Learning to Love Public Speaking with Ruth Rotkowitz.

Welcome to Public Speaking with Peter George. Do you want to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then stay tuned as we discuss public speaking tips, techniques, and tactics that help you increase your impact, influence, and income.

You may have loved public speaking from a young age—but it’s more likely that you learned to love it over time. Or you may still be at the liking stage, with loving it still a ways off. In any case, you’ll appreciate my guest’s journey from hating public speaking to embracing it. Ruth Rotkowitz hated public speaking as a student because she didn’t want others looking at her. Ironically, she went on to teach English at both the college and high school levels. An author of two novels—Escaping the Whale and its prequel The Whale Surfaces—she currently resides in Arizona, where she conducts talks for the Phoenix Holocaust Association. Here’s my conversation with Ruth Rotkowitz.

From Dreading It to Doing It for a Living

Peter: Before you became involved with public speaking, what was your attitude towards it?

Ruth: I was very shy and very self-conscious as a child. I could talk one-on-one with anyone, but in a classroom I would never raise my hand—even if I was the only one who knew the answer. When someone gets called on, everyone turns and looks at that person. I would die. I would blush to the roots of my hair. People would say, “Look at you—you’re bright red.” And then I would blush more. The fear of blushing made me never raise my hand. That went through elementary school, high school, and college.

Ruth: And yet, out of all possible careers, I became an English teacher. I loved my subject, and I felt that love would carry me over this hump of embarrassment. To some degree, it did—because when you love what you’re talking about, it shows. I taught in a high school in New York, then moved to New Jersey and went on to college teaching. I gradually started losing that self-consciousness. It wasn’t completely gone, but it was getting better.

Passion for Your Subject Is Your Greatest Asset

Ruth: I saw it happen with my own students. One very quiet boy got up to speak about photography—something he genuinely loved. He explained how a camera works and how it mimics the eye. The class was spellbound. That showed me: if you care about your subject, it comes across. It’s contagious. You have to care—and also not care. Care deeply about the subject. But let go of needing everyone to get it.

How Writing a Book Changed Everything

Ruth: My debut novel was published in April 2020, at the beginning of the lockdown. I couldn’t go to bookstores or libraries—but Zoom opened up audiences all over the country that I never would have reached otherwise. Writing the book gave me something I loved talking about, and that became the engine that drove my speaking. When you’re caught up in your subject, your worries and nervousness fall away. There’s simply no room left for self-consciousness.

Ruth: I pushed myself to reach out—mostly by email, because I’m more comfortable writing than speaking. Some organizations contacted me because my content resonated with their agenda. In most cases I had to go to them and say, “I think my novel will speak to your audience.” You take a lot of rejection. That’s part of any arts world. It’s part of sales. You’re selling yourself.

Practical Tips for More Effective Presentations

Peter: You’ve mentioned a few tips already. What else can you share with our listeners?

Ruth: Index cards are my best friend. I write my notes and line them up in front of me—and sometimes I don’t even take them along, because the act of writing them out helps you organize your thoughts. Slow down. People who rush are usually nervous—they want to get through it. But the audience can’t follow you if you’re going too fast. Finish your sentences without trailing off. Look up at your audience. And try to make a personal connection.

Ruth: For instance, when I spoke about books that dealt with music during the Holocaust, I asked audiences to think about a loved one with dementia. They may not recognize family members—but you start playing a tune from their childhood and they sing along. Music speaks to the soul. Finding something in your content that connects to your audience’s own experience draws them in far more than any fact or statistic.

Ruth: Also: vary your voice. Monotone is often just nerves. But when you’re naturally talking to someone, you’re not speaking in a monotone—you modulate and vary. Let yourself sound like a human being in conversation, because that’s what conveys your message as much as the words do.

Handling Challenges From the Audience

Ruth: If someone challenges you or keeps interrupting, don’t get defensive. Stay cheerful. Say, “That’s interesting—let’s discuss it after.” Once I handed someone a piece of paper and a pen and said, “Write down all your points and give them to me at the end.” And then he was quiet. Respect the fact that people have opinions. But your love for your subject is yours—nobody can take that away from you. And that’s what you have to remember when you’re up there.

Peter: Ruth, where can listeners learn more about you and your books?

Ruth: My website is ruthswhale.com. You’ll find information about me, my speaking engagements, and both novels there. My books are also available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I love hearing from people.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Public Speaking with Peter George. Are you ready to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then visit petergeorgepublicspeaking.com and let’s make it happen. I’ll see you next time.