I love readings and my readers, but the din of voices of the audience gives me stage fright, and the din of voices inside whisper that I am a fraud, and that the jig is up. Surely someone will rise up from the audience and say out loud that not only am I not funny and helpful, but I'm annoying, and a phony.

Summary

In this quote, the author expresses their conflicting emotions towards their readers and public speaking. The "stage fright" refers to their uneasiness caused by the audience's voices. Internally, they struggle with self-doubt, feeling like a fraud who will eventually be exposed. There is a fear that someone in the audience will loudly criticize them, claiming they are neither funny nor helpful but rather annoying and inauthentic. This quote captures the author's vulnerability and fear of being judged negatively by those they seek to entertain and educate.