How to Deliver Riveting Middles

Quote of the week

“Life is not so much about beginnings and endings as it is about going on and on and on. It is about muddling through the middle.” Anna Quindlen

As storytellers, we often focus a lot of our energy on crafting a captivating opening and a memorable ending. But what about that critical middle section? It's all too easy for the momentum to sag, causing your audience to lose interest, as we “muddle through the middle.”

However, the middle of your presentation (or story) is where the real substance lies. It's where you dive deep into your key points, provide supporting evidence, and guide your listeners on a journey. If you let this part fall flat, you risk losing the very people you're trying to engage.

So how do you ensure your presentation's middle is just as riveting as the beginning and end? Let's explore a few techniques:

1. Introduce New Obstacles Just when your audience thinks they've got it all figured out, hit them with a new challenge or complication. This keeps them on the edge of their seats, wondering how you'll overcome the latest hurdle.

2. Reveal Surprising Twists Sprinkle in unexpected revelations or pivots to subvert your audience's expectations. This helps maintain a sense of unpredictability and wonder throughout the middle of your presentation.

3. Heighten the Emotional Stakes Ramp up the emotional intensity by exploring the deeper implications or real-world impact of your key points. This allows your listeners to forge a stronger connection with the material.

4. Incorporate Sensory Details Paint a vivid picture for your audience by incorporating rich sensory descriptions. This helps transport them into the world of your presentation, making them feel like active participants in the unfolding information.

5. Vary the Pacing Mix up the rhythm of your delivery by alternating between fast-paced sections and contemplative moments. This keeps your audience engaged and prevents the middle from feeling monotonous.

Video

In this video, we can see volunteer firefighter Mark Bezos (yes, he is the brother of the other one) masterfully maintains audience engagement throughout the middle of his talk. Despite the seemingly simple vignette he narrates he keeps the audience hooked by introducing new complications (getting there a second later), heightening the emotional stakes (running into a burning building), even whilst varying pacing and incorporating sensory details.

As you prepare your next presentation, remember that the middle is not just a bridge between the beginning and end. It's an opportunity to truly immerse your audience in the heart of your message. By employing these techniques, you can ensure your presentation's middle is as captivating as its bookends.