During my monologue, what should I do when I want to stop talking about one subject and start talking about another?

This question of transitions is extremely important. In fact, both the audience’s interest and the performer’s focus is most commonly lost during transitions. When Spalding Gray has finished talking about a topic or has come to the end of one of his brief stories, he will sometimes take a moment to sip from his glass of water or flip a page in his notebook. He uses these practical devices to great effect, allowing the audience a few moments to absorb what he has just finished talking about before launching into something else.