer, you have your own unique personality. You have a unique voice. Remember, you are presenting yourself. There’s no need to put on a fake persona to do your presentation . This is true, even if your presentation style seems to contradict with the personality of your book.

Instead, consider carefully your personality and demeanor. Then, write a presentation where your true self is an asset to that presentation rather than a distractor. Believe it or not, many seasoned writers find this a challenge. You may need the assistance of a professional editor and proofreader to help you present your true voice. Before you select a professional to help you, though, take a look at online editing services reviews so you make the right choice.

If your personality is a bit on the introverted side, delivering a presentation may feel intimidating. However, it may be easier than you realize. There’s something comfortable about immersing yourself into something you know better than anybody else. You have mastered your own written work. Nobody can interpret it or tell the story behind it as you can. Those facts alone may be enough to help you feel comfortable giving a presentation.

5. Use Action Words

You already know that small changes in your writing can change its impact significantly. For example, it’s more impactful to use a strong verb than an adverb. That’s why the sentence, “He ran out the door very quickly” is not half as effective as, “He bolted out the door.” It’s also why words like victorious, enraged, devastated, embittered, and bubbly help readers visualize your story better than happy, sad, or angry.

The same concept applies to your presentation . Choose verbs over adverbs almost every time you can. Rethink your adjectives. When possible, choose words that most closely describe the moment. Avoid adjectives that can be applied generically to a wide range of situations. For example, the word “happy” could be used to describe somebody who found out that can green beans are on sale. It can also be used to describe somebody who just witnessed the birth of their first child. In the second example, however, the word happy is just insipid.

Finally, use the present tense whenever possible as you write your presentation. When you describe what happens in your book, you want your audience to be in the moment. One rule of thumb to follow is that, if it happened in the present tense in the book, it should happen in the present tense in your presentation.

6. Get Inspiration From Great Presenters And Authors

You won’t be the first author to stand in front of a group for a presentation or question-and-answer session. Many people have done this before. That’s a good thing because you have a wealth of examples to draw from for inspiration. One of the best ways to prepare for your presentation is to watch similar presentations from other authors. The goal isn’t to copy what you see. Instead, it’s to look for elements that make each presentation more engaging and allow the presenter to make an emotional connection with the audience.

Here, the key is choosing the right authors to emulate. As you look for author presentations for inspiration, focus on authors who write in the same genre as you, appeal to a similar demographic, and have a personal style similar to yours.

Once you find presentations to review, take notes. Pay attention to body language, use of words, and tone of voice. Make a note of the most memorable things the author says, and where the audience appears to be most interested.

Finally, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be as polished and perfect as the presenters you see. Many of them have years of experience in presenting their books in a variety of formats across a variety of media channels. It will take time and practice for you to get to that level. In the meantime, the folks coming to see you are already interested in your book and in what you have to say.

7. Be Prepared For Questions

Most book presentations are going to contain some sort of audience participation. Keep this in mind when you write your presentation. How are you going to approach this?

One option is to make a list of questions you believe the audience is likely to have for you. If you think you’re going to be nervous, it could be helpful for you to plan your answers ahead of time.

If your idea of interacting with the audience isn’t so intimidating for you, there are some things you can do to increase that interaction. First, consider leaving a few things out of your presentation. Chances are, at least one curious member of your audience will bring up the point and ask about it. You can then use this as a jumping point to cover that ground.

You can also use a question and answer session as a bit of an intermission. Rather than putting off all audience questions until the end, ask for questions in the middle of your presentation . It could break things up nicely.

Finally, you can turn the tables a bit. Ask your audience questions . What is their favorite plot point? How does the book relate to their lives? Who is their favorite character?

Final Thoughts

It is quite an honor to be asked to give a presentation about your book. This is a great way to let your current readership get to know more about you and your process. You may also be able to increase your reading audience.

At the same time, this can absolutely be a daunting process. Fortunately, you can help yourself immensely with a bit of planning and preparation.

The tips above will help you write a presentation that is engaging and allows you to be yourself. Follow the suggestions above, and your audience will enjoy your presentation thoroughly!

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I am preparing a book presentation!!!

A book presentation and this is very helpful!

Nicholas C. Rossis

Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it!

Yasmin

Thank you, I am preparing a book presentation and this is very helpful!

Yay! I’m so glad you found it useful 😀

John Maberry

Excellent tips. I’m not afraid of audiences–but that doesn’t mean I can’t do better with them!

I know what you mean. I’m used to public speaking but even so appreciate a few tips!

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How to make a book presentation

When it comes to promoting and selling your publication, book presentations play a major part. Are you interested in finding more about how to create a well-structured presentation ? Luckily, you landed on the right page. This article helps you understand the process behind making a successful presentation in Flipsnack. Just keep in mind the next steps we’re going to debate and enjoy the process. So, to cut a long story short here are 5 useful tips on how to make a book presentation:

  • Select a book. Decide on what book you want to make a presentation .
  • Collect information. Make a research about the author’s biography, reviews, and other books.
  • Start designing the page layouts. Flipsnack offers a fantastic online editor.
  • Add interactive elements. Integrate video, captions, hyperlinks, and other interactive elements in your design.
  • Download or publish it online. Display your book presentation publicly or private.

I was recently asked to design a book promo in both Indesign and Flipsnack, to show publishers how well Flipsnack works for them. I chose one of my favorite authors, Donald Miller.

About Donald Miller

This book presentation is focused on the work of Donald Miller, who usually writes about his life experience and his struggles, in a friendly way. His stories inspire people to fall in love with life and to live it at the highest level. He is better known for the New York Times Best Sellers: “Blue like Jazz”, “Million Miles in a Thousand Years”, but he’s written many other great books. I encourage you to read them.

His most recent publication is Scary Close, and it is the main focus of my book presentation .

Below you can see what I designed.

Because I like how the project turned out, I thought I should give you some tips on how you can make similar book promos.

Using Flipsnack for a book presentation

Flipsnack is a complex tool for creating brochures, newspapers, magazines, and books. Whether you are a professional designer or a high schooler the process of ‘“ how to make a book presentation”  has never been easier. You just have to select a template or create the presentation from scratch, choose the page layouts, to arrange the text and images on the page, add the photos and make it a flipbook . Then publish it and share it on social media or via email with your wide audience. With the help of Flipsnack you’ll be an expert at designing fabulous academic presentations in no time.

What should a book presentation contain?

There is some important information that every book catalog or book promo should contain.  It should present some interesting info that will entice the reader to buy the book. The content shouldn’t be too long or too short. Here are some ideas of what could be included in a book promo:

  • Book presentation
  • Main characters description
  • Other books
  • Interview with the author

Conclude the presentation with a closing paragraph sharing the most important lessons learned from the book and what you consider the most important message that you drew out from it.

Nowadays visual marketing is very important, so try to turn your book presentation into something beautiful, fascinating, with a design that matches the writer’s style.

How to integrate interactive elements in your design

When you design a publication in Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. reserve some white space for the interactive elements. Make interactivity a part of your design, and you’ll be surprised of what a big improvement it will bring to your project.

These text blurbs are great for highlighting quotes, for additional information, or for short descriptions. I used captions in the biography section to add some information about Donald Miller’s photos.

What is so great about captions is that you can use them to bring more color and contrast to your designs. Captions will also help you save space, by not revealing all text at once. This way, your design will have room to breathe.

Readers will love to click on captions to see what they reveal. The caption has that element of surprise, that we all love.     

caption

For the book presentation I chose a video tag, through which readers can watch an interview with Miller about his new book “Scary Close”. Tags are a great tool for adding videos or images to a design, because they are small and you can place them anywhere on the page. Just like captions, you can use them to de-clutter a design, prevent visual noise, while keeping all the needed information on the page. To catch the readers’ eyes, tags use a subtle blinking effect.

tags

“Buy This” Button

If you’re showcasing other books of the author you should make it easy for readers to buy them. You can do that by just adding some buy buttons . Insert the Amazon URL, (or any other URL for that matter) and with just one click the user will be able to buy it.

Buy buttons are very easy to use and they are very practical. They can help you sell, and that is the ultimate goal of any book catalog or book presentation.  

buy_button

Video Widget

After you read some paragraphs of an interview you probably become curious about how the writer would say those things. You don’t have to search for videos on Youtube, because with the video widget you can have it play right there on your page. You just have to reserve some space in your design for this. You will not regret it.

videowidget

This is how you can use Flipsnack to create a digital book or interactive experience for readers, which will make them interested in buying the book. Also if you are searching for a platform with a good reputation to sell your work, Flipsnack is the right place for you. Now you can sell and publish your publication in no time. The first step when setting your work for sale is to connect your Flipsnack account with Stripe. The second step is to set a price for the publication. Usually, the price of a digital magazine varies between $3 – $6, depending on the page number of the publication and then c hoose the right preview pages. Make sure the pages included in your preview edition share enough information, so your readers are attracted to purchase it.

After you set your publication for sale, you can find the statistics in the Stats section in your account. With the help of Flipsnack reaching readers from all over the globe has never been easier! Learn more about how to sell your digital magazines here!

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Preparing Your Book Presentation: A Step-by-Step Guide for New Authors

what to include in a presentation about a book

The days of writing custom works and hearing phrases like “ do my essay for free ” are gone – now you are officially a writer and have your book.

The presentation of a book is one of the most awaited moments for authors after publication. After all, it is the launch of a project that has been worked on for a long time, as well as one of the significant milestones for promoting the author’s brand and the title that has just been published.

There are several ways to present a book, and in this post, we will give you the keys that will allow you to learn how to organize the presentation of your book with the best results and creatively. From the simplest to other longer ones, we will guide you in essential aspects such as creating the speech you will say during this whole act, what to wear, and how to raise other fundamental issues for this significant date.

How to choose the place?

Among the places where you can make your online presentation, we recommend sites related to literature: bookstores, libraries, cultural centers… These are some examples that can host this event. Also, remember that these spaces indeed have experience organizing these events so that everything will be much easier.

