Speaking with Presence and Poise: How To Communicate with Confidence

In October 2025 I had the pleasure of facilitating another professional development session for the The Society of Authors, The UK trade union for all types of writers, illustrators and literary translators with a membership of 12,500 strong. The organisation has been empowering authors since 1884 and although I wasn’t presenting to all 12,500 members I enjoyed facilitating the session for a group of engaged writers. Although I had hosted quite a few sessions remotely in 2025 this session was face to face, the first one like this that I had run for the Society in 2025.

Sophia A Jackson Head of Events and Engagement at The Society of Authors introducing me to delegates

My goal was to ensure that "Speaking with Presence and Poise: Confident Communication for Authors" was an empowering experience for every delegate as we explored how intentional communication can transform the way they share their stories, ideas and expertise whether at book launches, festivals, public readings or media interviews. Public speaking confidence is often misunderstood as something you either have or you don’t when in reality, it is a skill that can be learned, strengthened and refined with the right mindset and practice. This is what sat at the heart of the recent session, where I had the privilege of facilitating a powerful training experience for a group of authors focused on confidence, clarity and personal brand presence.

Throughout the session, participants were guided through practical and reflective exercises designed to strengthen vocal confidence and physical presence but also most significantly self perception. This element is crucial, because the foundation to strong public speaking training and media training is mindset. How we see ourselves directly affects how we communicate. If you do not believe in your expertise or your right to be heard, it shows in your voice, your energy, your posture and most certainly your messaging.

As part of my work in personal branding and PR training facilitation, I place a strong emphasis on helping individuals shift the internal narratives that hold them back. Many people know what they want to say but struggle to say it confidently because of self doubt or fear of judgement. Addressing this is often the turning point in building lasting confidence.

We spent time exploring the art of managing nerves which if we’re honest are a natural response to visibility and significance. So rather than trying to eliminate nervousness entirely participants learned techniques to regulate their breathing, steady their voice and channel nervous energy into grounded, confident delivery. This is a core part of effective public speaking coaching and media confidence training.

Body language was another key focus of the session. How you stand, move and hold yourself plays a major role in how your message is received. Through practical exercises, participants learnt how to use posture, eye contact and intentional movement to project confidence, credibility and authenticity (all whilst honour different neurodivergent needs). These skills are essential whether you are speaking on stage, being interviewed for the media or representing your personal brand in professional spaces.

We also worked on voice and tone; tone is one of the most powerful tools in communication and yet it is often underestimated. Participants learned how to use their voice to communicate authority and authenticity, helping them sound confident without sounding forced or fake. This alignment between voice, message and identity is central to strong personal branding and effective media performance.

Alongside presence and delivery, we focused on crafting concise and compelling messages. Clear messaging is a cornerstone of PR training and personal brand strategy. Participants practiced refining how they talk about their work so it resonates with audiences, peers and the media. This included learning how to communicate their value clearly, confidently and consistently across talks, interviews and everyday conversations.

What made the session particularly powerful was witnessing the growth in confidence across the room. For some, it was a visible shift in how they stood and spoke. For others, it was a quieter light bulb moment as they recognised their unique voice and learnt how to express it more confidently. These moments are often where real transformation begins.

By the end of the session, delegates left feeling more self assured and empowered. They were equipped with practical tools to communicate their passion and purpose more confidently, whether on stage, on camera or in conversations about their work. As a personal branding coach, PR trainer and media trainer, seeing individuals leave with a stronger sense of confidence and self belief is always the most rewarding outcome.

From my perspective this was the kind of session that reminds me why this work matters. Helping people own their voice, communicate their expertise and show up confidently in the world is at the heart of effective personal branding, impactful public speaking and meaningful PR.

If you would like to work with me get in touch.