Amazing performances abounded in the Deyan Masterclass last night. PJ Ochlan and Elishia Merricks from Macmillan helped us really stretch and discover all the nooks and crannies we missed. Here are my key takeaways:

  • Work that inner voice. Show the listener what the character is thinking without words.
  • Go through the emotions in real time. Let the listener experience the discovery, fear, concern, etc. with you.
  • It’s very telling when a narrator loses the connection to the text. Whenever there was a gap in connection, PJ and Elisha nearly always called it out.
  • In nonfiction, be aware of the spoon feeding. Trust your listener to be smart.

Thanks PJElishia, and the Deyan Institute for an amazing Masterclass!