As we said, these are the most common spaces. But it is also possible to choose other spaces for the presentation of your book, such as a coffee shop or an environment linked to the author (such as his or her workplace). However, we recommend that you make sure that there is a room with the capacity to host this event, with adequate power, and that it allows the public to see without problems.

Making an announcement

Once the space where you will present your book is closed, it is time to let people know that this event will take place. There are several options to communicate this event and gather attendees. Two categories may be interested: journalists and potential readers.

To attract the former, you must use press releases or calls to the media to warn them. The writing of this document can be done by the publisher with whom you have published it. If you take on this mission, remember that the call for journalists has geographical restrictions, so it is best to target those who can attend.

Social networks can also be an excellent channel to capture the attention of potential attendees, especially readers who may be interested in the book. On the one hand, there are organic publications: post announcing the place and the event and launch it from your profile, go to Facebook groups related to literature, and ask your publisher to create the corresponding publication to notify their followers.

How long should an online presentation last? The answer is: “as long as you want”. Each book is different and responds to its characteristics, and so is the event involving its launching. It is not the same as making a private event in which the discussion can extend for hours and hours as a more “formal” one in which the public is unknown.

It is appropriate that the book presentation, including the information given about the author, the production of the work and the dialogue between the writer and the editor or the chosen presenter, lasts up to 40 minutes. This will keep the public’s attention and avoid absences at the end of the event (the moment dedicated to the purchase and signing of copies).

Likewise, it is customary that after the presentation of the work, a question-and-answer session is opened so that attendees can share their doubts with the author. Ideally, this should last between 10 and 15 minutes to not delay the event’s closing.

Taking care of the details

The details make the difference, which is also evident in the presentation of a book—for example, the catering you hire. Depending on the time of day, you can choose between a sweeter snack, including coffee and cakes, or something savorier (focused as a snack that gives way to a more substantial meal). But, thanks to this, you will make people more comfortable for the final phase of this event.

It is also a good idea to know the environment where you will make the presentation so that you can dress in colors similar to this place’s. Also, about the wardrobe, you should know what type of event you want to perform (if it is something more private or public-facing) and choose something more elegant or home.

On the other hand, you can also consider further details for the presentation of the book, such as the presence of music to liven up the waiting of the attendees. At the same time, it begins and ends when the capacity is completed, as well as in the readings of some fragments. In any case, you should coordinate with the space where the event will take place to test the sound equipment.

The presentation

Now it is time to know how to structure the presentation of your book and the aspects you should be very clear about before starting. First of all, unless you are a magician of improvisation, it is better to have an outline of what you will talk about that day, even a speech.

The usual structure of a book presentation is greetings from the presenter, information about the author, information about the book , and an interview in which the most critical aspects of the title are highlighted. After all this, a question-and-answer session with the audience’s participation follows.

Regarding the structure of the presentation, we recommend that you consider those aspects of your book that you want to be highlighted and that must be included in this act.

And most importantly, be yourself and enjoy. After long hours of work on the book, it’s time to reap the rewards!

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Question: What are the best ways to present a book at a reading or book club?

In-person events continue to be one of the most effective ways authors can reach readers because readers love meeting authors face-to-face. These events give authors the opportunity to discuss and share their work, interact with fans, and create meaningful, long-lasting connections. And, of course, sell more books!

If you are considering adding events such as book signings, speaking engagements, or book club visits to your marketing strategy, here are six steps you can follow to ensure you have a successful event :

1. Know your audience and event format

The length, venue, and expected attendance can all greatly affect an event plan, as can the age and interests of the attendees. For example, a discussion with a small group at a local library or book club meeting is much less formal than a presentation in a ballroom at a large conference. And, the energy level of a presentation to school children is vastly different from one given to a professional organization.

Make sure you have a good contact for the event that can answer any questions and help guide you on the details and expectations. You’ll want to try and get at least 20 minutes of time for your presentation, but no more than an hour. You’ll also want to understand if the event is private and limited to select invitees only, or if it is open to the public.

2. Understand live reading best practices

If the event format allows for a live reading from your book , we recommend keeping it short – 6 to 10 minutes max. This is typically around one-thousand words or less. For fiction and memoir authors, you’ll want to focus on a faster-paced, compelling scene that doesn’t require too much explanation or backstory. The more conflict in the scene, the more gripping the excerpt will be for your audience.

Nonfiction authors should find a passage that demonstrates your expertise on the book’s topics, or solutions you present in the book. If you’re sharing a book of poetry, choose only a few of your favorite poems to read.

Be sure to read loudly and clearly, using your voice to express the tone and emotion of the scene or content, and your eyes to connect with your audience. If you bury your head in your book and speak in a monotone voice, you will quickly lose the interest of your listeners.

Whether you do your reading at the start of your presentation or after some initial discussion is up to you. Just consider what will flow best, keep the audience engaged, and entice them to buy your book.

3. Make the event interactive

As you’re planning the event schedule, it’s important to research how other authors best utilize the time they are given. Attend author events in your area to observe how attendees respond and take note of what you like and what you would improve.

When invited to speak at an event, it’s your job as the guest presenter to entertain, enlighten, excite, or engage. You can do this by including an interactive portion in your presentation. Ideas to engage the audience include conducting a question and answer session, having someone interview you, or creating a pre-planned discussion guide . If you’re up for a more unique approach, do something that ties to your book’s setting, themes, or characters. Maybe you do a cooking demonstration, dress-up as the villain, or host a game.

For children’s presentations, especially, authors must keep the content fun and entertaining, while also sneaking in some educational takeaways. No matter the audience or venue, your goal should be to create a memorable experience.

4. Plan ahead and practice, practice, practice

Once you know how much time you have for your presentation, create an outline of what you plan to do. Audiences may not know you, so are you going to start with a quick introduction of yourself and your book before doing a reading? How much time will you have for questions or for something interactive?

You’ll also want to understand what type of equipment is being provided to you. Will there be a podium and a microphone? What about a small table to display your book? If you plan to show visuals such as a PowerPoint presentation, will there be a projection screen and laptop hook-up provided? What about a wireless mouse to advance the slides? For some events, you might need to bring your own equipment.

Leading up to the event, it’s important to plan out and practice what you’re going to say during the speaking portions of the presentation. It’s a good idea to also write out answers to commonly asked questions such as, “What inspired your to write this book?” or “How long did it take to write it?” You can practice in front of friends or family that will provide honest feedback, or set up your phone or camera to record yourself on video. Whatever you do, don’t leave the planning and preparation to the last minute! You want to appear professional and ready.

5. Promote the event if you can

After the time and date are set, start building awareness for the event if open to the public. You can use your online presence such as a website and social media pages to promote, or announce the upcoming event in the email newsletter sent to your fans. The POEM Method of Book Marketing is an effective approach when wanting to maximize your promotional efforts.

If you’re speaking at a closed or private event, try to have someone take photos or video footage of you while presenting so that you can use these examples to build your speaking credibility and resume. The more events you do, the more opportunities will come your way.

6. Have book copies readily available

While you don’t want your presentation to feel like a big sales pitch, you definitely want to make it as easy as possible for attendees to purchase a copy of your book . If you’re allowed to bring physical copies to sell, make sure you estimate how many are needed based on the expected attendance. Also consider accepting credit card payments to maximize your sales potential. You can have a mobile card reader on hand to accept credit and debit cards, or be prepared to accept electronic payments through platforms like Venmo, PayPal, and Apple Pay.

In-person events provide a great opportunity to offer signed copies, a special discount, or free swag to your fans. If you’re presenting to a book club that has already purchased copies of your book, offer to sign the physical books, send bookplates, or email a link for a free digital download as a thank-you.

In addition to selling books, be sure to have a way for attendees to sign up for your email newsletter. You can have a physical sign-up sheet available, a tablet with an electronic sign-up, or a takeaway such as a bookmark or postcard with instructions on how to sign up online.

How to do a virtual speaking engagement or book club event

Online events have increased in popularity over the last couple of years. They are a great way to connect with readers around the world , and there are many free video conferencing platforms authors can use. Some of the more popular include Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Skype. Here are some tips for making sure your online event is a success:

•  Be in a quiet, private environment •   Be on time and connect early •   Dress appropriately – wear what you would wear for an in-person meeting; no wild patterns/colors or loud jewelry •   Use a simple, tidy background/backdrop – blank wall, organized bookshelf, etc. •   Test out your camera positioning and audio – use the built-in camera and microphone on your tablet or laptop  •   Turn off all phone ringers and notifications •   Close out of all apps and computer programs that aren’t needed •   Hydrate – keep water handy •   Look at your camera to make eye contact during the presentation •   Sit up straight and remain alert/engaged

No matter the type of event, it’s important to be authentic and in the moment. Public speaking and appearances are amazing opportunities to form personal connections and further spread your messages. Always be sure to thank event organizers for including you and attendees for participating.

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Oral Book Reports: Keys to a Successful Presentation

Rear side of Audiences sitting and listening the speackers on the stage in low light conference hall, event and seminar concept.

So, one of your recent assignments was a report on the book read. Hope you have coped with it successfully. And now, your task is to make an oral presentation.

On the one hand, there seems to be nothing complicated about preparing an oral book report. It is just a public performance based on the task you have already completed.

On the other hand, acting in front of the audience is extremely difficult for some students, which means they run the risk of failing their oral book reports.

If you are one of those students, let us present you some secrets of a successful oral book report. First, we will discuss what an oral book report should consist of.

Format of an oral book report

  • Start with introducing the book to the audience. Give its title, author’s name, date of publication, genre.
  • Pass to the main characters of the book. The following things about the characters should be mentioned: name, gender, age, personality, relations between characters.
  • Now, provide details about the setting in your oral book report. Let us remind you that here you should tell when and where the story described in the book takes place.
  • Explain the conflict of the book. What are major issues? How do characters change throughout the story?

