| First Page | Tips: Researching, Writing & Performing Speeches | When to use a speechwriter | Questions | About us | Services & fees |
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Tips: Researching, Writing & Performing Speeches Your critique: reviewingWhen you've gone through Instant help or Self help, it's time to critique your work (print out all the pages of tips for handy reference). Reviewing --and following through on these questions-- can help turn an ordinary speech, or a superior speech, into a superlative speech.1. Your research Checked internal sources: Your files? Other reports? Checked external sources: Newspapers? Magazines? Libraries? Asked reference librarians for help? Searched databases? The Web? Looked for statistics? Checked reference books? Focused on audience interests? Restated statistics to be relevant? Put figures in perspective? Made them comprehensible? Quotes: Relevant? Short? Authentic? Melded a medley? History, statistics, names, examples, quotes? 2. Your story KISS: Kept It Simple, Short? Used a suitable formula? For example: Tell what you're to tell; tell; tell what you told? Followed the watchword AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action? The opening: Engaging? Tailored to this audience? Sincere? Enthusiastic? The body: Stuck to only three key points? Approach: used one or more of Time? Place? Perspective? Reason? Benefits: made sure you emphasized benefits relevant to this audience? The closing: Summed up? Issued call to action, or posed compelling question? Ended on high note, with conviction? 3. Your draft Language: Natural? Clear? Sentences short? Strong nouns & verbs? Used senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, smell? Grammar: Conversational and correct? Verbs: All --or almost all-- active voice? Metaphors? Alliteration? Pace? Rhythm? Cadence? Humor: Skillful? Tasteful? Relevant? Named names? Stated places? Quoted quotes? Told anecdotes? 4. Your text Big, bold type: Big --14 pt.? Bigger --16 pt.? Easy to read and speak? No hyphens? Figures spelled out? Difficult words phonetic? Line spacing: Double space? Triple space between short paragraphs? Lots of white space? Pages numbered, top centre? Text on top half of page only, so you can look at audience? Script marked up with cues? Emphasized words? Pauses? Reminders to look up, look around, smile? Extra copies: Marked up and right at hand for you? Script: ready in folder? Set to slide flat pages smoothly to the left on lectern? Extra copies ready for distribution? 5. Your performance Set aside time to rehearse? Ready to perform with written text? Rehearsed entire speech and all aspects? With lectern or similar stand? Voice: speaking slowly? Loudly? E-nun-ci-ate-ing? Body: using your own personal instrument to the maximum? Posture: Erect? Poised? Confident? Authoritative? Well prepared? Well groomed? Hands: natural, spontaneous, conversational gestures? Face: friendly, lively, genuine, natural smile? Eyes: regularly looking at individuals left, middle, right, establishing vital contact? All checked out? Ready for top performance on the day! |
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Garrett Patterson TheSpeechWriters.com 1-613-247-9944 GarrettPatterson@sympatico.ca |
| First Page | Tips: Researching, Writing & Performing Speeches | When to use a speechwriter | Questions | About us | Services & fees |
