[1:23 am: Wondering if they have nanofactories on this ship.]

One of my favorite ways to do freetalking is while walking around bookstores and libraries. I use books and magazines as a source of random inspiration. You can do this with podcasts and videos, too, but it's not as easy to scan audio formats.

Tips to Get the Most Out of Freetalking at a Bookstore

• Start recording yourself as you enter the bookstore. Use a cardioid lavalier microphone to minimize background noise. Ramble on about whatever interests you, at a volume just loud enough for the mic to pick up your voice. This should be quiet enough not to bother other people.
• When you feel like digging into a topic, browse a section that might have books containing relevant information. Continue talking as you check out the selection.
• Pick a book, then read the blurb and other information on the dust jacket and flaps.
• If it piques your interest, scan the table of contents or, as I like to do, just flip to a random page and start reading. You'll be surprised how often you land on an idea that sparks your imagination, which leads to new directions for your freetalking session.
• If an author contributes a unique idea to your thought process, record their name and the book's title so you can cite it, and so you have a record of where you got the information in case you decide to buy or borrow the book later.
• Keep talking as you reinterpret the concepts you come across through your own perspectives, frames, and experiences. When boredom hits, move on to another book. Rinse and repeat.
• Magazines can offer clues on what your audience is asking about, which you can then answer through freetalking. Flip through some of those in your niche to get a sense of what's on the market's mind.

I often leave the store with a book or two that intrigued me.

“When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes.”― Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus

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