Small Talk for the Shy

Alone with someone in the elevator. The more you feel you have to say something, the more the words jam in your throat. And later, you blame yourself for the line you never managed to say. If you've had nights like that, again and again, this book is for you.

It isn't that you "have no people skills." You simply don't yet have a small script for the first line.

This is a book about small talk for introverts. It won't tell you to "be more outgoing" or "talk more." It's a book about facing people while staying exactly as shy as you are—through preparation and a few small techniques.

What it hands you isn't clever banter—it's a refuge you can retreat to when you freeze. - Don't hunt for a witty topic; just name one thing in front of you - You don't have to be the one talking—let them talk, with questions and a simple echo - Show a little of yourself, let silence be okay, and end cleanly - You won't click in one go—so make small contact, often

By the last page, you'll have a small script in your hand. Carry it out the door—still an introvert, and that's exactly right.