Throat clearing isn't necessary

Begin in the middle.

The first paragraph, where you lay out what's about to happen. The half-apology you use to preface your comments at the meeting. The email that takes a paragraph or two to get to the point...

You can skip those.

Throat clearing is a good way to make sure that people are looking at you. And an even better way to give yourself time to collect your thoughts, to indulge your fears or to get yourself warmed up.

But we're already looking at you. We've clicked through to your link, given you the microphone, read your note...

Say all that stuff in your head, but, we'd really like to hear the best part first.

Begin in the middle.