In a Town & Country article about how not to be boring, David Brown who produced Jaws, The Sting, Cocoon and Driving Miss Daisy, among many other highly regarded films and several plays, gave the following advice:

“Rule #1:  Make your conversation short.

Rule #2:  Make it snappy.

Rule #3:  Start not being a bore by being a listener.

Everybody loves a listener, especially a bore.  Listen up and you make a friend.”