Tips on how to make a successful oral book report

  • You have to be sure in every word of your oral book report. It is impossible if you have not read the book or you do not get it.
  • Make note cards with the most important points to be included into your oral book report. However, do not read from these cards, just look up from time to time.
  • Try to illustrate your oral book report. Find some pictures related to the book or, at least, the writer’s portrait.

Here, you can also read about an oral book report rubric .

  • Grades 6-12
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What Is a Book Talk? A Classroom Guide to Making Them Work

It’s like a sales pitch for a book.

what is a book talk

You want students to read, but students aren’t interested in cracking a spine. The fix: book talks. A book talk is a sales pitch for a book. They sell students on a character, plot, or theme and encourage them to pick up a new title or check out a new author. Here’s everything you need to know about this fun strategy.

What is a book talk?

A book talk is a short presentation about a book that focuses on convincing others to read it. It’s not a formal book report or review. And it’s more persuasive than expository—think sales and marketing. The goal is to engage potential readers and present a fun, exciting, and even suspenseful book commercial. Book talks can focus on one aspect of a book: character, plot, theme, etc. Whatever the reader really loved about the book and thinks will “sell” it to their audience.

anchor chart about how to lead a book talk

Book Talk Examples

We love these examples of how book talks can be used by teachers for students from elementary school through high school. Literally everyone can use a book talk.

Mr. Rigney talks about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

Book talks for teens

Spotlight on Cinder

First grade teacher talks about Elephant and Piggie

Book Talk Benefits

Yes, book talks are fun, but do they work? The short answer is yes, and it’s not just about getting kids to open books.

  • They get kids reading—really reading. To sell their book, students have to know the book and know it well. Their ad will fall flat if they haven’t read the book and can’t talk about it.
  • They get kids sharing reading with others. Reading can be contagious, and book talks are a great way to spread a love of reading throughout your class, one book at a time.
  • They teach note-taking. As students prepare for a book talk, taking notes and using those notes to summarize the story is an important skill they’ll develop.
  • They build presentation skills. The process of reading the book, thinking through how to present it, and practicing are good rehearsal for later presentations.
  • They build listening skills. When students aren’t presenting, they’re listening. The practice of participating in book talks, listening, and asking questions refines students’ listening skills.

How To Choose a Book

The best books for book talks are the ones you like! Help students find a book they want to talk about by:

  • Providing a box of books that are recommended for their grade level, like this list for 4th grade .
  • As you get to know students, slip them a note card with a personalized book recommendation. The personal touch will give them the confidence to know that they can read the book and that it’s a good choice.
  • Provide books by theme, like  Women’s History Month or books about dogs .
  • Start with student interests with books written in first-person and characters that reflect real-world experiences. When students connect with characters, they feel like they’re talking about a friend. Check out this list of diverse titles  for ideas.

anchor chart describing how to give a great book chart using pictures

How To Plan a Book Talk

One: Get a book. Two: Sell it … OK, students need more guidance than that. These nine tips will maximize the book talk format for you or your students:

1. Provide a template

Help students structure a book talk with a template that lets students know that they have all the components of a solid book talk.

2. Don’t give away the ending

Share the story until the climax or a cliff-hanger, and leave students wanting to know what happened next. The exception to this rule may be for a series or book of short stories where incorporating the ending to one story might excite readers about reading more from that author.

3. Jump into the action

Talk about why the book is amazing. Save the author and title until the end to keep the audience wondering, Have I heard of this book?

4. Keep it short

Aim for between 30 seconds and five minutes, depending on your audience.

5. Let your personality shine

Bring your own personality, humor, and voice to the book talk and encourage students to do the same.

6. Prepare while you read

Take notes and place sticky notes at cliff-hangers, quotes, scenes that surprise you, and parts that you connect with.

7. Think about craft

What does the author do to keep you engaged? What will keep a student moving through the story? Are there aspects that the author has mastered, like figurative language or building suspense? Give examples of these to draw readers in.

8. Engage your audience

Ask questions, take a poll, have them guess what will happen next. The author kept you on the edge of your seat, so get your students on the edge of theirs.

9. Practice, practice, practice!

The more students practice, the better they’ll get. Plus, unlike your students, who take your class only once, you can perfect a book talk and give it year after year.

bulletin board with book talks written on it and lists of books

Level Up Book Talks

Already do book talks? Here are some ways to kick it up a notch:

  • Challenge your students to give a book talk about a book they don’t like. Can they convince people that they actually liked the book? Or can they convince people to read a book just to see how bad it really is?
  • Book talk speed dating: Have students create a short book talk and then meet with their peers to try to sell their book in a speed-dating format.
  • Picture-book talks: Challenge older students to hone their presentation skills by having them give a book talk on a  picture book .
  • Peer review: Create a rubric or checklist (like  this one ) and have students give each other feedback.

Come and share your book talk ideas in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

For more articles like this, sign up for our newsletters to find out when they’re posted.

What is a book talk and how can you use them in the classroom? Here's our guide full of examples, tips, and ideas.

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8 Steps to Create a Dynamic Presentation from Your Book by Kirsten Holmberg

Posted by Guest Post | Nov 12, 2020 | Blog , Professional Speaking , PROFESSIONAL SPEAKING - MEMBERS ONLY | 0

8 Steps to Create a Dynamic Presentation from Your Book by Kirsten Holmberg

Yet many authors—having poured their expertise into a robust written work—find the task of crafting speeches from their books daunting. Three common challenges include:

  • Deciding what to put into the speech—because it requires leaving something from the book out.
  • A lack of understanding of how the spoken word differs from the written word—and how to best serve a live audience with the right sentence and talk structure.
  • Discomfort with being “on stage” as a speaker due to a preference for the more solitary work of writing.

To leverage speaking as part of your author platform and book publicity efforts, use these steps to craft and refine a talk based on your book:

  • Know your audience. Ideally, you’ll initiate the process of crafting a talk with a particular audience in mind. If you haven’t yet been invited to speak, think about an event where you’d like to speak. Sketch out what you know about the audience: some general demographics, the purpose of the event, why your subject matter is of interest to them—and their underlying need. Don’t assume the audience is identical to the target audience of your book; identify ways they might be different as well as similar.
  • Review (or create) your annotated table of contents. In light of the audience you’ll be addressing, which chapters would most effectively address their needs? It might only be one chapter and probably won’t be more than three. How does your content need to be adapted in light of any differences between the event audience and your book’s target audience? Don’t be afraid to tailor your content to the group; it shows care and fosters connection, through which your message is best conveyed. If you’re not sure, find someone in your network who is similar to the event’s audience and ask them which chapters would be most helpful. Aim to address a felt need with valuable, actionable information.
  • Distill the selected chapters into their key points. Bulletize the key points instead of excerpting sentences or crafting new ones. Trust that you know your content and can speak to it without a full script. Writers rightly care a great deal about the turn of phrase and often want to write out their talks in full sentences. Yet this approach usually results in the speaker reading their talk instead of engaging the audience in a more conversational way; the latter is a profoundly more effective means of conveying the content. If you opt for a full script, take care to use simple sentence structure and common language: industry jargon and complex sentences are impediments to the audience’s ease of understanding.
  • Structure the content to engage—and re-engage—the audience. They will assume your book is interesting if you and your talk are interesting. Hook them quickly; leverage your skills as a writer build and release tension multiple times during your speech. Leave them will a clear, concrete call to action—a step they can take immediately even if they don’t purchase the book. Aim to provide value and maintain a posture of service.
  • Give the audience a gift. Share with them something you’ve learned since the book was published or give them a glimpse from behind the scenes of your book. Reward them for being part of the event by imparting some “insider information” they can’t get from the book. Consider addressing common questions that arise from the book content or sharing reactions from readers.
  • Be human. You’re the subject-matter expert and the audience needs your knowledge. But they also want you to be human. Establish common ground; show them—within the first few minutes—that you understand their needs because you have similar needs. Be willing to share some relevant faults or failings for the sake of conveying empathy for the shared human experience as it relates to your content.
  • Visualize your content. Audiences today are accustomed to visual accompaniment, most often in the form of slides. And slides really should be visual , not merely a list of words to prompt the speaker what to say. As wordsmiths, creating slides may not be a natural strength. Spend the time and energy to craft quality slides; involve friends with complementary skill sets or hire a designer if you lack the skills to do it well. Just as in writing, take care to avoid visual clichés. Check out com for symbols and images. Leverage pictures or graphics from your book where appropriate.
  • Refine the delivery. Your book represents you: your expertise, your thoughts, your story. But when you’re on stage, you represent your book. Merely knowing your subject matter isn’t sufficient for giving a great talk; you need to deliver it in a fashion that is clear, confident, and compelling. Audiences will determine whether they find you (and your book) credible in large part based on how well you present yourself. Plan to practice your speech daily, videotaping yourself several times and taking the time to review and evaluate the footage to identify areas needing improvement (this free rubric is a helpful guide for doing so).

Speaking is an essential component of a successful author platform, driving book sales and increasing visibility in the publishing world.

You’ve written the book you know the world needs; now use your voice to share that message in a spoken format.

About Kirsten Holmberg

Kirsten Holmberg is a public speaking coach and trainer who has worked with TEDx speakers and clients from Fortune 50 companies, including Google, HP, and Oracle. Leveraging two decades of experience in keynote speaking, she equips both new and skilled speakers to achieve maximum impact with their presentations to customers, stakeholders, and audiences of all sizes. Learn more about Kirsten at  www.kirstenholmberg.com .

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kirholmberg

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Twitter:  https://twitter.com/kirholmberg

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstenholmberg/

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what to include in a presentation about a book

  • Presentation Hacks

A Writer’s Guide to Preparing a Presentation

  • By: Stephanie Fulton

Congrats! Your first book got published. Or maybe that article you have spent months researching will be featured in a magazine. But just before you can celebrate, you are asked to give a presentation in front of real, live people. No need to freak out, because you already have many skills to set up a strong and effective presentation. Here are some tools for writers to practice while preparing their presentation.

