Being a naturally quiet person isn’t a bad thing, but there may come a time that you’d like to speak up a little more to make your voice heard. As with most things, holding a conversation is a skill that you can get better at with practice. With a little patience and some hard work, you can become comfortable talking with people one-on-one or in large groups.

1

Think of topics to talk about ahead of time.

  1. Come up with 2 to 3 things you feel comfortable chatting about. You don’t have to prepare a script, but try to make a short list of fun, easy conversation topics to fall back on. You could talk about your hobbies, your job, your travel plans, or your recent projects.[1]
    • Then, if you find yourself stumbling or the conversation is lulling, you can steer the topic toward something you feel comfortable talking about.
    • For example, if you’re super into a new board game, you could ask the person you're talking to if they’ve ever played it.
    • Or, if you just adopted a new pet, ask them if they have a dog and tell them about yours.
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7

Raise your voice during group conversations.

  1. Large, loud groups tend to be a little harder to interject yourself into. If you’re at a party or a gathering and you’re in a group setting, try to raise your voice to be heard over the other people or the music. Use gestures and open body language to make it clear that you’re speaking.[7]
    • During large, loud conversations, the rules of social engagement are slightly different. You may have to interject quickly after someone finishes talking so you get a chance, or you might have to raise your voice and continue talking if you start talking at the same time as someone else.
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10

Expand on things you have in common.

  1. Take note of any similarities you have with your conversation partner. Ask follow-up questions or explain a little bit more about your interest in the subject. Before you know it, you’ll be having a fun, lively conversation. For example:[10]
    • “I didn’t know you were into skateboarding! I’ve been skateboarding since I was 14.”
    • “You grew up in Florida, too? I lived there for 10 years.”
    • “We live in the same neighborhood, how weird is that!”

Expert Q&A

  • Question
    How can I talk more confidently?
    Patrick Muñoz
    Patrick Muñoz
    Public Speaking Coach
    Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association.
    Patrick Muñoz
    Public Speaking Coach
    Expert Answer
    If you're naturally very quiet, it's important to develop your voice. For instance, you might work on tongue twisters, read poetry out loud, or take an improv class. If you're struggling to do this on your own, it can be very helpful to work with a speech coach or voice therapist.
  • Question
    How do you stay calm when doing a speech?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Try practicing a lot at home with your friends and family members. Before you get up to do your speech, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you know what you're doing. Before you know it, you'll be up on stage receiving a round of applause!
  • Question
    How do I stop myself from regretting everything when I talk?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    The best thing that you can do is to remind yourself that the past is in the past and you need to move forward. Think about what you regretted saying and decide if you need to find a way to avoid repeating the same type of thing. If it really wasn't anything inappropriate, etc., then stop blaming yourself and focus on what you did add to the conversation.
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About This Article

Patrick Muñoz
Co-authored by:
Public Speaking Coach
This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. This article has been viewed 121,761 times.
8 votes - 88%
Co-authors: 29
Updated: August 25, 2021
Views: 121,761
Categories: Speaking Skills
Article SummaryX

Being a naturally quiet person can be challenging, especially when you want to join in the conversation, but with patience and practice, you can find your voice. When you’re speaking with other people, listen closely to what they have to say and ask follow up questions. You can also make small comments or exclamations, especially in larger group conversations. For example, if you agree with something say “Yeah” or “You’re right” instead of simply smiling or nodding your head. If the thought of saying anything at all makes you anxious, then give yourself a brief pep talk ahead of time. Remind yourself that you’re knowledgable and have something to contribute. You can even practice talking in less-stressful situations. For instance, set a goal to talk to 1 new person every day, like saying “thank you’ to a grocery clerk. You can also read out loud at home to get used to hearing your own voice. To learn how to join conversations early, keep reading!

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