| First Page | Tips: Researching, Writing & Performing Speeches | When to use a speechwriter | Questions | About us | Services & fees |
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Your draft: polishing Why is one speaker boring, boring, boring and another energizing? A big difference can be simply the words. These hints could help transform your speech from ordinary to dynamic. 1. Be yourself. Be natural. Write as if you are in an absorbing conversation with some acquaintances. When bureaucratic jargon creeps in, enthusiasm and rapport evaporate. 2. Be clear. Unexplained acronyms, abbreviations, 44-word sentences erect barriers between you and your audience, distracting your listeners from your message. Keep sentences short. 3. Use strong nouns and verbs. They can often say it better than added adjectives and adverbs. Vivid expressions engaging some of the five senses can grip the imagination. A good thesaurus can provide le mot juste. 4. Be correct. But not slavish. Faulty grammar can signal faulty thinking. Write as you speak: naturally and grammatically. Informal style, yes. Slang, droppin' gs, no. 5. Use the active voice. Is a constant passive voice the reason your draft seems lifeless? Normally, you say: "I did this." Why do some people write: "This was done by me."? 6. Stick to a few main points. A straight line, with a few stops for examples and stories which are relevant, is the shortest route. If you try to cover more than a few points, your audience will not retain your key message. Cover the others in another speech, a longer training session or a seminar. 7. Write for the ear. Out with the cliche, in with the well-done metaphor, alliteration, pace, rhythm, cadence. A good speech is like a good song, beginning and ending on the same note. 8. Leave them laughing. At the beginning, in the middle, near the end. This takes some skill and judgement, must be done well. Natural for the speaker, natural for the audience and, naturally, in good taste. 9. Get personal. Tell stories about yourself, about other people. Name names, state places, quote quotes. Anecdotes bring ideas to life, with real people, real places, real events. Or try fictitious names in jocular or disguised examples. Watch people sit up and take notice. 10. Revise. Revise. Revise. You owe it to your prisoners, the audience. Checking this list can help turn an acceptable draft into a speech which may indeed motivate the multitude. |
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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 |
