How to Write a Great Speech – Talking in Public

How to Write a Great Speech

Writing a Speech

How can you get your great information into a fantastic speech?

What’s our formula for making business public speaking easier? Find out what people WANT to know then allow them to get that information — from you.

In my previous post I talked about preparation and practice.

Once you know WHO in general you’re going to speak to, you have to know WHAT you’re going to speak about.

So now you are ready to put your thoughts on paper (virtual or physical). The most useful method I have found over the years is the physical cut and paste.
I emphasise the physical aspect of this method as I believe it helps to see the complete talk in front of you at any one time.

Each sentence (or point) should be written out , then physically move them around until you settle on an order that sounds right if you run the talk through your head.

It is not enough, however, to run a talk through your head. The physical requirement of talking out loud will determine where you need to breathe and this in turn affects how you can physically get the words out.

Presenting your talk out loud will also give you an idea of other physical characteristics you use when talking in public that you may not know about – like waving your hands around or scratching your head!

I once attended a refresher training course on talking in public where I was informed I waved my hands around which was a distraction to the audience.
My fellow trainees made me wear handcuffs for two days of the course until I was broken of this unconscious habit!

In a later post I will talk about timing of your speech but here I want to you start thinking about not filling in your total speech time with words. Remember when we were at school and the droning of the teacher’s voice suddenly stopped? Our reaction was to pay attention immediately (especially if this was a teacher who liked to ask questions of the class and we had not really been listening!).

A pause is very effective in any talk – it clears your head and gives you time to take a steadying breath. But more about that later……..

Writing Your Speech – A Simple But Proven Method | Talking in Public - November 5, 2015

[…] This week I am talking about the method I have used very successfully for over 30 years to get my thoughts down on paper (or into a document anyway…). You can read about the method as well by clicking here. […]

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