Most of us take books for granted, especially when trying to learn a new skill. If you’re trying to make it by using your voice to share a message, then it’s worth perusing the best books on speaking. They’re inexpensive, accessible, and you can even listen to most, if not all of them.
Thanks to school, most people have an aversion to books. The textbooks dolled out with assignments left us bored thanks to the lack of stimulation from the writing itself. Textbooks display facts. But that doesn’t mean all nonfiction, like these books on speaking, are boring.
The opposite is likely true.
These books contain stories, lessons, anecdotes, and yes, research, in order to teach you in a manner that’s exciting rather than annoying.
In this article, we’re covering three distinct facets of the speaking process with the best books on speaking:
Best Books on Speaking at Staged Events for Money
There is a difference between speaking for events, at work, or even at weddings, and then earning and income from speaking on stages. This is specifically distinct depending on if you want to make a living through speaking.
So let’s take a look at the best books on speaking. If you want to earn real money from your work, read:
1. Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds by Carmine Gallo
This book reveals the secrets behind successful TED talks, offering practical tips and techniques to help speakers deliver powerful and engaging presentations. It’s one of the best books on speaking because it explores the public speaking techniques used by some of the world’s most successful TED speakers. It identifies nine key strategies that these speakers employ to captivate their audience, including storytelling, passion, and authenticity.
The book provides practical tips and examples to help readers improve their own speaking skills and deliver more engaging and memorable presentations. These are, after all, the cornerstones for earning a living speaking.
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2. TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking by Chris Anderson
Written by the head of TED, this book provides valuable insights into how to give a great TED talk and offers practical advice for anyone looking to improve their public speaking skills.
It’s a comprehensive guide to delivering powerful presentations, a necessary component of earning a living speaking. If your presentation lacks luster, people won’t pay you for it. Anderson, the curator of TED, offers insights and advice based on his experience with TED speakers.
The book covers various aspects of speaking, such as finding your idea worth spreading, crafting your talk, and delivering it effectively. It provides practical tips, techniques, and examples to help speakers connect with their audience and convey their ideas in a compelling way.
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3. How to Deliver a TED Talk: Secrets of the World’s Most Inspiring Presentations by Jeremey Donovan
This book provides a step-by-step guide to delivering a TED talk, offering practical tips and techniques for capturing an audience’s attention and delivering a memorable presentation. The book offers practical advice and strategies based on the analysis of hundreds of TED talks.
It covers topics such as structuring your talk, crafting a compelling story, using visuals effectively, and delivering with confidence. Donovan’s book aims to help speakers of all levels improve their presentation skills and deliver talks that inspire and resonate with their audience.
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4. Speak and Grow Rich by Dottie Walters
This classic book provides practical advice on how to start and grow a speaking business, including how to find speaking opportunities and negotiate fees. The aspect of fee negotiation is one that’s very necessary as you look to expand your income, making it the best book on speaking for this purpose.
This book on speaking also emphasizes the power of speaking as a tool for personal and professional success. Walters explores how speaking engagements can be used to build credibility, attract opportunities, and increase income. It provides practical tips on developing and delivering effective presentations, including how to structure a speech, engage with an audience, and overcome stage fright—which you’ll learn in more detail below. Through anecdotes and examples, Walters inspires readers to harness the potential of public speaking to achieve their goals and aspirations.
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5. The Wealthy Speaker 2.0: The Proven Formula for Building Your Successful Speaking Business by Jane Atkinson
This book offers a step-by-step guide to building a successful speaking business, including how to find your niche, market yourself effectively, and maximize your earning potential.
It’s a great guide for speakers looking to build a successful speaking business, where that’s the main function of your job. Atkinson provides a proven formula for aspiring speakers to establish themselves in the speaking industry and grow their business.
The book covers various aspects of building a speaking business, including defining a niche, creating a brand, marketing strategies, setting fees, and expanding your reach. Atkinson’s book is filled with practical advice, tips, and insights drawn from her own experience and that of other successful speakers, making it a valuable resource for anyone pursuing a career in professional speaking.
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6. Paid to Speak: Best Practices for Building a Successful Speaking Business by National Speakers Association
This book is a comprehensive guide to building a successful speaking business, featuring advice from top speakers and industry experts. The book covers various aspects of the speaking industry, including how to find speaking opportunities, set fees, market yourself effectively, and deliver impactful presentations. It provides insights and best practices from experienced speakers, as well as tips on how to avoid common pitfalls. It’s a practical resource for aspiring speakers who want to turn their passion for speaking into a profitable business.
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7. The 6-Figure Speaker: The Ultimate Blueprint to Build a Business as a Highly-Paid Professional Speaker by Brian Tracy
The book provides a step-by-step blueprint for speakers to achieve six-figure incomes and beyond. It covers various aspects of the speaking business, including how to identify your target market, create a compelling brand, market yourself effectively, and negotiate high fees.
The book also offers insights on delivering powerful presentations, building client relationships, and expanding your speaking business. Overall, “The 6-Figure Speaker” is a valuable resource for speakers who want to turn their passion for speaking into a profitable business.
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Best Books on Getting Over Stage Fright
Some of these aren’t specific to stage fright in general, but the underlying causes of it. Which of course, can be varied. If you want to better identify the cause so you can overcome stage fright, check out the read linked there.
Otherwise, these books can help you work through the main causes of fear, and are some of the best books on speaking when you’re afraid.