A Writer’s Guide to Preparing a Presentation

What makes a great writer and what makes a great presentation storytelling..

Research has shown that storytelling activates more parts of the brain. Not only is your audience engaged in your presentation, they will feel an emotional connection to what you are saying. When we hear a story, our brain searches for a similar experience we have gone through to create an understanding of what we are hearing.

For more tips on incorporating a story in your presentations, check out: How Storytelling Impacts Your Influence

Think Active, Not Passive.

One trick to keep your presentation moving along and staying on topic is to be in the now, not the then. Writing in an active voice will keep your sentences concise and to the point. After all, the word “present” is in the word “presentation.” Instead of, “She caught the ball;” say “she catches the ball.” Not only will this make the writing easier on you, active expressions will keep your audience in the here and now. If you find yourself writing in the past tense, you can use this guide to help you convert your thoughts over to active language.

Remember your Audience.

Why are people coming to watch you speak? What information are you assigned to give them? Or what do you want the audience to know? These questions should be the main focus of your presentation. Scott Berkun , author of “The Confessions of a Public Speaker” stresses this point:

Writers Guide Quote

“The majority of speakers fail at this, focusing on what they themselves wish to speak about, or what their slides will look like, rather than their audience. Speaking, like writing, is an ego trap. It’s not about you, it’s about them: what questions do they want answered? What stories did they come to hear? If you understand why your audience showed up at all, and deliver on it, you will keep their attention.”

As you prepare, double-check to make sure you don’t wander off topic or fail to deliver the point of your presentation to your audience.

Learn from the Pros.

Many professional writers have ventured onto the stage to present their work, whether it’s for a book reading, a Q-and-A session, or an interview. A simple way to prepare for a presentation is to observe professionals, and steal from their book. Ask yourself what you liked and disliked, what was the most memorable, and pay attention to their speech and body movement.

A web search will lead you to millions of different presentations, so start by looking up your favorite writer; my personal favorite is the late author and actress Carrie Fisher. She took her bestselling memoir “ Wishful Drinking ” and turned it into a successful one-woman show for the stage and HBO. Her style leans more on the entertainment side, but there are traits in her that every great public speaker should have: confidence, timing, humor, stage presence. Look up someone you admire and take notes on what they are doing that leaves an impression on you.

What Type of Presenter are You?

Writers come in all shapes and sizes and personalities. Don’t force yourself to be something you are not. Instead, find out what innate traits you already possess, and hone in on your strengths. Presentation experts at Ethos3 have put together an assessment , which reveals what presenter profile best fits you. From there, you can learn what skills you are naturally strong at, and which areas you need to focus on improving. The test only takes minutes, and it can help you better understand yourself as a presenter.

A writer normally does not get much opportunity to see their audience react to their work from behind the pages. But when a writer is asked to speak in front of a crowd, getting a reaction and leaving an impact are important to delivering a great presentation. The easiest way for a writer to slip comfortably into a presenter’s shoes is to start with what they know: storytelling, grammar, and research. As a writer, you have already mastered the majority of the work. This guide will hopefully serve as a great tool for practice when you prepare for your next presentation.

To find out more ways to get your presentation started on the right foot, check out our other blogs:

The Complete Guide to Practicing Before a Presentation

The Key to Managing Presentation Time

10 Steps to a Professional Presentation

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Blog Beginner Guides How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

Written by: Krystle Wong Jul 20, 2023

How to make a good presentation

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .  

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters. 

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion: 

what to include in a presentation about a book

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

what to include in a presentation about a book

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message. 

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

what to include in a presentation about a book

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations . 

Peloton Pitch Deck - Conclusion

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software . 

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong. 

what to include in a presentation about a book

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

Venngage Real Time Collaboration

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively . 

what to include in a presentation about a book

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence. 

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

what to include in a presentation about a book

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload. 

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

what to include in a presentation about a book

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

what to include in a presentation about a book

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started. 

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs. 

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account. 

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations. 

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a professionally designed and visually engaging presentation ready in no time. With Venngage’s user-friendly platform, your presentation is sure to make a lasting impression. So, let your creativity flow and get ready to shine in your next presentation!

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Talk About It: Three Important Steps in Creating Interesting Book Talks

what to include in a presentation about a book

by Katy Tessman, New School Services Project Manager and Maker Specialist at Mackin

Having students engaged and motivated in reading is one of our goals as educators. Therefore, it is important to develop a positive and supportive reading culture throughout your school. In addition to the librarian being excited about reading, it is essential to have the commitment of the principal and staff to be part of creating a positive school-wide reading culture. When school leaders show their enthusiasm for reading, students become more enthusiastic to read as well. 1

What better way to generate excitement about reading than to present book talks. Book talks are a powerful way of encouraging reading to students. These lively, quick presentations highlight elements in a book that made you think, feel, or even want to change the world.

Following are three important steps in creating interesting book talks. These parameters can be shared with staff and students on what to include (and what not to include) in book talks.

Step 1: Pick

Every time you start reading a book, think if it would be a good title to share as a book talk. The best way to select a book for a presentation is to pick a book that you really enjoy and has a strong theme related to the group you’ll be presenting to. Elementary students may enjoy learning about historical fiction, biographies of contemporary leaders, as well as stories about friendship and kindness. In secondary schools books about relationships, women’s history, violence, and human rights are likely to resonate with the audience. While you’re reading, prepare for your book talk by taking notes, place sticky notes on pages with important plot twists, favorite lines, and parts that you connect with.  If you like what you’ve read then your book talk will be interesting and inspiring.

Book Talk graphic

Step 2: Plan

It’s always a good idea to let your school librarian know you’re giving a book talk so they can be prepared for any demand that the book talk may generate.

After you’ve selected the book you want to share, it’s time to start planning your book talk. There are many ways to present a book talk. You could make a movie trailer using the iMovie app on an iPad. (Partner with your Technology Integration / Media Specialist or visit Common Sense Education for a lesson plan idea.) Or perhaps you want to use a prop or costume pieces to help “sell” the book. Using a green paper origami finger puppet would be helpful when talking about Tom Angelberger’s Origami Yoda. Wearing an astronaut space helmet when talking about R.J. Palacio’s book We’re All Wonders would get the listeners’ attention. Maybe you want to draw your book talk on the white board for presentations on books like Cece Bell’s graphic novel biography El Deafo or Rachel Renee Russell’s illustrated novel The Misadventures of Max Crumbly . (There are several examples of book talks on YouTube and Pinterest; most children’s book publishers have their own channel which can be a valuable resource for teachers who are just starting these talks.) Sharing why you want others to read certain books will encourage them to pick it up and read it. The key to a successful book talk is to “sell, don’t tell.” Thus, a book talk is more of an advertisement or a commercial for the book. 2

Step 3: Present

Lure them in. Engaging your audience is essential. Start your book talk with a hook that will get the audience’s attention. This can be verbal, like reading one of your favorite lines in the book. First sentences are usually quite powerful, like “It was a dark and stormy night.” from Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle. Ask questions; take a poll. Or you could start your book talk with something completely different, like singing the Hanging Tree song from Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games or acting out an action scene, like hopping train car to train car from The Boundless by Kenneth Oppel. Serving toast with a great deal of butter would be an appropriate and engaging way to start your book talk about Kate DiCamillo’s Mercy Watson series.

  • Be yourself
  • Do your own thing
  • Show the book
  • Select a book that does not interest you
  • Talk too long
  • Give away the ending

Keep it short. The most effective book talks are brief, a 30-second advertisement is good however 1-3 minutes long can be effective depending on your audience. Summarize the story keeping in mind not to spoil the ending. Name the title and the author of the book. Mention the genre of the book, identify the problem, and name the main characters (especially the character you identify with most). Share your opinion of the book. Tell the audience why you want others to read the book. Be sure to leave time at the end to answer any questions. Leaving your audience wanting more is a sign of a successful book talk.

Show the book. It’s important to have a copy of the book to show the audience. Showing the book cover and how thick the book is can make or break the “sale” of the book. If you have ideas about how the book cover could be better, be sure to share your thoughts. It’s also good to flip through the pages so the audience can see how large the type is and how much white space is on the pages. You could build suspense by waiting to name your book and author at the end.

Book talks can be fun and free-spirited, yet the academic benefits of incorporating book talks into your curriculum are limitless. Book talks get students to try out a new title, author, or genre. They get students reading and sharing with each other. Book talks teach note-taking and how to write summaries. They build presentation skills as well as listening skills. Book talks give students a nudge to find a book they love and the desire to convince their peers to read it. 3 Book talks can also help students create their own personal lists of books that have caught their interest for future reference. This “To-Be-Read” or “Someday Reads” title lists are important resources for students when they visit the library.

Having a school-wide reading culture, supported by the principal and teachers will help students become engaged and motivated readers. Book talks are about helping to make connections between books and readers, scaffolding choices, and building interest and enthusiasm.

1 Skinner, J. (August 13, 2018). Book talking — tips to fire a passion for reading. National Library. Available at: https://natlib.govt.nz/blog/posts/book-talking-tips-to-fire-a-passion-for-reading

2 (n.d.) Booktalking Tips . Pikes Peak Library District. Available at: https://ppld.org/teens/booktalking-tips

3 Cleaver, S. (July 2, 2018). What is a Book Talk? Your Guide to Making Them Work in the Classroom . We Are Teachers. Available at: https://www.weareteachers.com/what-is-a-book-talk/

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what to include in a presentation about a book

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what to include in a presentation about a book

what to include in a presentation about a book

  • Marketing Tips , Presentations

10 Short Presentation Tips For Authors

what not to do as a newbie writer

It is estimated that more than 50% of the population in the United States wants to write a book. In my experience, it is much more than that. One of the best things about being a publisher is listening to people share their stories and their passions with me. I love hearing new ideas and listening to someone who wants to change my mind. ( Share your idea with us here ) Millions want to write, but few ever do. Fewer still will actually sell very many copies of their book. It is true that writing a book and publishing it are very difficult steps to take, but they are just the first steps. After a book is published, an author needs to have other skills in their toolbox besides just writing. One of the most important is an author’s public speaking skill.

