Bournemouth Cornish Association

My second speaking engagement last Wednesday was a talk, once again My Life as a Freelance Comedy Writer, for one of my home town's oldest clubs: Bournemouth Cornish Association (founded 1921).

They were all extremely friendly and I decided to speak from up on the stage in the Charminster Moose Hall. Once again, I was asked to use a microphone. This was a good one, detachable from its stand and not battery operated - for once!

The agenda for their meeting is a little different from other clubs, in that I was asked to do a spot of about 30 minutes and then stop as the food would be ready by then. There would be a raffle after the meal and, if there was time, I could speak for a few minutes more and take the odd question - but they had to be out by ten o'clock!

I have often done 'two-parters', especially at literary festivals, but for those bookings, I have known that there will definitely be a second section of my talk.

In the end, I did about 35 minutes, picking a good cross-section of my usual talk but leaving out its longest anecdote, the story of my appearance on What's My Line? I finished with the usual quotations I end with just in case there wasn't time for a second segment of the talk later.

Public Speaking Tip #177: You may sometimes be asked to deliver a presentation in two parts with a break in-between, perhaps for refreshments. You should try to make both sections as self-contained as possible and try to time the first so that the  break is a natural one.

Then we had the food...

It is quite possible that at some time in your life you have eaten an item from a service station, supermarket or baker's which was described as a Cornish pasty. All I can say is that unless the bakery was actually in Cornwall, it probably was nothing like one. The pasties served at this club had been made down in Cornwall and collected especially for this meeting. They were being heated as I spoke, hence the time limit on my talk! No 'pasty' I have eaten anywhere else ever tasted like this! Nothing in a corner shop chill cabinet could ever compare from now on!

There was also a large selection of desserts. I chose rhubarb crumble (I was encouraged to have two helpings and I have to admit that I put up very little resistance!) I'm not sure whether this was a traditional West Country dish - but the clotted cream with it certainly was!

Chatting over tea, I found that I knew a couple of the 41 people there but had never realised that they were from Cornwall. I was told that there are Cornish Associations all over the world, with flourishing branches in countries like the United Stated and Australia.

The raffle came next so I found myself drawing tickets for the second time that day (no problem!) and there was actually time for me to do about another 15 minutes so I decided to do the What's My Line? story as a self-contained anecdote. There is a certain humorous way in which I usually end this tale; I point out the great achievements of all the other contestants who appeared on that same edition of the programme as me and then say, in a rueful, from-the-sublime-to-the-ridiculous manner, '...and I've been booked to speak to - ' and insert the name of the club or venue. It always gets a big laugh but as I was reaching the end of the story, I realised that I could deliver these same words but in a totally different, non-self-effacing, warm style that would convey my gratitude for the super evening I'd had and would also be a great way to finish as I had already used my usual 'closers' during the first part. Sometimes you get an idea of how to adapt existing material seconds before delivering it!

Public Speaking Tip #178: Over time, you will find that ways to improve the section of material you are just about to deliver will suddenly suggest themselves to you. When you have the experience and confidence to deviate from your prepared script a little, you will find that acting on these instincts can make your presentation even more effective.

I took the odd question, had a very interesting chat with a member who speaks on cruise liners (a market which I am very interested in exploring) and was given a lift back by their President.

What with the NSPCC lunch earlier, it really was one of those days when there was nothing in the world that I would rather do than be a public speaker.