5 Tips For Cold Reading For Professionals

I went to a high school for the performing arts in New Haven, Connecticut. When I walked in the doors for the first time, I felt a wave of "aaaaahhhhh" come over me as I finally felt like I could enjoy school.

I was in the drama department and I was determined and focused and made acting my sole purpose the two years before I went off to college.

In college, Emerson College to be precise, I was registered for a COMMUNICATIONS degree, but I spent the first two years of college in all the drama classes instead: Everything from Acting 101, Movement, Screenwriting, & Improvisation to classes. It was during these years that I learned the art of cold reading.

What is cold reading you ask?

Cold readings are usually performed by actors when they are in an audition. They are handed a script, given a rough description of the character and the scene and then they are asked to audition, reading from the script.

Actors get very skilled at it since they do it ALL THE TIME.

So my number one tip? Practice Reading Out Loud As Often As Possible. The repetition will get you more and more comfortable with the task.

Beyond this foundational idea, here are five key tips for cold reading that should help you reduce your nerves and have you shine the next time you need to read out loud at work:

① Find a private place (perhaps even the restroom) to loosen up your body and vocal cords. That could mean doing some head rolls; deep breaths and even some siren sounds with your voice. Relaxation will help you concentrate with more ease.

② Read the text over and over (even if you only get it 30 minutes before you need to read) to get comfortable with the phrasing and words in the copy. If someone else has written your script, be sure to identify any tricky words that don't feel like something you would naturally say and make them your own.

③ Start with a smile. It will send the right message to your listeners and it will send endorphins to your brain which can help relieve stress and get you off on the right foot.

④ Learn to read in sentences instead of in words. Look for punctuated phrases to help you see a group of words at a time. While you are reading that one phrase, see if your eyes can glance forward to the next group of words. (Oh, and if it helps to hold your finger where you are on the page or screen, that's ok too. You don't want to lose your place if you choose to look up.)

⑤ Remember to use definitive pauses. Not only will it give you time to look ahead, but it will also keep you from reading too quickly. When you combine the pause with clear diction and emphasized key words, you become masterful at reading out loud!

Good luck and let me know how it goes next time you read to a group at work.