Problem: Article: The "bar" test ensures that your idea is clear and your storytelling is effective. Before you write your presentation, make notes sketching out your message. Think of it as a story, with a beginning, middle, and end. Then ask a colleague or friend who knows nothing about your project to listen to your summary.  Deliver your summary to them in friendly, direct language, as if you were telling the story to a friend in a bar. In fact, you can tell the story to a friend in a bar. However, telling a colleague over coffee can work just as well. Get them to tell you what their takeaway was. If they can summarize your message accurately, that's a good sign. Find a friend, colleague, or mentor who you trust to give you useful feedback. Rather than waiting until your presentation is "finished," deliver it to them while it's still a draft. That way, they can give you tips not just on your delivery, but on the organization of your content as well.  Ask them to be your coach. Give them your presentation once or twice and let them ask you questions and give feedback. Ask them to point out moments that are dull or confusing. . It's important to rehearse in front of people because it will make you less nervous when the time comes. If you tend to get nervous when you give presentations, you can go further during your rehearsals in order to reduce your nerves.  Write down what you're afraid of. What exactly worries you when you give a speech? Looking foolish? Being asked a hard question? Write down your exact fears, and then consider them each individually. Think about what you will do in each situation. For instance, if your fear is, "I'll forget what I'm saying," you can prepare a plan like, "If I forget what I'm saying, I'll pause, scan my notes, and find the next important point I need to make." Catch your negative thoughts, and calm them. If you think, "I'm going to get nervous and sweaty," replace it with, "I have important information to deliver and everyone is going to pay attention to that." You don't want to go over your time frame and get cut off, or wear on the patience of your audience. Time your rehearsals, especially those you give in front of others, to see that you are staying within the time you have. Give yourself extra time if you plan to take questions, or if you anticipate lots of digressions. Try practicing in front of your dog, your mirror, or your family. Practice speaking with an engaging tone. Gesture and emote as if you were addressing your audience. Know your presentation backward and forward. This doesn't mean sticking to a strict script every time. Instead, when you rehearse, improvise freely. Deliver your main points, but include quips and anecdotes that occur to you as you go. You'll remember the best ones when you actually deliver the presentation.
Summary: Give it the "bar" test. Practice your speech in front of a colleague while you're still developing it. Prepare for nerves Time yourself carefully. Practice repeatedly.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If your subject feels nervous or self-conscious, it will show in the picture. Start with an ice-breaker, like making silly faces or standing in exaggerated poses. Try this while you’re shooting your lighting test. Be positive. Most people aren’t used to having their pictures taken, so keep your tone encouraging, and keep the conversation going through the shoot. Everyone has gestures and facial expressions which are unique to them. Animated expressions are best for headshots, so talk to your client about different topics to see what they’re passionate about, then shoot the results.  Ask questions about what the subject likes to do in their free time, as well as their job, their family, and their pets. When you hit on a subject they seem interested in, ask them more about it. For instance, talk to a dog lover about which parks in the city are the most dog-friendly, or ask a music lover about any shows they've seen recently. Share funny stories from your photography experience to put your client at ease. Just be sure to never badmouth a former client - that always comes across as unprofessional! If the energy in the room seems to drop, suggest a wardrobe change or come up with a new pose to shake things up a little. In general, a top-down shot is the most flattering, as it eliminates the look of a double chin. Have the client tilt their forehead slightly forward, which strengthens the look of the jawline. In some cases, shooting up from the bottom can convey strength and authority. Practice a few shots to see if you can find the angle you like. Sometimes, subtle changes can make a big difference. Make slight adjustments to the subject's posture and the angle of their head as needed between shots.  Folded arms can convey strength, but it can also look very stiff, especially in women. Try asking them to drop the shoulder closest to the camera for a more natural look. Action shots can demonstrate a person’s profession. Show them holding a prop or acting out something they would do at work. Try turning the body to a 45 degree angle with the subject’s head facing directly at the camera.

SUMMARY: Use an ice-breaker to make the client feel comfortable. Try to capture what makes your client unique. Shoot from above the subject for the most flattering angle. Try sitting, standing, and leaning poses to see which look the most natural.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: The best way to improve writing skills, no matter the writer's age, is through regular practice. Your child might be getting a lot of good practice at school. However, if your child's school provides limited writing practice or if you're homeschooling your child, you may want to include additional formal writing lessons at home. Even having your child write very straightforward things (such as what they did at school that day or what kinds of snacks they want to eat) can be excellent writing practice. It doesn't always have to be creative writing practice to be effective. Recognize, however, that sometimes children will be reluctant to write. Let them take some time away from writing if they need to (unless they have to complete a school assignment). A daily journal can be a terrific way for a young writer to expand their vocabulary, develop a unique writing style, and learn how to express complicated thoughts in words. This builds essential skills and gives children an important outlet for sharing their thoughts and feelings. Sometimes the best writing practice is freewriting when your child simply writes whatever comes into their mind. However, if your child is a bit older and wants to write a longer or more ambitious story, encourage your child to make a writing plan first. Make sure your child has a sense of what they will write about, what the point of their story is, and (if relevant) what the assignment entails. Do they have a plan for the beginning, middle, and end of the story? Perfectionism can be harmful to your child's creativity and self-confidence. Rather than fixing your child's errors and mistakes, have your child reread their own writing and ask them what they think about it. Let them locate their own errors and encourage them to fix things themselves. Never take over and rewrite their story yourself.  For example, you could underline the words they have misspelled without giving them the correct spelling. Ask them to look up the correct spelling in the dictionary. Be sure that you provide your child with positive feedback as well as gentle suggestions for improvements. One of the most important skills your child will learn is how to revise first drafts into final drafts. Encourage your child to make changes to their story and to work hard at improving it. For example, you can ask them to use sticky notes to build off of the first draft of a story in order to add more details, clarify their language, and vary their sentence structures. Let your child know that practice and perseverance are essential to the writing process.
Summary:
Encourage daily writing. Encourage your child to keep a journal. Encourage your child to plan before writing difficult things. Resist the urge to do the writing yourself. Provide fun opportunities for revision.