Speaker tip: "Don't memorize your talk
Speaker tip: "Don't memorize your talk. Memorize your stories." - Seth Godin
This works. I've presented 30 min to full day talks without slides or notes. How? I remember the stories I want to tell.
Speaking like this is like being a (less funny) comedian. Flow, through stories.
I find this approach makes me feel more natural. To me, great talks are like a conversation with extra people in the room.
It's hard to sound natural if you memorize every word. But it's easy to sound natural if you tell stories you know.
More: https://seths.blog/2019/06/awkward-memorization/
I often see this mistake with people who rarely speak. Example: Wedding toasts. They're often read from notes to assure they say *precisely* the right words. But this comes across cold and manufactured, even when the words are from the heart.
Instead, look up. Tell your stories.