What is the 3rd biggest thing people are afraid of? Death. As the old Seinfeld joke goes, people would rather be in the coffin than the one giving the eulogy. We have given presentation tips on our blog before, but it is also important to lower your stress level before going in to it. Here are some quick tips.

  • Get plenty of sleep. Don't try to present when you are too tired.
  • Skip the carbonation. Don't drink carbonated drinks for at least 4 hours before you present.
  • Know your material. Don't use a script, it looks bad. Don't use notecards unless you have to.
  • Stop using PowerPoint. Keep your PowerPoint use to a bare minimum. Seth Godin suggests you should never have more than 6 words on any one slide. Use it for images, visual impact, and short terms – don't outline your entire talk.
  • Use a memory aid. Rather than use notecards, follow the in the ancient Greek’s footsteps and use a loci method to memorize your speech. For more on this, see [amazon_link id=\”0345410025\” target=\”_blank\” ]The Memory Book[/amazon_link] and [amazon_link id=\”1569246297\” target=\”_blank\” ]Your Memory[/amazon_link].
  • Rehearse in your head. Imagine as clearly as possible you giving your speech in the location you will give it. Your brain’s imagination is so powerful that it will feel as if you actually rehearsed there.
  • Rehearse at the location. If possible, run through your speech in the location you will give it. Besides making you more comfortable, you will often remember your speeches more effectively this way.
  • Be passionate. Talk about what you are passionate about, not what you think the audience wants to hear. Passion works.
  • Handouts. Handouts are useful, but our suggestion is waiting until the presentation is over to hand them out.
  • Ask. Always ask them to buy your book. Many authors make the mistake of not presenting this at the end of their speech or giving the audience reasons to buy their book.

These are all principles that hold true most of the time. Don't worry if one does not fit your style exactly, just adjust and move on. The important thing is that you are comfortable and able to convey the material in a passionate manner, and sell some books!

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Write A Powerful Book Introduction With These 5 Must-Do Steps + Examples

The first thing you need to know is this: the introduction of a book is, at its essence, a sales letter from you (the author)  to your ideal reader. 

The goal isn’t to dazzle them with your writing skills but to convince them your book is well worth their time. 

By the time we’re done, you’ll know how to write a book introduction that grabs the interest of readers. 

We’ll also see some of the best book introduction examples ever written. 

Let’s dive in!

What Is An Introduction in a Book and Why Have One? 

What should be in the intro to a book , how long should a book introduction be , 1. immediately engage your reader with a story. , 2. clearly illustrate “how it is.” , 3. highlight “what could be” and how., 4. show your credentials. , 5. give your reader a brief outline of your book. .

The introduction of a novel or nonfiction book is where you sell the idea that your book, more than anything similar to it, represents the best use of your reader’s time. 

With nonfiction, you do this by identifying your reader’s problem and showing that you understand. As early as possible in your intro, you want them to think, “This person really knows about a problem I have — and has solved in a way I haven’t tried yet.” 

The introduction is where you convince your reader that your book is just what they need to solve a problem that has been bothering them or standing in their way. 

You and your book are the solutions they’ve been looking for. 

Every introduction is different, but the most effective intros share the following elements: 

  • The hook — where you grab the reader and give them a reason to keep reading
  • Relatable description of a problem — ideally through a story
  • Believable and inspiring revelation of a solution — also via storytelling
  • Just enough mystery to keep your reader wondering (and reading) 
  • Outline of the book — highlighting its main selling points

It’s also important to know what not to put in your introduction. The main thing to remember is eliminating anything that hasn’t earned its place. 

You want no wasted words. No fluff. Nothing that doesn’t contribute to the desired effect. 

The effect, of course, is a reader’s conviction that reading your book will make their life so much better that they must read it.  

The length of your introduction will depend on the following factors: 

  • The length of your book (since you’ll offer a brief outline in your intro); 
  • The need for background information to make your book’s purpose clear;
  • The popularity of your book’s subject. 

As already mentioned, it’s important not to make your introduction any longer than it needs to be. Get your reader hooked, and then get them right to the good stuff. 

How to Write a Book Introduction: 5 Must-Do Steps with Examples 

You can write an outstanding book introduction in five simple steps, each of which we’ll explore below, using some of the best introduction examples to illustrate each one. 

The best way to hook your reader is with a story illustrating a problem they have using a relatable character . 

This character can be a real person whose name you’ve changed to protect their identity. Or it can be an avatar of a real person or a set of people with a similar story. 

The important thing is to make sure this character is believable. Make it someone your ideal reader can easily relate to and even care about (“They’re like me!”). 

When you show how the solution improved their lives, your readers can see themselves in that person. They can believe that if the solution worked for the person in your story, it would work for them. 

Think about the best introductions you’ve ever read. How did the author draw you in? 

The chances are good that they told you a story. They introduced you to a character you could relate to. The more you learned about them, the more you saw yourself in them and wanted to believe your life would get better from reading that book. 

You read about the happy outcome and felt hope that you would experience the same. 

Example from David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell

“…He was a giant, six foot nine at least, wearing a bronze helmet and full body armor. He carried a javelin, a spear, and a sword. An attendant preceded him, carrying a shield. The giant faced the Israelites and shouted out, “Choose you a man and let him come down to me! If he prevail in battle against me and strike me down, we shall be slaves to you. But if I prevail and strike him down, you will be slaves to us and serve us.

“In the Israelite camp, no one moved. Who could win against such a terrifying opponent? Then a shepherd boy who had come down from Bethlehem to bring food to his brothers stepped forward and volunteered. Saul objected: “You cannot go against this Philistine and do battle with him, for you are a lad and he is a man of war from his youth.” But the shepherd was adamant. He had faced more ferocious opponents than this, he argued. “When the lion or the bear would come and carry off a sheep from the herd,” he told Saul, “I would go after him and strike him down and rescue it from his clutches.” Saul had no other options. He relented, and the shepherd boy ran down the hill toward the giant standing in the valley. “Come to me that I may give your flesh to the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field,” the giant cried out when he saw his opponent approaching. Thus began one of history’s most famous battles. The giant’s name was Goliath. The shepherd boy’s name was David.” 

You want them to know you see “how it is.” You’re intimately familiar with a problem they share, and you know exactly how awful that problem it can be. 

Intimate knowledge involves particulars, not just a hazy, general idea. On the other hand, you don’t want to include less relatable details and risk alienating your reader. 

One way to approach this is to write about a character modeled after yourself. If you’ve had the problem, you know it as well as your ideal reader . You’ve gained insights into this problem. 

You lived with it and suffered from it, but it didn’t beat you. You triumphed, and you want your reader to experience the same victory and the benefits of the solution you discovered. 

Write this story as if you were writing about yourself from someone else’s perspective. 

Start with the problem and clarify that the character you speak about really knows what it’s like to live with that problem. Show them the cost. 

Example from  Speed Reading; Learn to Read a 200+ Page Book in 1 Hour by Kam Knight

“The sheer volume of information the eyes can take in at any moment is incomprehensible. Look around and take note of everything you see. If outside, notice the trees, cars, people, and everything in between. If, sitting at a desk, take note of the pens, paper, notebook, and all the other material in front of you. 

“The mind processes these objects so fast you’re not aware of the processing happen. You simply move your eyes in a direction, and they instantaneously detect and understand what is there.

“When we read, however, things are not as smooth and fluid. It takes time and effort to process words and the meaning conveyed by those words. For many, reading is a demanding activity that consumes a lot of mental energy. For some, it is so demanding, they avoid reading altogether.

“So, the question is, why can’t we process text the same way we process other things in our environment? 

“The truth is we can! …. “ 

You want your reader to see “how it can be” if they apply the solution you offer them in your book. Now that you’ve convinced them you know the problem at least as well as they do, it’s time to 

Show your reader they’re not stuck with “how it is” now. They can be like the example character in your story who applied the solution and saw their life change dramatically for the better. 

You also want them to believe that, just by reading your book, they can easily apply the solution themselves and see the benefits right away. You also want them to think, “This is totally doable for me.” 

No solution, however impressive the results, will draw them in if they don’t see themselves using it or sticking to it. People like solutions that are easy and life-changing. 

The easier you make it sound to start the solution and to stick with it, the more likely your readers are to keep reading — all the way to the end of your book . 

You want them excited about the benefits you describe in your book’s introduction. And you want them hungry to learn more. 

Example from To-Do List Formula: A Stress-Free Guide to Creating To-Do Lists That Work! by Damon Zahariades: 

“…If you’re feeling overwhelmed, I recommend you read this book from beginning to end. You’ll learn why your current approach to task management is failing. You’ll also discover the changes you need to make to meet your deadlines, lower your stress, and find more joy in your daily experience. 

“By the time you finish reading To-Do List Formula: A Stress Free Guide… you’ll know how to create task lists that do more than just display action items. They’ll actually help you get things done. More to the point, they’ll help you get the important things done. That could mean the difference between struggling with chronic stress and self-guilt and enjoying a relaxed, pressure-free workweek.

“You’re about to learn a system that will revolutionize how you approach your work, both at the office and at home.”  

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Give your reader a reason to believe you’re qualified to discuss the problem in-depth and help them apply the solution to get the best possible results. 

So, share something about yourself to build your reader’s confidence in you. 

What experience do you have related to the problem and solution you present in your book? How did you gain the knowledge you have, and why does it matter? What makes you the best person to guide them to an effective long-term solution to this problem? 

You’re writing this book because you believe you’re uniquely well suited to discussing this problem and the particular solution you’re offering. You probably have something in your background that would enhance your credibility in your reader’s eyes. 

Use that. Whether you learned something the hard way, grew up with a rare advantage (or disadvantage), or were fortunate enough to interview someone with an incredible story, share that with your reader. 

