do verbal skills decline as writing skills improve?

[Anne Frasier]

is it just me, or have others noticed how hard it is to talk? over the years i've noticed a sharp decline in my verbal skills. it seems that i process thoughts differently than i processed them in my pre-writing days. now conversation comes to me as an idea which is then followed by brain text, followed by a choice of text such as what i might want to edit or change, then the realization that people are waiting for a reply -- all of this before trying to spit out a coherent sentence. it's as if my brain is now much more equipped to deal with text rather than live conversation.

[Brian Thornton]

If you're thinking you need to brush up on your extemporaneous speaking skills, and not just ruminating aloud (or online, as it were) about the decline of your ability to speak at length and intelligently in a public setting, might I suggest you give Toastmasters a try? They're wonderful.

Or if you're ever in the Seattle area and want to brush up with a tough audience, there's always my crop of 8th graders. I warn you though, they're a tough room.

[Anne Frasier]

oh, yeah. 8th graders would be hell!

[Anne Frasier]

thanks, margot! i'll keep that in mind.

[norby]

I think you have a valid point here Brian. How we communicate often has to do with who we're communicating with. For me it does anyway. I can change the pattern of my words, tone and expression based on who I'm talking to, verbal or written. I think most people can, they're just not aware of it.

Writing and speaking are like any other talents or skills-if you don't use them regularly, they get rusty. So Anne if it feels like your verbal skills aren't up to snuff, maybe you've just been hiding away writing a little too much. Although you're probably much more engaging than you think you are!!!

[Brian Thornton]

No question you're on to something here. Humans are proven to vary their speech within the groups in which they interact on a daily basis. It's also true that if you don't keep the skill honed, you lose said skill.

[Anne Frasier]

norby, i do think i've been spending too much time at the computer. i've fighting that addiction and trying to find some balance.

[Jordan Dane]

I find myself more aware of speaking in sound bite friendly phrases. Is that sick or what? Panels and interviews are the culprits I blame for that--at least, that's my story.

When I get in a crowd, I can turn it on because I enjoy people, but my REAL preference is to sit back and watch. I prefer to be an observer and create future scenes and characters from the snap shot images I store in my brain. And thanks to many of you, I got plenty of material at the June MWA conference in Dallas. You know who you are.

[Kathryn Lilley]

I think our writing raises our standards for everyday conversation. When we're writing, we can craft "the best, most ultimate" conversation between our protagonist and whomever. In real life, we have to think on our feet, and respond immediately. And in real life we often fail miserably!

[Cornelia Read]

I seem to lack the verbal skills to order a pizza over the phone, these days. Also am known to go into near-Aspergers monologues--on crime stuff or whatever I'm researching--at dinner parties, which can be a little scary. I watch the non-mystery people's eyes glaze over, but I just can't help myself--I MUST continue to tell them all about blood spatter, or the multiple homicides in Yosemite, or spy chicks, or the bureaucracy of Auschwitz in the early days, or why Bouchercon was so so cool.

I think I used to have small talk, I just can't remember what it was.

[Jordan Dane]

Cornelia--I think we need to find like-minded individuals to discuss such matters. Problem is, they are all on death row.

[Sandra Ruttan]

Or stick to social events with other crime fiction authors. I went with a group to the ME's office and did the autopsy tour. Afterwards we went for Italian... I'm afraid our poor waitress was quite disturbed by the conversation.

[Brian Thornton]

Cornelia-

I am SO inviting you to my next dinner party.