Sound Check - A resource for writers and the publishing community

You've been asked to read from your work at a book festival, a school, on radio or at a conference.

Moving from the private world of writing your novel or story to performing your material in public can be a nerve-wracking prospect.

With a little help from us you could turn it into an enjoyable experience – not only for your audience but for you too!

Through our combined experience of writing, acting, recording and presenting, we can help you match your written work with live rehearsal and optimise your ability to make an impact.

How does Sound Check work?

A performer's confidence comes from rehearsal in front of a director - a trusted and objective sounding board.

Using some of the techniques employed by actors, we provide a supportive environment in which you can get comfortable with the process.

We offer sessions of focused rehearsal - to small groups or as one-to-ones - which are designed to address real situations and to suit any writer required to perform in front of an audience.

Areas covered include:

*Finding & enhancing your own 'Public Persona'
*Handling your script
*Choosing what to read & for how long
*Giving an introduction
*How & when to ad lib
*Making eye-contact
*What your audience expects from your event
*Answering questions & dealing with interruptions
*Confident body posture
*Voice production & breathing
*What to wear (and what not to...)


Who are we?

Susie Maguire
A performer and writer since the early 1980s, when she started out doing stand-up and musical-comedy acts, Susie has since worked on radio, TV, film and stage, frequently reading or performing her own scripts and stories. As writer, she is author of 2 critically acclaimed short story collections and editor of 4 anthologies , and has appeared several times at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. She is a member of Equity, and of The Society of Authors, and an Arvon tutor.

Martha Leishman
In 2000 Martha set up Drama at Work She coaches business executives in their presenting skills, using acting techniques to enable her clients to make a lasting impact on their audience. Having trained as an actor, with 20 years of live performance behind her, (including film, tv and extensive work as a voice-over artiste), Martha also qualified as a coach. She has a wide range of clients including advocates, media executives and company directors. She is a member of Equity, the association for Coaching, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a performance reviewer for the National Council for Drama Training.

For further information, and to discuss how we can help you, please email us. soundcheck.scotland@googlemail.com

(NB All correspondence will remain confidential, and we will not pass on your details to any other organisation.)

©Susie Maguire & Martha Leishman 2007

 

 

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