Rating: 
Summary: Practical Ways to Improve Conversational/Social Skills
Review: "What Do I Say Next" is a book filled with practical tips for improving conversational skills. Although the book is not really designed for the super introvert, it will help typically shy folks to become better conversationalists. It also provides much needed direction for the outgoing but rude. Perhaps the best word to describe Susan Roane's approach is "balanced."Unlike some books about conversation which are highly manipulative, this book is designed for both business and social conversation. Its direction is useful for almost any situation. The book is written casually. Although it is not disorganized, its casual manner with numerous case studies (these are great stories illustrating specific points) means you can pick up a paragraph here or there and find a complete thought. Much of the material in this volume sounds like common sense. After many of Roane's suggestions, readers might think, "Of course. That's obvious. Why didn't I already know that?" She offers practical, down to earth, and realistic advice. The author reinforces her main points with a helpful synopsis after each chapter. For shy people, she encourages them with studies that show 75 per cent of good conversationalists consider themselves shy. Her solution: use the "OAR" approach (Offer an observation, Ask a question, and Reveal your thoughts, ideas, or opinions). But do not drive people crazy with a barrage of questions, she warns us. It is this kind of sensibility and balance that makes this a useful book. It is a practical self-improvement book, not a detailed analysis. Good conversationalists will find a useful pointer or two, weak conversationalists will be overwhelmed with a wealth of advice (and will struggle as to what to do first). Although I did not agree with the author on every point, I recommend this book heartily.
Rating:
Summary: No longer tongue tied
Review: "What Do I Say Next" is a book filled with practical tips for improving conversational skills. Although the book is not really designed for the super introvert, it will help typically shy folks to become better conversationalists. It also provides much needed direction for the outgoing but rude. Perhaps the best word to describe Susan Roane's approach is "balanced." Unlike some books about conversation which are highly manipulative, this book is designed for both business and social conversation. Its direction is useful for almost any situation. The book is written casually. Although it is not disorganized, its casual manner with numerous case studies (these are great stories illustrating specific points) means you can pick up a paragraph here or there and find a complete thought. Much of the material in this volume sounds like common sense. After many of Roane's suggestions, readers might think, "Of course. That's obvious. Why didn't I already know that?" She offers practical, down to earth, and realistic advice. The author reinforces her main points with a helpful synopsis after each chapter. For shy people, she encourages them with studies that show 75 per cent of good conversationalists consider themselves shy. Her solution: use the "OAR" approach (Offer an observation, Ask a question, and Reveal your thoughts, ideas, or opinions). But do not drive people crazy with a barrage of questions, she warns us. It is this kind of sensibility and balance that makes this a useful book. It is a practical self-improvement book, not a detailed analysis. Good conversationalists will find a useful pointer or two, weak conversationalists will be overwhelmed with a wealth of advice (and will struggle as to what to do first). Although I did not agree with the author on every point, I recommend this book heartily.
Rating:
Summary: Practical Ways to Improve Conversational/Social Skills
Review: "What Do I Say Next" is a book filled with practical tips for improving conversational skills. Although the book is not really designed for the super introvert, it will help typically shy folks to become better conversationalists. It also provides much needed direction for the outgoing but rude. Perhaps the best word to describe Susan Roane's approach is "balanced." Unlike some books about conversation which are highly manipulative, this book is designed for both business and social conversation. Its direction is useful for almost any situation. The book is written casually. Although it is not disorganized, its casual manner with numerous case studies (these are great stories illustrating specific points) means you can pick up a paragraph here or there and find a complete thought. Much of the material in this volume sounds like common sense. After many of Roane's suggestions, readers might think, "Of course. That's obvious. Why didn't I already know that?" She offers practical, down to earth, and realistic advice. The author reinforces her main points with a helpful synopsis after each chapter. For shy people, she encourages them with studies that show 75 per cent of good conversationalists consider themselves shy. Her solution: use the "OAR" approach (Offer an observation, Ask a question, and Reveal your thoughts, ideas, or opinions). But do not drive people crazy with a barrage of questions, she warns us. It is this kind of sensibility and balance that makes this a useful book. It is a practical self-improvement book, not a detailed analysis. Good conversationalists will find a useful pointer or two, weak conversationalists will be overwhelmed with a wealth of advice (and will struggle as to what to do first). Although I did not agree with the author on every point, I recommend this book heartily.
Rating:
Summary: I haven't read a book this good in a long time.