If it makes you any better qualified to write this book, it’s worth mentioning. 

Example from The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan: 

“A number of these women—and men—still live in Oak Ridge, Tennessee today. I have had the fascinating and humbling privilege of meeting them, interviewing them, laughing and crying with them, and hearing firsthand their tales of life in a secret city while working on a project whose objective was largely kept from them. Over the years, they have graciously given me their time and suffered through repeated questions and what must have seemed like insane requests to recall moments from their day-to-day activities roughly 70 years ago… I did not only learn about life on the Manhattan Project. I also found myself taken aback by their sense of adventure and  independence, their humility, and their dedication to the preservation of history…. “

While it might seem unnecessary since your introduction comes shortly after your table of contents , great introductions often provide at least a rough outline of the book to give the reader an idea of what to expect and to get them excited about what’s coming up next. 

If your book is divided into parts , here’s a good place to point that out and explain why. 

The outline part of your introduction acts as a tour guide to the rest of your book, pointing out the main attractions at each stop. You want your reader to feel confident that the book has all the information they need to solve the problem you’ve just described. 

Do this right, and your reader will be only too ready to turn the page and start Chapter One. 

Don’t expect your reader to flip back to the table of contents for reassurance that you’ve covered the essentials. They probably won’t. 

Picture a waiter at a nice restaurant describing the night’s special. By the time they’re done, if the special is to your taste, you’re salivating at the sensory details and ready to dive in as soon as the plate hits the table. 

It’s like that. 

Example from The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg: 

“This book is divided into three parts. The first section focuses on how habits emerge within individual lives …

The second part examines the habits of successful companies and organizations …

The third part looks at the habits of societies …

Each chapter revolves around a central argument: Habits can be changed, if we understand how they work.”

Now that you know how to write an introduction for your book, we hope your mind is buzzing with ideas. Take a moment to jot some of them down without editing yourself (that comes later). 

You can also use what you’ve learned here to level up an introduction for a book you’ve already published. 

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what to include in a presentation about a book

14 Practical Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills

  • The Speaker Lab
  • May 11, 2024

Table of Contents

Ever felt complete dread and fear at the thought of stepping up to deliver a presentation? If so, you’re not alone. The fear of public speaking is more common than you might think, but with the right presentation skills , it’s a hurdle that can be overcome.

In this article, we’ll help you master basic confidence-building techniques and conquer advanced communication strategies for engaging presentations. We’ll explore how body language and eye contact can make or break your connection with your audience; delve into preparation techniques like dealing with filler words and nervous habits; discuss tailoring content for different audiences; and much more.

Whether you’re prepping for job interviews or gearing up for big presentations, being prepared is key. With adequate practice and the proper attitude, you can crush your speech or presentation!

Mastering the Basics of Presentation Skills

Presentation skills are not just about speaking in front of a crowd. It’s also about effective communication, audience engagement, and clarity. Mastering these skills can be transformative for everyone, from students to corporate trainers.

Building Confidence in Presentations

Becoming confident when presenting is no small feat. But fear not. Even those who feel jittery at the mere thought of public speaking can become masters with practice and patience. Just remember: stage fright is common and overcoming it is part of the process towards becoming an effective presenter.

Taking deep breaths before you start helps calm nerves while visualizing success aids in building confidence. Also, know that nobody minds if you take a moment to gather your thoughts during your presentation—everybody minds more if they cannot understand what you’re saying because you’re rushing.

The Role of Practice in Enhancing Presentation Skills

In line with old wisdom, practice indeed makes perfect, especially when improving presentation skills. Consistent rehearsals allow us to fine-tune our delivery methods like maintaining eye contact or controlling body language effectively.

You’ll learn better control over filler words through repeated drills. Plus, the extra practice can help you troubleshoot any technical glitches beforehand, saving you the sudden panic during your actual presentations.

Remember that great presenters were once beginners too. Continuous effort will get you there sooner rather than later.

Find Out Exactly How Much You Could Make As a Paid Speaker

Use The Official Speaker Fee Calculator to tell you what you should charge for your first (or next) speaking gig — virtual or in-person! 

Body Language and Eye Contact in Presentations

The effectiveness of your presentation can hinge on more than just the words you say. Just as important is your body language .

Impact of Posture on Presentations

Your posture speaks volumes before you utter a word. Standing tall exudes confidence while slouching could signal nervousness or lack of preparation.

If there’s one lesson to take away from our YouTube channel , it’s this: good presenters know their message but great ones feel it through every fiber (or muscle) of their being. The audience can sense that energy when they see open body language rather than crossed arms.

Maintaining Eye Contact During Your Presentation

Eyes are often called windows to the soul for a reason. They’re communication powerhouses. Making eye contact helps build trust with your audience members and keeps them engaged throughout your speech.

Avoid staring at note cards or visual aids too much as this might give an impression that you’re unprepared or uncertain about your chosen topic. Instead, aim to maintain eye contact between 50% of the time during presentations. This commonly accepted “50/70 rule” will help you exhibit adequate confidence to your audience.

If stage fright has gotten a hold on you, take deep breaths before you start speaking in order to stay calm. Make sure that fear doesn’t disrupt your ability to maintain eye-contact during presentations.

If body language and eye contact still feel like a lot to manage during your big presentation, remember our golden rule: nobody minds small mistakes. It’s how you handle questions or mishaps that truly makes a difference—so stay positive and enthusiastic.

Preparation Techniques for Successful Presentations

Presentation skills are like a craft that requires meticulous preparation and practice. Aspects like visual aids and time management contribute to the overall effectiveness of your delivery.

The first step towards delivering an impactful presentation is research and organization. The content should be well-researched, structured logically, and presented in simple language. This will make sure you deliver clear messages without any room for misinterpretation.

Dealing with Filler Words and Nervous Habits

Nervous habits such as excessive use of filler words can distract from your message. Luckily, there are plenty of strategies that can address these issues. For instance, try taking deep breaths before speaking or using note cards until fluency is achieved. In addition, practice regularly to work on eliminating these verbal stumbling blocks.

Avoiding Distractions During Presentations

In a digital age where distractions abound, maintaining focus during presentations has become an even more crucial part of the preparation process. This video by motivational speaker Brain Tracy provides insights on how one could achieve this level of focus required for effective presentations.

Maintaining Confidence Throughout Your Presentation

Confidence comes from thorough understanding of the chosen topic combined with regular practice sessions before the big day arrives. Make use of note cards or cue cards as needed but avoid reading from them verbatim.

Taking control over stage fright starts by arriving early at the venue so that you familiarize yourself with the surroundings, which generally calms nerves down considerably. So next time you feel nervous before a big presentation, remember—thorough preparation can make all the difference.

Engaging Your Audience During Presentations

Connecting with your audience during presentations is an art, and mastering it can take your presentation skills to the next level. Making the message conveyed reach an emotional level is essential, not just conveying facts.

Understanding Your Target Audience

The first step towards engaging your audience is understanding them. Tailor the content of your presentation to their needs and interests. Speak in their language—whether that be professional jargon or everyday slang—to establish rapport and ensure comprehension.

An effective presenter understands who they’re speaking to, what those individuals care about, and how best to communicate complex ideas understandably.

Making Complex Information Understandable

Dense data or complicated concepts can lose even the most interested listener if presented ineffectively. Breaking your key points down into manageable chunks helps maintain attention while promoting retention. Analogies are especially useful for this purpose as they make unfamiliar topics more relatable.

Audience Participation & Questions: A Two-Way Street

Incorporating opportunities for audience participation encourages engagement at another level. It allows listeners to become active participants rather than passive receivers of knowledge.

Consider techniques like live polls or interactive Q&A sessions where you invite questions from attendees mid-presentation instead of saving all queries until the end.

This gives you a chance not only engage but also address any misunderstandings right on spot.

  • Treat each question asked as an opportunity—it’s evidence someone has been paying attention. Even challenging questions should be welcomed as they demonstrate an engaged, thoughtful audience.
  • Encourage participation. It can be as simple as a show of hands or the use of interactive technologies for live polling during your presentation. This keeps your audience active and invested in the content.

Remember, your presentation isn’t just about putting on a show—it’s about meaningful interaction.

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Presentation Skills in Specific Contexts

Whether you’re nailing your next job interview, presenting an exciting marketing campaign, or delivering insightful educational content, the context matters. Let’s take a look.

The Art of Job Interviews

A successful job interview often hinges on effective communication and confidence. Here, the target audience is usually small but holds significant influence over your future prospects. Body language plays a crucial role; maintain eye contact to show sincerity and interest while open body language communicates approachability.

Bullet points summarizing key experiences are also helpful for quick recall under pressure. This allows you to present your chosen topic with clarity and positive enthusiasm without relying heavily on note or cue cards.

Pitching in Public Relations & Marketing

In public relations (PR) and marketing contexts, presentations need to capture attention quickly yet hold it long enough to deliver key messages effectively. Visual aids are valuable tools here—they help emphasize points while keeping the audience engaged.

Your aim should be highlighting presentation benefits that resonate with potential clients or partners, making them feel as though ignoring such opportunities would mean missing out big time.

Educational Presentations

An educational setting demands its own unique set of presentation skills where deep understanding trumps flashy visuals. You must make complex information understandable without oversimplifying essential details—the use of analogies can be beneficial here.

Keeping the audience’s attention is critical. Encourage questions and participation to foster a more interactive environment, enhancing learning outcomes for all audience members.

Tips for Becoming a Great Presenter

No single method is suitable for everyone when it comes to speaking in public. However, incorporating continuous improvement and practice into your routine can make you an exceptional presenter.

Tailor Your Presentation to Your Audience

Becoming an excellent speaker isn’t just about delivering information; it’s also about making a connection with the audience. So make sure that you’re taking setting, audience, and topic into consideration when crafting your presentation. What works for one audience may not work for another, so be sure to adapt your presentation styles according to the occasion in order to be truly effective.

