Permission To Speak: How to Change What Power Sounds Like, Starting with You

Dialect coach, actor, and podcaster Bay specializes in helping speakers from a variety of backgrounds find their unique voice, and her first book is filled with tips gleaned from years of experience coaching everyone from actors to CEOs. Unlike many speaking guides, her focus is less on conforming to traditional standards for public speaking and more on using one’s natural talents to “change the story of what power sounds like.” Rather than condemning speaking techniques that are strongly associated with young women, such as vocal fry and upspeak, Bay encourages speakers to use these techniques purposefully, when they add authenticity to speech. They are tools in a vocal toolbox, one of many that speakers have at their disposal. Each chapter addresses a specific aspect of speech, from breath to pitch to the words that are used, with examples and exercises that allow readers to practice new techniques that build skills and confidence.