Review: As someone with a degree in Psychology and a professional salesperson, I feel the book was well done. I enjoyed the stories that were used to drive the theories and points home. I read this book in 2 days and I am now reading it again to ensure that the principles are planted deep within my mind. This book has made a profound effect on the way I view communication. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their communication skills. After reading this book, I have noticed that the really successful people at work use these principles.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice book.
Review: Being it my first reading on the subject, I found it interesting. It is not a reference book, so it is not organized sistematically; sometimes it's a bit boring too. Anyway, it's an easy reading, there're a lot of useful "how to" and it suggests the "right conversationalist's point of view and habits".
Rating: 
Summary: A Good Read!
Review: Everyone can use hints for making business and personal conversations more effective. Susan RoAne offers the "do's and don'ts," from discussing business during lunch to comforting those in mourning. She even devotes a chapter to effective cyber-chatting. She will make you more aware of your body language, facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, and listening skills. Many of RoAne's suggestions are common-sense and you probably already use them, but not consciously and with much reflection. This may cause you to consider what you do and say, and how you come across. RoAne emphasizes courtesy, respect, and the value of truly listening to others. We recommend this book to help you build confidence and generate lively, informative conversations. Laced with Yiddish expressions and personal experiences, it draws on the author's experiences as the "mingling maven" keynote speaker.
Rating: 
Summary: The art of conversation is still a valued and desired skill.
Review: I always got in trouble in school because I chatted with my classmates. My first grade teacher would not doublepromote me because I was "out of my seat alot". People like me were called chatterboxes and other derogatory names. Years later I learned that I was lucky enough to have a gift... after all those red checks on my report cards. What Do I Say Next? is for the person who did not get in trouble for socializing and did not get red checks on their report cards. It is for those people who want to develop conversational skills and build relationships. It is the response to the question I have been asked by many people after my keynote based on How To Work a Room. so I wrote the second book third.. It is my experience as a speaker/ lecturer that people want to be good thought of as good conversationalists and may not have been given permission nor skill nor support to do so. My book has a philosophical foundation as well as a commonsense/practical approach and the tips from the 100 people I surveyed who were artful conversationalists. And it has a bit of an old-fashionedness that may sound like my grandmother or yours. I also included the conversation starters, maintainers and stoppers so we also know what to avoid. Those were also based on the things people said annoyed them.(like oneupsmanship, whining, monotones, correcting people in front of others). Asking the marketplace what they do and do not want seemed like a good place to start. My goal is to bring not only the art of conversation but also the confidence , ease and comfort to people who want to be good at it. Conversation is how we learn, build bridges and bonds... and business. With 88% of us self-identifying as shy according to Dr. Phillip Zimbardo, providing a resource to give people the tools and thoughts is a way to assist. There are academic and scholarly books on the subject of communication that are available in the research. But I wrote a guide that is organic with some practical formulas and in a style that is conversational which made sense to me. As a word play and pun enthusiast, I included those as that is my style of conversation. And I picked cartoons that made the points and made a team of people laugh out loud. There has to be some fun for the reader and the author.. Feel free to visit my website and email me with questions or comments or stories. Susan RoAne
Rating:
Summary: Susan really knows what she's talking about.
Review: I am basically shy. She's shown me that I can live with it and work through it. I got some techinques to break into conversation at social and work gatherings.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a keeper
Review: I bought the audio-tape read by the author. I hope she is a better speaker than a books-on-tape reader. I found her delivery nasal and flat. It was unpleasant listening to her. The content was thin, included too many quotes, and came off at times as self-congratulatory. If I didn't think conversation skills were important I wouldn't have bought the tape. I didn't need to hear over and over how important being a "conversensation" (her much over-used term) is to social and business success. I listened to this tape twice (the second time to verify my impressions) and then got rid of it. It was a waste of money. I found a much better tape on the subject in "The Fine Art of Small Talk" by Debra Fine.
Rating:
Summary: Very simplistic
Review: I found the book to be very simplistic. There seem to be a lot of words, without much being said. Her main advice seems to be, prepare a list of stories to tell in advance, and learn to speak about the weather. Most of the tips she has are just plain common sense. I guess, if you are having major problems conversing with people, (people leave when you enter a conversation, or the conversation dies when you speak) then you might get this book to find out some of her don'ts. I expected her tips to include more examples of conversations. Overall, I would look for a different book on the subject.
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