Public speaking is a term I am extremely uncomfortable with. Interviewing someone who has given a speech in front of an audience is a very useful tool for allaying my fear. While I don't currently know anyone who is required to give speeches regularly as part of their job, I do know one woman who gives speeches frequently enough that I can learn from her experiences. Mary Harding is my mother-in-law. She works at Glotfelty Tire Center in Elkins, West Virginia. She hosts a car care clinic for women who want to learn the basics of car care, where she has to give speeches to a medium-sized audience. She also spoke as a mentor for the MountaineerChallenge Academy. Last but not least, she often gives speeches for the Relay for Life organization in which she donates her time and efforts. During my interview, I asked Mary a series of questions to learn from her speaking experiences. The first questions I asked Mary were pretty basic. I started with how often she gives speeches. His answer was 3-4 times a year. I asked her if she used notes during a speech and she said, “Yes, always.” I also asked her if she currently felt comfortable speaking in front of an audience and she responded with a simple “Yes.” The next question I asked was about the speech preparation process. I asked Mary how she prepares for a speech. Her response was that she did extensive research on the subject beforehand. After doing her research based on the topic she is presenting, she takes notes to follow during the speech. The last stage of preparation is to practice your speech alone or in front of a small audience made...... middle of paper ...... not having to embarrass ourselves, or scare us, nor to upset ourselves to speak in front of other people. We can take care of it. You can be nervous, but you don't need to be handicapped in front of other people. "Practicing is important when preparing for a speech, but we need to practice the right things in the right way according to Stephen E. Lucas. Through my interview with Mary Harding I learned that public speaking is not something to fear. The more a person practices the activity of public speaking, the more comfortable they become. I also learned that taking notes after the speech is important to give the best speech possible in the future. his speaking experience for his auto service clinic, Mountaineer Challenge Academy and Relay for Life, gave me the motivation and confidence to excel in the business of public speaking..