Speech Writing: What Is The Most Challenging Task


When asked what they fear the most, many people will say public speaking. The act of standing in front of an audience to deliver an address can reduce otherwise confident people into a mess of nerves. Much of this can be avoided, however, by writing the perfect speech. Here are some of the most critical parts of the speech writing process

Choosing a topic

Good topics can make great speeches. Great topics can make perfect speeches in the right hands. If your speech topic is entirely up to you, think about the things you are passionate about. The words will flow from you naturally when you deal with topics that move you and it will be easier to transfer that passion to the audience. Be careful to weigh that passion against the presence of evidence. If you feel strongly about something that you lack proof for you may need to go back to the drawing board for your topic. This can sometimes be remedied by a bit more research though.

Profiling your audience

When your speech is to be directed to an audience that has clear preferences, try to find out what they are. Profiling your audience accurately can lead you to take parts out of your speech altogether or merely rephrase them so that they have greater impact. An audience of young children, for instance, will be reached with different types of techniques than an audience of their parents

Organizing your thoughts

When you know what you want to write and who you’re writing it for, it helps to set your thoughts out on paper and brainstorm several potential ways of expressing them. Does the first point come across more strongly when you switch it so that it comes in last? Are two points similar enough to condense them into a single one? Ask yourself these types of questions objectively.

Testing your material

When your first draft is complete, deliver it to someone just to see how another person reacts to it. This can help you pinpoint the weaker areas that should be further edited. This can also be a chance to see which parts of your speech are best received so you can emphasize them.

Speech writing and delivery become easier with time so no need to worry if your first attempts don’t inspire much confidence. Stick to it and you will see improvement.

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11 2016

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