The Power of Practice

The art of mastering public speaking skills requires practice —and lots of it . To become a great presenter, focus on improving communication skills through practice and feedback from peers or mentors. Try to seek feedback on every speech delivered and incorporate those pointers in your future presentations. Over time, this cycle of delivery-feedback-improvement significantly enhances your ability to connect with audiences and convey ideas effectively.

If you’re looking for examples of good speakers, our speech breakdowns on YouTube provide excellent examples of experienced presenters who masterfully utilize speaking techniques. Analyzing their strategies could give you great ideas for enhancing your own style.

Finding Your Style

A crucial part of captivating any audience lies in how you deliver the message rather than the message itself. Developing a unique presentation style lets you stand out as an engaging speaker who commands attention throughout their talk. Through — you guessed it — practice, you can develop a personal presentation style that resonates with listeners while showcasing your expertise on the chosen topic.

Your body language plays a pivotal role here: open gestures communicate confidence and enthusiasm towards your subject matter, two qualities essential for keeping audiences hooked. Similarly, using vocal variety adds dynamism to speeches by emphasizing points when needed or creating suspense during storytelling parts of your talk.

Cultivating Passion & Enthusiasm

Showcasing genuine passion for the subject helps keep listeners engaged throughout even lengthy presentations. Sharing stories related to the topic or expressing excitement about sharing knowledge tends to draw people in more than mere data recitation ever could.

Recognize that everybody is distinctive; don’t expect identical results from every speaker. The path to becoming a great presenter involves recognizing your strengths and working tirelessly on areas that need improvement.

FAQs on Presentation Skills

What are good presentation skills.

Good presentation skills include a clear message, confident delivery, engaging body language, audience understanding, and interaction. They also involve effective preparation and practice.

What are the 5 steps of presentation skills?

The five steps of presenting include: planning your content, preparing visual aids if needed, practicing the delivery aloud, performing it with confidence, and finally post-presentation reflection for improvements.

What are the 5 P’s of presentation skills?

The five P’s stand for Preparation (researching your topic), Practice (rehearsing your talk), Performance (delivering with confidence), Posture (standing tall), and Projection (using a strong voice).

What are your presentation skills?

Your personal set of abilities to deliver information effectively is what we call your presentation skill. It can encompass public speaking ability, clarity in speech or writing as well as visual communication talent.

Mastering presentation skills isn’t an overnight process, but practice and perseverance will put you well on your way to becoming an effective speaker.

You’ve learned that confidence plays a crucial role in effective presentations, so take deep breaths, make eye contact, and keep your body language open. As always, preparation is key. Tackle filler words head-on and get comfortable with visual aids for impactful storytelling.

Remember the importance of audience engagement — it’s all about understanding their needs and tailoring your content accordingly. This way, complex information turns into digestible insights.

Above all else: practice! After all, nothing beats experience when it comes to improving public speaking abilities.

  • Last Updated: May 9, 2024

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Pitch With Confidence: How to Present Your Book Idea to Publishers

If you decide not to go the self-publishing route, then you will most likely be pitching your book ideas to publishing houses in the near future. This is such an exciting time for any writer, new or old, to really harness the passion that they have for their work.

The trick when you are pitching your work to publishers is for them to feel the same passion and understanding for your work that you do. Remember, you are not just selling a book! You are selling empowerment, a gateway into another world, and literary agents want to see that!

So, to help you on this journey, we are going to take you through the nitty-gritty details of how to write your book proposal, which parts you need to focus on when creating your presentation, and how to own the room during your pitch! It's all about confidence!

creating the perfect book pitch

Creating the Perfect Book Idea Pitch for Publishers 

You have the idea, and now you need to put it all together. One important aspect to remember is that you don't need to have your entire manuscript written, edited, and ready for publishing when you approach the publishing houses.

When you reach out to them, it will be with a small segment of your work—you know, to whet their appetite for the talent that you possess! But before you step foot into the room to present, you need to be comfortable with your proposal. To do this, you need to know how to write one!

Writing a Book Proposal

As with every formal document, you want your proposal to be as structured and formal as possible. You want to show the publishers that you are serious about your work and about partnering with them. This means that you will most likely need to follow a structure to make sure that you have covered everything.

So, let's get you started on what you should include when you are writing up your book proposal. These are what we believe are important, so feel free to add extra sections as you think are necessary. Our recommended structure includes the following:

  • Start with an overview : You want to give the publishers a birds-eye view of what your book is about. To do this, you are going to begin your proposal with a brief overview of your book. This overview is going to include the title, genre, and a brief synopsis.
  • Introduce yourself : When you interact with a publisher, they are not only partnering with your book but with you as a person! Tell the publisher or agent a little bit about yourself: Why you decided to write this book, your overall writing experience, and should you have credentials related to your book include those as well.
  • Describe your book : It's time to be descriptive. Take into consideration a more detailed summary of your book. Aspects that you may want to include here are the book's main themes, characters, plot, and any unique bits of information that can be seen as a selling point! Ultimately, answer the question, "What makes your book stand out from others in the same genre?"
  • Look into identifying your target audience : Explain who your book is written for and why it is relevant to that audience. Here, you can even include who you are looking to include in this audience in the future! It shows you aren't thinking short term, but long term!
  • Include a marketing plan : Although many of the publishing houses that you approach will have a set idea of how to do this, they still want to know that you have taken some initiative and want to be active in this process. Create a rough outline of any ideas for marketing and promoting your book, such as whether you want to do book tours, a social media campaign, or other promotional strategies you may have.
  • Discuss your competition : The likelihood of your work being the sole example of its genre is rather slim. But, that doesn't mean that you cannot be unique! Identify books that are similar to yours and explain how your book is different and why it will appeal to readers.
  • Provide a chapter outline : Although you may only have a few chapters written when pitching your work, you need to have thought about your work in its entirety. Include an outline of the chapters or sections of your book, along with a brief summary of what each chapter or section covers.
  • Submit your writing samples : Submit a few chapters of your book to give publishers or agents a better idea of your writing style and tone. As much as you want to partner with them, they also need to make sure that you are representing their brand should they choose to publish your work!
  • End with a conclusion : Conclude your proposal by summarizing why your book is worth publishing and why you are the best person to write it. Remember, be yourself. After all, they want to partner with humans with substance, not robots!

This has been quite a lot to take in, especially if you haven't found a concrete layout for your book proposal. But, thankfully, you now have the main topics you should cover! Remember, make it interesting! Make the publishers want to partner with you!

After all, within the book industry, a well-known author represents a publishing house. They thrive on popularity, and if your writing can bring them that or if you can convince them that you can do that, then you are more than set!

how to write a book proposal

The Art of a Perfect Book Pitch 

So, now you have everything in your book proposal. You have fleshed out your book to the point that you are confident enough to talk about it and answer questions. And trust us; there will be questions! Thankfully, one of the hardest steps is now done!

What Should You Include?

Your next step is to go ahead and construct your actual pitch. Your book's proposal is the actual document you are going to give them. This presentation is where their eyes are going to be focused! No need to worry; we have your bases covered regarding what you need to focus on:

  • Do some research on different publishers. Many publishing houses want to know why you chose them. You want to show that you chose them based on the genres and subject areas that they specialize in. Remember, your book also needs to fit their agenda!
  • Think about how you are going to write your "query letter." Essentially, this letter is a summary of your plan. It gives a brief overview of your work, introduces you, explains why publishers should be interested in you, and describes the value you can offer them.
  • Refer to segments of your book proposal as you present! This will show them that you know your work well. If you really want to exude confidence, make sure to add some colorful page tabs to the hardcopy proposals for ease of reference!
  • Make sure to follow the publishing houses' submission guidelines. Every publishing house has their own layout, and you need to make sure that your work is in that layout when you apply and land an interview! Some aspects to consider here include formatting, word count limits, and even some submission deadlines!
  • Make sure to be patient with yourself in the process! What we mean by this is that we are giving them time to actually focus on the work you have submitted. Make sure to include some references when pitching a book. Publishing houses get thousands of requests on a daily basis, and your references could be what pushes them into partnering with you over another author in the same genre.

It goes without saying that creating your pitch will take quite some time. You cannot expect to throw a PowerPoint presentation together in one night and receive a standing ovation. One can also not expect that every pitch will be successful.

You can make your slide deck as professional as a multimillionaire entrepreneurs'; however, you might still have your work rejected. This is where you revisit the drawing board, modify what is in your proposal and pitch deck, and then take another swing! It is all about resilience and determination in the book industry!

what to remember when presenting

Honing in on Your Presentation Skills

So you know what you need to put in your pitch deck and what your book proposal needs to contain! Now, the real fun begins—developing your presentation skills! Everything up until now can be absolutely perfect, but if you cannot put everything into words with a certain degree of confidence, everything you have to offer may be overlooked.

How do you become confident in your presentation skills? How can you entice the room with all the words you use? Can you become as influential as a TedX speaker? Of course, you can! And this is how:

  • Start off by defining your purpose: In essence, why are you the best person to have written this book? With this in mind, before you have even started preparing your presentation, you need to know what you want to achieve. What is the purpose of your presentation? Are you trying to inform, persuade, or entertain your audience? Once you have a clear purpose, you can start planning your content.
  • Know your audience: Who is the audience you are going to be presenting to? Are they well-versed in the topic? Are their interests and needs in terms of literary growth in alignment with yours as an author? By establishing this common ground, you will have a more engaging presentation!
  • Plan your content: Once you know your purpose and audience, you can start planning your content. Make sure that you allocate enough time and slides for each bit of information. Create an outline of your main points and supporting details. Use visual aids such as slides, images, or videos to enhance your message.
  • Practice, practice, practice: Practice is the key to delivering a perfect presentation. Practice your delivery, pacing, and timing. Rehearse your content until you feel confident and comfortable with it.
  • Engage your audience: Engage your audience by asking questions, sharing stories, or using humor. But, just make sure that you are able to read the room. If your humor isn't well received, do not force it! Encourage interaction and participation by inviting questions or feedback.
  • Use effective body language: Your body language can convey as much, if not more, than your words. Stand up straight, make eye contact, and use hand gestures to emphasize your message. Engage with yourself and what you are saying as much as you would engage with the people in the room!
  • End with a call to action: End your presentation with a clear call to action. In the literary world, this will include why you want to partner with this specific publishing house! This is where you prompt them to take the next step and to follow up with you should they see the potential for a partnership!

