Ateleprompter can make you sound polished and confident, or stiff and robotic. The difference comes down to a handful of techniques that anyone can learn. Here are the tips that separate natural delivery from obvious reading.
1. Write for the Ear, Not the Eye
The most common teleprompter mistake happens before you even hit record. If your script reads like a blog post or an email, it will sound unnatural when spoken aloud. Write like you talk:
- Use contractions. "you're" instead of "you are," "it's" instead of "it is"
- Keep sentences short. If a sentence has more than 20 words, split it
- Use simple, direct language . "Use" not "utilise," "help" not "facilitate"
- Read it aloud first. If you stumble while reading, rewrite the sentence
2. Set the Right Scroll Speed
Most people set the scroll too fast. When the text outruns you, you speed up to catch it, and that's when you start sounding like a robot. The teleprompter should match your pace, not the other way around.
Start slower than you think you need. In LilPrompter, begin with a low speed setting and do a test read. If you're constantly waiting for the text, bump it up slightly. The sweet spot is when the text scrolls just ahead of where you're reading, close enough to see what's coming, slow enough that you never feel rushed.
3. Use a Large Font Size
Small text forces your eyes to dart across the screen to read each line. Your audience will notice. It looks like you're scanning back and forth instead of talking to them. A larger font means fewer words per line, which means your eyes stay centred and your gaze looks natural.
If you're reading from 2-3 feet away, 48px is a good starting point. From further away, go bigger. LilPrompter scales up to 128px for distance reading.
4. Position the Screen Near the Lens
The closer the teleprompter text is to your camera lens, the more natural your eye contact looks. If the text is on a monitor three feet to the left of the camera, your audience will see you looking off to the side the entire time.
- Laptop webcam: run the teleprompter in fullscreen on the same device; the text is already right below the camera
- External camera: place a second screen or tablet directly below or beside the lens
- Beam-splitter rig: the text is literally on the lens; enable mirror mode in LilPrompter
5. Do One Practice Run
This is the single highest-impact tip. One practice read-through before recording eliminates the majority of stumbles, awkward pauses, and speed mismatches. Your second read will always be smoother than your first.
During the practice run, notice where you trip up. If a sentence is hard to say, rewrite it on the spot. If the scroll speed feels wrong, adjust it now rather than mid-recording.
6. Pause Naturally. Don't Chase the Scroll
Natural speech has pauses. Robotic teleprompter reading doesn't. The difference is simple: when you finish a thought, pause. Take a breath. Let the teleprompter scroll ahead of you. Then pick it back up.
These micro-pauses make you sound human. If you chase the scroll non-stop, you sound like a machine reading text. Let the teleprompter be a guide, not a treadmill.
7. Use the Dark Interface
A bright white teleprompter screen creates problems on camera. It can reflect in glasses, cause visible screen glow on your face, and create distracting light in your shot. A dark interface like LilPrompter's black background minimises all of this. Light text on a dark background is also easier on your eyes during long recording sessions.
8. Add Visual Cues to Your Script
Make your script work harder for you by adding markers:
- Blank lines between sections to signal topic changes
- "..." or [PAUSE] where you want to take a deliberate breath
- ALL CAPS for words you want to emphasise vocally
- [LOOK AT CAMERA] as a reminder to reconnect with the lens after looking at notes
Put It Into Practice
The best way to get better at using a teleprompter is to use one. LilPrompter is a free teleprompter that works in your browser. Paste a script, set your speed, and practise these tips. No signup, no downloads, no cost.