As many of you know, I have a Yorkie. She is extremely adorable and very loving and sweet. She is also tenacious- she doesn’t give up when she sees something she wants. She is also very excitable and yappy.
Now, as often happens. pets and their owners share some traits. I too an extremely adorable. And tenacious. Excitable. Yappy…. We say the dog has two speeds, off and on- as do I. I am either all in, or asleep…
Now mainly these are not particularly bad traits- just annoying sometimes. And it is often hard to follow where I’m coming from and where I’m going to. I used to have an assistant who followed me around with a notepad and wrote down everything I said. She said that I went step 1, step 2, step 15, step 20…etc, because my mind was working so fast my actual talking couldn’t keep up. I have a friend I email and they laugh because of the amount of spelling mistakes I can make in an email because when I think of something clever my fingers can’t work fast enough to type properly.
As a New Yorker, these traits help- there’s a reason why the phrase is “New York minute”. But even for a NYer- the speed at which I talk is lightening fast. Italksofastthatsometimespeoplecantunderstandathingthatimsaying. Now my friends- well- they’ve just gotten used to this by now. And my daughter talks as fast as I do. This is actually an issue because people will often think we are nervous, but we’re not nervous- we just can’t wait to get things out. (our family joke is lose your breath, lose your turn)
By now, I’m guessing you’re wondering why I am writing about this today. Well, here’s the thing: I am thinking of starting a podcast. I’m considering doing book reviews, but you know, my kind of book reviews. I know I can write them, but I think my personality (not my accent) is suited to talking out a really humorous review. I think sometimes you just need to hear the inflection.
But…
Italksofast.
I realize the speed at which I do things is part of my personality- part of who I am. But I also know that I have to turn it down 5 or 30 notches in order to be understood. So I’m at a standstill- if I want to try this podcast thing I need to sloooow dowwwwwwn. I just don’t know how to take a breath- to pause. I don’t exactly know what is between on and off.
What is the middle ground, and how do I get there?
Waking up on the Wrong Side of 50 
Practice.
Rehearse.
Theater kids, and adults know these words backwards and forwards.
There is no other way.
Create your script and rehearse your ass off.
If this is your concern, I see no way for you to freestyle, you’re going to have to create a script and work hard to let the you shine through!
On another note, I’m a fast talker too. You don’t see a lot of that in the South. It’s given me fits my whole life. But like you, I’m bursting with thoughts and want to share them!
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That’s exactly it! So exited by thoughts and ideas that you need to spit them out!!thank you!
,❤️❤️
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Yes ma’am! ❤
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❤️❤️
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It will come with practice. I’m a fast talker as well, which is fine for chatting one on one but doesn’t necessarily work when I give lectures. When I started teaching I had to sometimes clench my fists to reming myself to slooooowwww down when addressing my students. Lol. On the bright side, when I’m running out of time to finish a class I can pop out 5 slides and contents in about 2 minutes. 😉
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My daughter does a lot if public speaking and she really practices her pacing. So hard
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I have the same issue. I’ve MC’ed our staff development day for work a few times and I have to practice beforehand to slow myself down. I turned on the podcast option for WordPress a while ago, but have never had the courage to try to do one.
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I didn’t know WordPress had a Podcast option? Where is it?
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It’s under settings and then writing.
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Thanks! It looks complicated….
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It does. Another reason I haven’t used it..
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I’m still tossing this idea around. Currently looking at it from all angles
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Start by rereading a posts and edit/fix typos. Take a step away, reread again, then publish. It’s a mindset….then, record yourself and don’t publish. Wait a day to listen to yourself.
It takes practice.
I have to do this with re-acting to stuff that happens out of the regular routine. When 5 min before departing to a far away rink a kid cries she can’t find a crucial item, my first instinct is to re-act. You’re looking for this now when you’ve had x time to prepare?
What should happen is I should shut my trap, take a breath, then help with problem solving, not lecturing.
Isn’t this kind of similar?
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Totally similar. I just have so much trouble slowing down!!
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Yep, practice, you never want to get rid of your speed completely because that makes it more you and more enjoyable to listen to than someone with no inflection reading off a paper. Just do you.
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Thank you! The one thing I can do is be me!!
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Dear Italksofast,
Approach your recording device. Toggle the apropreate toggle and proceed audio book reviewing at your “normal” pace. Share said audio book review(s) with a few friendly, or not so forgiving ears, and listen hard to requested feedback. If your points about said publications come through loud and clear, and you have had fun in so doing, then consider any sytlistic and technical changes that might enhance your efforts. Remember today’s tools allow options to build your presentation in parts and enhance and equalize your audio offerings.
