A quick speech writing guide
I don't often offer a quick fix but this guide is one! Volumes have been written on how to write a speech but if you need to write a speech in a hurry you haven't got time to sit through an Udemy course on the subject.
So this is just a super fast way of pulling it all together. It's not comprehensive but it is effective.
- Research
Before you start, make sure you find out all you can about your audience - their demographic, their attitude and their size (the size of the audience obviously, not their waist measurements).
As you plan your subject think about it from their perspective: what are they interested in, as opposed to what you want to tell them! Even if you have to give them certain information, try and flip it on its head and talk about it in a way they'll be interested in!
2. Know where you're going
Choose a topic and identify your overall message. The first part (choosing a topic) is pretty obvious but the second part is possibly the most important part of your planning and often gets overlooked! Think of it as your destination.
What point or conclusion do you want to arrive at, at the end of your speech (or do you want to convince your audience of)? Be crystal clear of this at the outset and your research and speech will be more effective. Remember, if you don't know your destination, you're unlikely to arrive there!
3. Plan some rapport
Identify any key emotions and or stories you can tap into. This comes back to knowing your audience - what emotions might they relate to? Fear, anxiety, sorrow, happiness, curiosity, admiration?
What personal or work stories have you got that you could perhaps start with to establish that rapport? If you really haven't got any of your own, go online and look around. So long as you don't pretend someone else's story is your own, it can work really well.
4. Outline 3 to 5 points.
It's trite advice to tell you, that you need a beginning, middle and end but obviously you do! There are lots of different ways to structure a speech but this is probably the easiest. I'll come back to your beginning and end in a minute but for now, let's look at your middle!!
If you're short of time (and even if you're not), keep it simple. 3 to 5 main points is usually more than enough.
At this stage, I just use one sentence to outline each main point. I might then use 3 or 4 key words to outline any sub-points!
That way, even if I eventually write the speech out in full, I can use my outline on the day by way of notes. And I normally try and fit my outline onto one page of A4, 2 at most!
5. Flesh it out
Use a good mixture of material to flesh it out. Independent research or information, stats, quotes, stories, opinion, emotions. But remember, keep checking in with yourself to make sure all the points lead to your ultimate destination. Even if dealing with a counter-argument - make sure it's relevant in the context of that destination!
6. Come back to the beginning and the end
Personally, I find it easier to plan my beginning and end once the bulk of the speech is written. You want them to have impact. So give this bit of your planning special attention.
How? Start with a question, a quote, an amazing fact perhaps. Make your ending relate back to the beginning. Perhaps repeat your opening line but with different vocal variety and intonation - turn an opening question into a statement at the end. Repeat a key expression, end with a quote.
7. A little bit about rehearsal
There's a fine balance between over and under rehearsing but however short on time you are, you really do need to try and rehearse it a couple of times - even if it's in the car on the way to the event.
When you rehearse, you get an idea of how it all flows. Perhaps even more importantly, it forces you to think about how you're going to move from one point to another. These transitions are often neglected but done well can make a real difference to how well the speech comes across. They give your speech flow and rhythm too.
Quite often, I will play around with a few different transitional words or phrases before I decide on the best and then I jot down what I'm going to use on the edge of my outline or notes.
So by all means, practice the meat of your speech but give equal if not more thought and time to those transitions.
8. A quick recap
The above process is quicker than this blog! If you'd like a little one-page template that sets it out drop me a message. And however daunted you are by public speaking, remember, the more you do it, the better you get!