Quote: (06-18-2015 04:31 AM)SunW Wrote:
speaking and talking to strangers in general (both good skills)
Do exactly that for a fortnight. Speak to anyone and everyone within reason nearby you. Not for the purposes of game -- I'd even suggest the opposite, could be an old guy on the way to the lottery. On public transport, at the queue in the shops, wherever. No-one will be too daunting to speak to afterwards.
If you're in school/college/university, join the debating society. You learn to think on your feet and control nerves. From experience, I'd go so far as to argue that the skillsets you pick up in debating actually run counter to game, as you're flexing the principles of structured rhetoric delivering from first principles -- basically bolstering your case with pure logic, something I've often times had to put aside in game.
Toastmasters is a good alternative. There's mostly no requirement to appear in front of 50 + people, but you can park some of the logical thinking aside and mix in banter and such.
You can also practise reading articles, putting it down in dot points and delivering it as a speech, albeit not rigidly structured, in front of a mirror at home. Record yourself. If you can do that in front of a neighbour, bonus points.