You need to be comfortable with your presentation skills. But you also need to understand that this will take time. It is not easy standing up in a room full of people and making them believe in your book as much as you do. It is going to take quite a lot of trial and error, pivoting where necessary, and really taking in constructive feedback when receiving it!

In Summary 

You have started on a journey that very few embark on. Either they are too scared of what the outcome will be, or they fear failure. But, you are different! You have decided to take the leap and let your work be known across the globe!

We acknowledge that this can be a difficult road, especially when it comes to creating that perfect outline! Many people have ideas, but they just don't know how to execute them and format them into an outline that others will understand. Luckily, we have got you covered!

At The Urban Writers (TUW), we have vetted and highly qualified freelancers who will go ahead and work with you to make your outline easy to understand, to the point, and highly engaging. Your journey doesn't have to be one that you take on your own! Get in contact with one of our sales representatives today and see how we can help you succeed!

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Create an Effective Slide Deck

A great presentation depends on more than the high-quality information you’re sharing. Here are some essential principles to help you create a memorable slide deck. Choose the right fonts. Use sans serif fonts like Helvetica or Arial for a minimal look and better readability. Stick to two font styles throughout your presentation—one for headings and another […]

A great presentation depends on more than the high-quality information you’re sharing. Here are some essential principles to help you create a memorable slide deck.

Source: This tip is adapted from “How to Make a ‘Good’ Presentation ‘Great’” by Guy Kawasaki

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Google Announces BLACK MAGIC Technology with Google Assistant + More

Posted: May 18, 2024 | Last updated: May 18, 2024

HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? See @ 3:16● More Tech Discussions ➤ <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFr3c472Vstwe0Yk43UDnpqib5ReTwaJ-●">https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFr3c472Vstwe0Yk43UDnpqib5ReTwaJ-●</a> Subscribe Here ➤ <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/ThioJoe?sub_confirmation=1Google">https://www.youtube.com/user/ThioJoe?sub_confirmation=1Google</a> I/O 2018 kicked off some crazy announcements by Google, including some big ones for Google Assistant, and of course Android. Probably the most impressive demo of the whole presentation was when Google Assistant made a phone call to book a haircut appointment, and it actually sounded like a real human. This is definitely proof that Google Assistant is way ahead of Siri and Alexa. New Android features include predictive actions and Digital Wellbeing, and some app features for Google Maps. Plus they talked about self driving cars, and they are actually launching a real self driving car taxi service this year. ~~~⇨ <a href="http://Instagram.com/ThioJoe⇨">http://Instagram.com/ThioJoe⇨</a> <a href="http://Twitter.com/ThioJoe⇨">http://Twitter.com/ThioJoe⇨</a> <a href="http://Facebook.com/ThioJoeTV▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬">http://Facebook.com/ThioJoeTV▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬</a>

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  1. How to make a book presentation

    what to include in a presentation about a book

  2. One Page Author Book Proposal Presentation Report Infographic PPT PDF

    what to include in a presentation about a book

  3. Best Book Presentation: Book Powerpoint Template 50 Slides

    what to include in a presentation about a book

  4. 15 Amazing Ways to Create a Book Title Infographic

    what to include in a presentation about a book

  5. 10 Creative Storytelling Presentation Templates

    what to include in a presentation about a book

  6. Book Display Presentation Template

    what to include in a presentation about a book

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  1. How Can I Effectively Outline My Book?

  2. How to do a Book Sharing

  3. 2024 OSEA Summer Convention Awards and Installation of Officers

  4. @RealKappa in my presentation

  5. ANC3C October 2023 Public Meeting

  6. How To Create Book Report Presentation on Microsoft Powerpoint

COMMENTS

  1. How to Make a Book Presentation: A Comprehensive Guide

    A book presentation is an opportunity to introduce and discuss a specific book to an audience. It involves summarizing the plot, discussing the main themes, and sharing your personal insights. Whether you're presenting for academic purposes or promoting your own book, a well-organized and captivating book presentation can leave a lasting ...

  2. 7 Tips to Write a Killer Book Presentation

    In fact, as you prepare to make your presentation, you may find that your writing skills are quite useful. You can leverage those skills by following these seven tips to write a killer book presentation. 1. Use Your Storytelling Skills. The people attending your presentation want to know the story behind your book.

  3. How to make a book presentation

    Select a book. Decide on what book you want to make a presentation. Collect information. Make a research about the author's biography, reviews, and other books. Start designing the page layouts. Flipsnack offers a fantastic online editor. Add interactive elements. Integrate video, captions, hyperlinks, and other interactive elements in your ...

  4. How to Write a Presentation of a Book

    Include the year it was published, number of pages and what genre the book falls under. Describe each of the main characters in the book and talk about how each influences the story. Provide an explanation of your perceptions and thoughts regarding the book. While the rest of your presentation may be in third-person, you can usually write this ...

  5. Presenting a Book Talk

    The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. The Giver. The Hunger Games. The Outsiders. Or follow one these simple outlines. (Feel free to be more creative if you wish. Change any part of these outlines to suit your book or make up your own outline. But don't fail to present a booktalk because you don't think you have anything to say, because you do!)

  6. Book Presentation Prep: A Step-by-Step Guide for New Authors

    Preparing Your Book Presentation: A Step-by-Step Guide for New Authors. September 19, 2023 by Eithan. The days of writing custom works and hearing phrases like " do my essay for free " are gone - now you are officially a writer and have your book. The presentation of a book is one of the most awaited moments for authors after publication.

  7. What are the best ways to present a book at a reading or book club

    The more events you do, the more opportunities will come your way. 6. Have book copies readily available. While you don't want your presentation to feel like a big sales pitch, you definitely want to make it as easy as possible for attendees to purchase a copy of your book.

  8. Oral Book Reports: Keys to a Successful Presentation

    First, we will discuss what an oral book report should consist of. Format of an oral book report. Merely 3 hours, and you will receive your absolutely original paper without plagiarism Check It Out. Start with introducing the book to the audience. Give its title, author's name, date of publication, genre. Pass to the main characters of the ...

  9. What Is a Book Talk? A Classroom Guide to Making Them Work

    Watch on. A book talk is a short presentation about a book that focuses on convincing others to read it. It's not a formal book report or review. And it's more persuasive than expository—think sales and marketing. The goal is to engage potential readers and present a fun, exciting, and even suspenseful book commercial.

  10. 8 Steps to Create a Dynamic Presentation from Your Book by Kirsten

    An author's interaction with an audience often generates book sales. Likewise, strong demand for a book creates more opportunities for speaking. The relationship is symbiotic. Yet many authors—having poured their expertise into a robust written work—find the task of crafting speeches from their books daunting. Three common challenges include:

  11. A Writer's Guide to Preparing a Presentation

    Think Active, Not Passive. One trick to keep your presentation moving along and staying on topic is to be in the now, not the then. Writing in an active voice will keep your sentences concise and to the point. After all, the word "present" is in the word "presentation.". Instead of, "She caught the ball;" say "she catches the ball

  12. How to Ensure Your Author Presentations Are Successful

    Allowing time for set-up and time to shift from one activity to another, for each one-hour block, you should plan for your presentation to be no more than 40-45 minutes long. As part of your presentation, you will read your story. Do so with a lot of energy and enthusiasm, and make sound effects where appropriate.

  13. How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

    Apply the 10-20-30 rule. Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it! 9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule. Simplicity is key.

  14. Talk About It: Three Important Steps in Creating Interesting Book

    These lively, quick presentations highlight elements in a book that made you think, feel, or even want to change the world. Following are three important steps in creating interesting book talks. These parameters can be shared with staff and students on what to include (and what not to include) in book talks. Step 1: Pick.

  15. 10 Short Presentation Tips For Authors

    Here are some quick tips. Get plenty of sleep. Don't try to present when you are too tired. Skip the carbonation. Don't drink carbonated drinks for at least 4 hours before you present. Know your material. Don't use a script, it looks bad. Don't use notecards unless you have to. Stop using PowerPoint.

  16. How to Write a Great Book Introduction: Step-by-Step Guide

    How to Write a Great Book Introduction: Step-by-Step Guide. Many nonfiction books begin with an introduction that previews their subject matter, structure, and core arguments. When properly crafted, a book introduction invites potential readers to invest in its content.

  17. HOW TO GIVE A GREAT PRESENTATION

    Presentation. Author book presentations generally last 35-40 minutes. Any longer then audience members start to get fidgety. Presenting a combination of slides and readings is a good formula. o Include the book cover art on the beginning and ending slide o Thank the bookstore and any sponsors for hosting the event. Include them or their

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    Illustration of a sample presentation structure. This is a sample guideline. You can add or remove slides as necessary to make sure you have room for all the information you need to include.

  19. How To Write a Book Introduction With Examples

    3. Highlight "what could be" and how. You want your reader to see "how it can be" if they apply the solution you offer them in your book. Now that you've convinced them you know the problem at least as well as they do, it's time to. Show your reader they're not stuck with "how it is" now.

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    Include an outline of the chapters or sections of your book, along with a brief summary of what each chapter or section covers. Submit your writing samples : Submit a few chapters of your book to give publishers or agents a better idea of your writing style and tone.

  23. How to Cite a Book

    To cite a book chapter, first give the author and title (in quotation marks) of the chapter cited, then information about the book as a whole and the page range of the specific chapter. The in-text citation lists the author of the chapter and the page number of the relevant passage. MLA format. Author last name, First name.

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