How to write a speech
A good speech can be empowering, loving, educational and enlightening. While on the other side of things, a bad speech can be alienating, boring and pointless. With a few easy steps, writing the perfect speech can be easy and enjoyable. Regardless of whom you are speaking to or what it is you are speaking about, you will not fall short in what is hoped or expected of you when you follow these simple instructions.
Establish your audience
It is impossible to begin writing your speech if you do not completely understand who it is you are reaching out to. Once you have really come to know your audience you can begin to find your tone.
Ask yourself about your audience:
- What do they care about?
- What's in it for them?
- Why should they care to listen to what you have to say?
Don't quickly assume you know the answers to these questions. Put some thought into it. If you can tune into the things that interest them and that motivate them, you will have yourself a captive audience.
Find your tone
Dependent on the occasion you will be writing your speech for, your tone will change dramatically. For instance, when writing a speech for a family based occasion such as weddings, births or deaths, speeches should be warm and personal. However, if your speech will be given in a professional setting, it is good to stick to a more formal and powerful tone. Either way, when it comes to tone and the style of writing, it is important to remember to stay true to yourself. Regardless of what your speech is for, if you do not write it from a personal and accurate-to-life stand point, it will not be believable. Equally important is to begin and remain confident throughout your speech.
When writing a speech, it may be necessary to start and stop as you go along. If you find yourself frustrated or at a dead end, stop for a few moments and reflect on what it is you are speaking about and reconnect to your feelings on the matter. There is a reason that you are writing and giving this speech and people will be looking forward to what you are going to say to them. Always remember, what you have to say is important.
Write an opening statement
When you begin to write your speech, it is a good idea to open in a welcoming and exciting way. Give your audience something to look forward to hearing more about. If you begin your speech in a boring or insecure way, it is possible that you could lose your audience before you get through the second sentence. When writing your opening statement, take a moment to think about the people you are speaking to. If it were just the two of you, what would you say? What would you want them to know or feel? What emotions do you really want to communicate? Welcome your audience into the idea of the speech with you.
Construct the body
Keep the middle of your speech fluid, interesting and if possible, be humorous and light. Try not to lose your audience before your closing statement. This is a great time to recall fun memories or use facts to keep the speech interesting. Always try to enlighten whomever you are speaking to in a light and enjoyable way. Try to convey that you are happy to be speaking to them and that you enjoy the subject you are speaking about. If you do not seem happy or present when reciting your speech, you audience will either “check out”, or laugh to themselves about your public speaking blunders.
Write a closing statement
Even more important than the opening of your speech, the closing statement is so very important in leaving your audience in a thoughtful and memorable state of mind. No matter what occasion you are reading a speech for, the goal should be to leave you audience with a positive and lasting impression. Try to finish your speech with “food for thought” or a closing sentiment. When people look back at the event in which you read your speech, there are three possible outcomes as far as what they may remember about it.
Firstly, they may remember that it made them feel connected to you and that they were truly impressed with what you said and how you presented your thoughts. On the other hand, if the speech does not go well, people may remember it for the complete opposite reason. The last outcome is that they do not remember it at all. Luckily, if you follow the easy tips listed in this article, you should not have a problem writing a decent to impressive speech.
Proof read
Obviously, it takes proof reading, editing, tough love and honesty to really write a great speech. Reading your speech as you write it and then several times when you are finished is a very necessary aspect of writing a speech. Not only should you read your speech to yourself, you should also read it aloud several times, both to yourself and to a good friend or family member. Pick someone who will not be afraid to hurt your feelings and be truthful with you about your speech. Also, reading your speech aloud, as you will be reading it for the actual event, will help you check the flow of your speech and how readable it is. As they say, practice makes perfect.
Make copies
The last thing that you want to happen is not having a copy of your speech on the day of your event. Under stress, it can be easy to lose track of small things like single sheets of paper. Make copies and keep one in your office, on your fridge and in your car. When in a professional setting, handing out a copy of the speech after the event has finished will leave a lasting impression on those who were in the audience. For family based gatherings, It can also be a very nice afterthought to give a copy of your speech to the host of the event in which you are speaking. For instance, if you are giving a speech at a wedding, giving a copy of the speech to the bride as a keepsake is a simply sweet ending to an already beautiful moment.