1. The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
While not specifically about stage fright, this book offers insights into how to shift your mindset and approach challenges with a more positive and open attitude, which can be helpful in overcoming stage fright. This is a transformative book that offers a new perspective on life and leadership.
The authors introduce a set of practices and principles that can help individuals change their outlook and approach to challenges. Through engaging stories and insights, the book encourages readers to embrace creativity, overcome limiting beliefs, and unlock new possibilities in both personal and professional life. So while it’s not necessarily one of the best books on speaking specifically, it’s amazing for speakers.
The Zanders’ approach emphasizes the power of mindset and perception in shaping our experiences, offering a refreshing and inspiring perspective on how to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.
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2. Performing Under Pressure: The Science of Doing Our Best When It Matters Most by Hendrie Weisinger and J. P. Pawliw-Fry
While not focused solely on stage fright, this book offers valuable insights and techniques for performing well under pressure, which can be useful for managing stage fright.
This book explores the psychology behind performing well in high-pressure situations. The book examines the factors that contribute to pressure, such as expectations, consequences, and self-imposed stress. It offers practical strategies for managing pressure, including techniques for regulating emotions, staying focused, and maintaining confidence. Through real-life examples and research-based insights, the authors provide readers with tools to perform at their best even under the most stressful conditions.
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3. The Inner Game of Music by Barry Green and W. Timothy Gallwey
While geared towards musicians, this book offers valuable insights into overcoming performance anxiety and improving performance by focusing on the mental aspects of performing. While it’s definitely music-focused, the principles apply in much of the same way, making it one of the best books on speaking as it relates to the performance of it.
It covers the psychological aspects of music performance and learning. Drawing on Gallwey’s “inner game” approach, which focuses on overcoming mental obstacles, the book discusses how musicians can improve their skills by quieting self-criticism, maintaining focus, and developing a more natural, effortless approach to playing. The authors emphasize the importance of awareness, trust in one’s abilities, and the role of the “self 1” (conscious mind) and “self 2” (unconscious mind) in learning and performing music. So, through practical exercises and insights, the book offers a holistic approach to music performance that goes beyond technical skill to cultivate a deeper, more fulfilling musical experience.
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4. The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance–What Women Should Know by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
While this book focuses more broadly on confidence, it offers valuable insights and techniques that can be applied to overcoming stage fright.
The book goes into detail about the concept of confidence, particularly as it relates to women. The book delves into the psychological and sociological factors that contribute to confidence, offering insights from scientific studies, interviews, and personal experiences. Kay and Shipman discuss how confidence impacts various aspects of life, including career advancement, leadership, and overall well-being.
Additionally, they provide practical tips and strategies for building confidence, emphasizing the importance of taking risks, facing failure, and embracing resilience. Overall, this book offers a compelling exploration of confidence and provides valuable insights for women seeking to boost their self-assurance. Sign us up!
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Best Books on Public Speaking No Matter Your Goal
Public speaking isn’t for everyone. Some have no desire, and therefore no skill—or even the will to learn. Others really want to, but aren’t great at it. It’s very few who both have the desire and are naturally talented.
Even then, it never hurts to improve by reading some of the best books on public speaking. No matter which camp you fall in, if you’re here, it means you want to get better.
Here are the books that’ll help with that.
1. The Art of Public Speaking by Dale Carnegie
A classic guide to effective public speaking, this book provides practical advice on how to overcome fear, capture an audience’s attention, and deliver a compelling speech.
Additionally, the book is a classic guide to effective public speaking. The book covers a wide range of topics related to public speaking, including overcoming stage fright, structuring a speech, using voice techniques and hand gestures effectively, and engaging with an audience. Carnegie provides practical advice and techniques for becoming a more confident and persuasive speaker.
He emphasizes the importance of preparation, practice, and authenticity in delivering successful speeches. Through examples and anecdotes, Carnegie illustrates his principles, making them easy to understand and apply. Overall, it’s a timeless resource for anyone looking to improve their public speaking skills.
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2. Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun
In this candid and humorous book, Berkun shares his experiences as a public speaker. He offers insights and tips on how to become a more confident and effective speaker. Berkun also shares lessons learned from his years of speaking engagements. He covers topics such as dealing with stage fright, engaging with diverse audiences, and handling unexpected challenges.
The book helps you improve public speaking skills, and includes anecdotes that offer a behind-the-scenes look at the speaking industry. Berkun’s conversational style and real-world examples make the book an engaging and informative read. It’s one of the best books on speaking for anyone interested in public speaking.
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3. Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln: 21 Powerful Secrets of History’s Greatest Speakers by James C. Humes
Drawing on the speeches of historical figures like Churchill and Lincoln, this book offers practical advice on how to craft and deliver memorable speeches.
Humes analyzes the speaking styles of leaders such as Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, and others, distilling their techniques into 21 actionable secrets. The book provides practical advice on how to structure a speech, use rhetorical devices effectively, and captivate an audience.
Through examples and anecdotes, Humes illustrates how these historical figures used their voices, gestures, and words to inspire and influence others. The book serves as a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their public speaking skills and learn from the masters.
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While these are the best books on speaking, they alone won’t get you to reach your full potential. For that, there are speaking coaches, programs like Toast Masters, and even more work to be done. Foremost, implementing the advice you read.
If you’d like to learn more about becoming a paid public speaker and improving your presentation skills, check out this free training.