And say “Red Leather, Yellow Leather” real fast—three times.
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Thank you for all pointers as always. Sometimes we need to get out if our comfort zone…which is what I need right now. But, I need to be logical about it all….
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My daughter is a fast talker and I often have to ask her to slow down and/or repeat herself. I don’t know where she got it from because I don’t do anything fast. (Except type sometimes when I can use a lot of my shortcuts and my nails aren’t long).
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Mine is. Combo of where I live and my natural inclination!
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I love this idea because I love podcasts! I also think faster than I type so I leave out words. Making myself read and re-read my posts has become a thing. Anyway, Good news! People can adjust the speed of podcasts! So if you are too fast, they can slow it down to their taste. Good luck!
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To be fair…I know nothing about podcasts! I have a steep learning curve ahead of me. I just need to break out of my comfort zone a little. I thought this would be a great place to start
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Well, I’ve lived on the East coast, in the South, and in the Midwest… and these latter two regions aren’t inclined to listen if you talk fast. Believe me, personal experience. But here’s the thing about podcasts, there are ways in your app to slow down what someone is saying on the podcast, so if your listeners are sophisticated enough to know how to do that, they might listen to you. 🤷♀️
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Thank you! I actually don’t know much about podcasts, (I know less about podcasts then I did about blogging when I started…and as I still don’t know anything about blogging…)
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Have you tried recording your self and slowing down the recording 😂.
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No. But that’s worth trying. Thank you!
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Yep -I’d go with practice. 😀 You can add some fast-talking for fun at times.
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😉
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I talk fast for a southerner, unless I’m tired (in which case, my accent becomes a drawl that lasts lifetimes for each syllable LOL).
Practice makes perfect is all I know to say to you
Good luck😙
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Thank you! I love to listen to southern accents because they’re so lyrical …like a country song of life and love and loss is just built into the words….
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Wait til you hear south Louisiana talk. I. Love. Hearing south Louisiana talk. It’s like the music of the wetlands, personified😍
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I need to hear some of that right now!!
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Cajun French
South Louisiana English
You’re welcome😘
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Thank you! This is going to be my new hit list!!
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Troy from “Swamp People” is a great stereotypical example of the accent I’m talking about, and there are hours and hours of footage of him thanks to history channel😁
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I always think James carville…
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His is more a generalized southern accent to my ears. Justin Wilson (the chef) is another good example of what I think of when I think of South Louisiana talking
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Ok. I’m looking forward to listening! I need it!!😗
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My advice is different. Don’t change yourself. Change your audience. Having lived with New Yorker John for 54 years, I made my Southern ears speed up. It can be done. If people want to know what you are saying, they will manage to understand.
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Ahhh….thinking outside the box! I like that!!
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I think you should go for it. So what if you talk too fast? Why cant that be part of the tagline for your podcast? Go for it and if it doesnt work out it doesnt work out. I will be here rooting you on.
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True! And thank you for reminding me I need to be myself first and foremost!
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😊❤
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Why don’t you try it and we’ll listen and see how it sounds? I mean if it’s really too fast you might have to slow down … but the first couple of podcasts are a shakedown cruise anyway.
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Good point. There’s a learning curve to everything, and the first couple are always about finding your balance.
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Go to Toastmasters- they’ll sort you out. It’s just practise LA- you only have to speak slow when you’re doing your podcast, don’t worry- you won’t lose being you!
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Thank you! That’s actually a great idea!!
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My former in-laws all lived in Queens (Rego Park). I’ll never forget visiting for the first time…and at best only understood every third word of what they were saying. Eventually I learned to communicate with them. 🙂 – Marty
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Yes…we’re a strange bunch. And honestly, the outer borough accents are much thicker. My husbands brooklyn is more distinguished than my daughters Manhattan speak
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it’s not a bad thing though. Anyway, be a critic. Try for a week or 10 days may be- Record your own thoughts as if it was a podcast(on phone) and take points where you think you were too hasty. Or maybe ask someone to give you pointers on those recordings. Hope it helps.
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Thanks. I think I’m going to do a test and see how it works out
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You can’t talk too fast or people will have trouble following you and wondering why you’re rushing. Try to find someone you enjoy listening to, and figure out what it is about their voice you enjoy. No one starts out an expert, so have a little fun experimenting. I’m sure you’ll find your groove.
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Hmmm…I really like listening to Sam Elliot…and he has the sexiest voice in the world, so I don’t think I can pull that off
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Well, you get the idea.
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