You have written the perfect script. But the moment you press record, your voice goes flat and you sound like you are reading a textbook. News anchors use teleprompters every day and sound natural, so why is it so hard for the rest of us?

In this episode, I break down four specific techniques to fix that robotic delivery. We look at the trade-offs between reading word-for-word and improvising, and how each method impacts your editing time and cognitive load. I also share the specific method I use for my own shows to balance accuracy with a human connection.

Here is what you will learn in this episode:

1. The trade-off between natural delivery and post-production editing time
2. How to use the "Look Down, Look Up" method for short-form content
3. Techniques for scan-reading a teleprompter effectively
4. How to use "Reference Cues" and bolding to anchor your memory
5. The "Reference and Improvise" workflow for long-form episodes

The goal is to sound like the expert you are.

Resources Mentioned:

Previous episode on script formatting:

Podcast: https://stereoforest.com/episodes/solo-podcasting-workflow-voice-to-final-script/

Video: https://youtu.be/LixDbzNYRXE

Anchor words: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1244288/full

Newsletter: https://StereoForest.com/newsletter

CHAPTERS

00:00 The problem with reading scripts

02:22 Balancing delivery vs. editing time

03:57 Method 1: Look down, look up (Short-term memory)

05:26 Method 2: Scan reading (News anchor style)

06:50 Method 3: Reference cues (Anchoring)

10:24 Method 4: Reference and improvise

12:31 Choosing the right technique for you

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About and Support

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Written, edited, and hosted by Jen deHaan.

Find this show on YouTube at https://youtube.com/@jdehaan

Website at https://stereoforest.com/lab

Get StereoForest’s newsletter for podcasting resources at https://stereoforest.com/newsletter

Produced by StereoForest https://stereoforest.com

Contact Jen at https://jendehaan.com

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About Jen

Host: Jen deHaan is the founder of StereoForest. With a background of over 20 years in tech, education, & instructional design and 10 years in improv and performance, Jen brings systems and scientific approach to media production.

Jen's website: https://jendehaan.com

This podcast is a StereoForest production. Made and produced in British Columbia, Canada.