Question

An academic writing question.

Write a narrative essay on the topic when you won the prize by overcoming the fear of public speaking in your school.

MLA format, in MS words double spacing 5 pages.

Answer 1

I was very ugly at public speaking.
Every time I was asked to go on stage, I would make every attempt to run away and escape the inevitable ignominy that would befall me. I would be at tears as the day approached closer. And if I failed to escape from it after all that, I'd hurriedly finish my speech as my name was called out and would never think of it again.
But the gods didn't have enough of my sufferings. They conspired with my Social Science teacher and convinced her that I was the best option to speak at an esteemed debate competition which would be telecasted live on a national television channel. Oh, but they did better. They didn't tell me anything about the live telecast. They probably thought I'd be more in character that way. The idiot in the idiot box.

As the D-day approached I realised I couldn't run from this one. Oh! Also, I was made to believe in the beginning that all I had to do was sit in the audience and then ask a question IF I felt like (now you know why I accepted it in the first place. It would be a day off from school and HA! I had no plans to ask any questions! it was the perfect bunk). I'd have, for sure, faked terminal epilepsy(beginning right then) when my teacher asked me to participate in the debate if I had any idea of what was to come.

On later realisation that this 'Debate' involved me speaking, I frantically started to prepare a speech. And prepare a speech I did. And I didn't have single clue what the glittery words on that sheet of paper meant and I prayed that the author(OK, authors) I had stolen from, did. But apparently it all made perfect sense to my Social Science teacher... or so she told me. The Devil works in mysterious ways.
On the day of the debate I was informed about the live telecast and that any one person from the audience would be allowed to ask me a question based on my speech... WHICH I WAS TO ANSWER!!(Yes, I did consider just-walking-it-off). So with this well-cast petrification spell on me I walked into the debate. Even after practising a zillion times and keeping the standard public speaking tips(like don't look at the audience directly in the eye, wave your arms and keep them relaxed etc etc) in mind, I fumbled. I stood there quietly as time slowed down and the TRP of 'The AchinthyaMan Show' hit an all-time high. I heard it was a laugh riot. (Yep, pretty sure I heard them laugh.) And then I babbled the first ten words, many which were just invented, I could think of in lieu of the answer to the question posed to me.
The audience now knew what a retarded Shakespeare would sound like.

The gods then went back to making this 6000 year old Earth look like 4.54 billion year old or whatever other pranks they pull on us.

I was devastated. I had failed my partner(who BTW would have won if it wasn't for me), my teacher, my school and most importantly, Myself. I used to have flashbacks of this event and would be unable to move or think for some time each time it happened.

THE HAPPY ENDING
After an year, now in college, we were asked to present a seminar on Global Warming for our class test and I did well... or better. Yes that's it...the story. Yes, the transformation was immediate. it-takes-time-and-practice story.

I know it wasn't a great event nor was it being telecasted live to a national audience but something in me was born that day. The confidence that I can speak ANYWHERE and in front of ANYONE. All this because I realised what I was doing wrong and what I did right on that day.

I wasn't delivering a speech that day, I was speaking to the audience. I was trying to passionately convince my fellow classmates about the true nature of global warming. The topic was close to my heart and I wanted to instil the same fervour in them.
I was welcomed to a thunderous applause (and probably to a standing ovation...I don't remember now).
And from that day public speaking has been nothing but fun for me.

So to answer your question..
Keep these simple things in mind:

1) Don't over rehearse
You'll sound mechanical and if you happen to lose your track you'll panic and forget everything.
2) Don't try to 'deliver' the speech, but speak as if you're trying to make the audience understand. Teach them. Sell them your view point
3) Feign confidence
Corollary of point 2 actually. Pretend to be the authority on the topic you are speaking and try to teach the audience the things you are about to say. You have nothing to be afraid of from them.
4) BE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE TOPIC
Actually this is the only one that matters. Forget the rest. Just remember this. Be passionate about the topic and deliver it passionately and the rest will follow automatically without you knowing about it.

After a few such attempts you'll be able to speak in public about anything even if you are not passionate about it.