Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies

Writing a nonfiction book and having a signature talk go hand in hand: both are a reflection of who you are, what you do, and why you do it. Both your book and your signature talk should have a “hook,” which is your particular angle that answers...

Show Notes

Writing a nonfiction book and having a signature talk go hand in hand: both are a reflection of who you are, what you do, and why you do it.

Both your book and your signature talk should have a “hook,” which is your particular angle that answers “why me” and “why now” for your topic.

Some of our clients come to us after they’ve written a book to work on their signature talk, so we help them pull out the most important stories and key points.

Other clients create their signature talk first, which becomes the foundation and outline for their book.

My guest in this episode is Kelly Notaras, founder of kn literary arts, which works with authors who are writing nonfiction books.

 

Kelly and I talk about:

  • Why stories about yourself are not self-indulgent and how detailed to get in your stories
  • 3 types of nonfiction books you can write: prescriptive nonfiction, narrative memoir, and teaching memoir
  • Examples of each type and how to choose the best one for you, especially as a speaker
  • 5 elements you can use to find the “hook” for your book
  • What traditional publishers look for in authors
  • How her book coaches work with authors

This episode is part of our podcast series on Storytelling.

 

About My Guest: Kelly Notaras is an author, speaker, book editor and entrepreneur. She started her book editing career right out of college by moving to New York, where she worked in the editorial divisions at Avon Books, HarperCollins, Penguin USA and Hyperion Books. She then relocated to Boulder, CO where she became the VP, Associate Publisher at spirituality publisher Sounds True. Kelly speaks regularly at the Hay House Writer’s Workshops, and coproduces the membership-based Hay House Writer’s Community along with Hay House CEO Reid Tracy. But her proudest accomplishment is her book studio, kn literary arts, whose mission is to amplify positive change in the world through the medium of books. 

 

About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com. 

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/198 

Kelly’s website: https://knliterary.com/ 

Connect on LinkedIn:

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JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.

What is Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies?

It's time to escape the expert trap and become an in-demand speaker and thought leader through compelling and memorable business presentations, keynotes, workshops, and TEDx talks. If you want to level up your public speaking to get more and better, including paid, speaking engagements, you've come to the right place! Thousands of entrepreneurs and leaders have learned from Speaking Your Brand and now you can too through our episodes that will help you with storytelling, audience engagement, building confidence, handling nerves, pitching to speak, getting paid, and more. Hosted by Carol Cox, entrepreneur, speaker, and TV political analyst. This is your place to learn how to persuasively communicate your message to your audience.