The problem in their words
People who know their material still struggle to organize their thoughts into a clear response when put on the spot, whether by a professor, in court, in interviews or at work. Some freeze up and panic, others fill gaps with "um" and "like", and some feel ready to speak only after the discussion has already moved on. Non-native English speakers in new roles describe the same gap, often pointing to vocabulary as a weak spot.
Who's asking
- r/publicspeaking: 8 posts
What they use today
- Recording themselves and asking others for evaluation
All 8 posts
Struggling to articulate my thoughts during spontaneous speaking in class
“I'm confident in my understanding of the material, but when my professor puts me on the spot, I struggle to organize my thoughts into a clear response.”
r/publicspeaking · 25 Sep 2026 · Read it on Reddit (Struggling to articulate my thoughts during spontaneous speaking in class) “Non-native English speaker promoted to management - how can I improve my business communication?”
r/publicspeaking · 18 Sep 2026 · Read it on Reddit (Non-native English speaker promoted to management - how can I improve my business communication?) “32F lawyer struggling with confidence and improvisation in court — any advice?”
r/publicspeaking · 17 Sep 2026 · Read it on Reddit (32F lawyer struggling with confidence and improvisation in court — any advice?) How to stop saying "um" and "like" so much when I present?
“When I present in English, I say "um" and "like" a lot.”
r/publicspeaking · 16 Sep 2026 · Read it on Reddit (How to stop saying "um" and "like" so much when I present?) How do I actually realize that I need to say?
“It was for my speech class, and whenever I sorta hit an impasse and froze up, I completely panicked, and it cascaded from there.”
r/publicspeaking · 16 Sep 2026 · Read it on Reddit (How do I actually realize that I need to say?) First time recording myself speaking on a random topic
“So, far i understand that my vocab is probably the weakest section.”
r/publicspeaking · 12 Sep 2026 · Read it on Reddit (First time recording myself speaking on a random topic) Interview Prep
“Can anyone please tell me good strategies to deal with anxiety, and to speak without sounding fumbling during interviews?”
r/publicspeaking · 10 Sep 2026 · Read it on Reddit (Interview Prep) I completely froze in my GD. How do I improve?
“I had thoughts about the topic, but I just couldn't get myself to speak. By the time I felt ready to say something, the discussion had already moved on.”
r/publicspeaking · 10 Sep 2026 · Read it on Reddit (I completely froze in my GD. How do I improve?)
If you tested it
A headline for the page: “Answer clearly on the spot, without freezing or filler words”
Test first: The riskiest assumption is that people will practice unscripted answers alone with a tool; a landing page would show it if visitors sign up to try a timed practice session.
- Build a one-page site describing timed on-the-spot practice with feedback on structure and filler words, with a signup for early access.
- Share it where people ask for help with speaking on the spot, such as public speaking forums, in reply to posts about freezing, rambling and filler words.
- Count signups over seven days; a steady share of visitors leaving an email and asking when they can practice would mean yes.
Test this idea
Edit it to make it yours, then see who's asking this week. If you want, Ghostlaunch builds the page and runs the 7-day test.