E-sponding with a writer/editor of an on-line writer newsletter to whom I had sent a contribution, I mentioned my last April book tour where I spoke to eight groups in five cities.  She responded that she loves to write and share with members of writer groups on an informal basis  but "put me in front of a crowd, and I freeze."

When I enrolled in a class in Public Speaking in college, it was not because I longed for an opportunity to speak in front of a group but because I KNEW that if I wanted to pursue a writing career, I'd better learn to speak to someone other than the person sitting next to me in a social setting.  I simply could not think of anything I wanted to talk about in front of the class. In that group was a young woman, Kathleen Freeman, who went on to make a career as a character actress in the movies.  She could always rise to her feet and give a spontaneous talk to the class.  I was baffled.    I spent more time preparing for that 2-unit class than for any of my 3-unit classes and it was the only one for which I received a grade lower than "B."

Many years later I enrolled in a class in creative writing at the local community college.  By that time I had a young family and had sold a number of articles to Parents, Boys Life, Westways magazines.  After I had completed the class, the teacher invited me to come speak to her successive classes through the next two years and tell them how I got started writing and some of the marketing successes I had.

MIRACLE!! Finally I found I had something to talk about that could possibly be of interest and value to others. By now ,in my 80's, I have spoken through the years to groups in more than 30 different cities in California, Nevada and Arizona and lead four workshops in my home community of Sedona, AZ.  

If you plan to write and publish books, you will be the prime promoter and marketer of your wares.  You had better learn to speak on your feet.  Get me on mine, these days, and in front of a group of writers, and it is very hard to shut me up.–  Write your best, Willma Gore