what is speech writing

what is speech writing

The Art of Speech Writing: Crafting Powerful and Persuasive Messages

1. Introduction to Speech Writing

This essay hopes to demystify speech writing and offer a practical guide to anyone who finds themselves staring anxiously at a blank piece of paper. This line turns a moment of paralysis into an opportunity to be creative and honors the fact that many busy professionals don’t have the time or inclination to read much further. Welcome to the art and craft of speech writing.

Speech writing is both an art and a craft. A good speech-writing process will always have at its heart a deep respect for the spoken word and a profound understanding of how speech works in various contexts. For instance, what constitutes a powerful message at a wedding is very different from a persuasive case that needs making in a tribunal. In crafting speeches, writers must be aware of the words and language used by their specific audience and have an instinct for the rhythm of this event. In short, to quote Mikaela Jorgensen, “a good speech… not only captures the essence of the person who is speaking it, but it also mirrors the audience… It becomes a sacred harmony of voices: speaker, subject, and audience; the written and the spoken”.

2. Understanding the Purpose and Audience

Scholars rarely write or speak without a distinct purpose in mind. Accordingly, the ambitious speaker must ask and answer the following question: What is this piece intended to accomplish? The answer to that question comes through finding a center-line of the speech. Without this roadmap to guide the audience, the speech quickly becomes a mess. There needs to be a single point. If the speech is made to be a 5-point plan, it quickly devolves to simply showing the audience that you have knowledge in 5 areas. The secret to effective address is to essentially play a psychological game with the reader. What are their needs? What must they hear? Tailor the discussion around their needs. Even if it is an imaginary event with an abstract audience of readers, the discussion must always be dictated by their interests. If they stop listening or stop reading, then the message becomes irrelevant. The performance will not matter in that case. Listener or reader perception is everything.

Crafting a speech is an art form; it is a challenge, but one that, with a little time and dedication, can provide an exhilarating reward at the end of the journey. This is the first of five installments designed to lead you through the process of speech writing. We will begin by examining several topical aspects of understanding for whom you are writing the message and why.

3. Structuring Your Speech for Impact

Set up a speech with grief. Even more powerful – what you think matters – but what your listeners believe of their predominant prompt – is to begin with a shared experience of a situation which needs busting. Then play the role of Chief Mission Statement or Problem Solver. Create interest. Fascinate with fascinating facts, specific detail, a rhetorical question, an intriguing angle.

Make the first impressions count: Our brains are designed to make instant initial judgments. The first 60 seconds are critical. Beyond setting up what you are going to tell your listener, project with both voice and body language that you are a worthy, interesting banner behind which they can march.

Building Expectation is a bit about what you tell your audience in advance. Would you reveal a mystery, the end of a good book or film to a friend before they had consumed it? Or would you tempt them to find out? Giving your audience a guide to what they will hear is important. If they can latch onto the journey, they will not have to concentrate so hard. The other side of your guide: ‘making an audience feel reassured,’ kicks in about a third of the way through when insecurity creeps back in (in a long speech, this cycle will actually repeat). It’s a chance to remind them of where we are going and satisfies the craft rule of ‘tell them what you are going to tell them; tell them; then tell them what you told them’.

In order to capture your audience’s attention, you need to structure your speech effectively. Consider these elements when arranging your message.

4. Incorporating Rhetorical Devices and Techniques

Your goal in utilizing any or all of the myriad rhetorical devices and techniques for a speech is to enhance the persuasiveness and power of the message. In understanding how words can be utilized to their fullest potential in a persuasive argument, to create a mental picture or strictly to be memorable, you, as a speaker or writer, hold the keys to delivering an effective, moving address, or one that just might change minds and free captives. Make it bad enough (and then some) to convert your target audience. Start here to learn the various techniques, grouped categorically.

Welcome to the art of speeches. Language and rhetoric are powerful tools. Each technique is meticulously designed to engage an audience and spark emotion, action, and investment. In “What Are Rhetorical Devices?” seven of such techniques are defined more thoroughly: trope, scheme, style, concept, sound, graphic, and media. It states, “The use of rhetoric may vary widely, and it can pertain to the need to be compelling when engaged in persuasive writing as much as it refers to clarity and the ability to express complex ideas in ordinary, understandable language.”

5. Practical Tips for Effective Delivery

2. Eye contact is very important. Look at eye level, not at their foreheads or heads. It makes the audience feel uncomfortable. You should look at their eyes, but not with a fixed gaze. Change from one group to another. If the audience is too big, also divide it into sections. You cannot but try to reach your back benches. Show your emotions. Welcome your audience with a smile and become passionate when required. Did you know smiling sends positive vibes? And remember, people who symmetrical smile seem approachable. So maintain good body language, even when you’re nervous. If you’ve got to speak or stand on stage, posture is a lot. It makes you look bright and smart. Don’t drink while presenting. For example, fidgeting with rings or chains. If you are using a lectern, once in a while take your hands from venues to venues. Stand firm. The speakers give the authority an impression. Proceed while you stand confidently. Always stand and deliver if you have prepared properly. Only on rare occasions sit. Stand on the left side while the audience looks on.

1. So, how do you actually deliver a speech? A good delivery is an additional benefit to good content. A warm audience will make a speaker comfortable. You should attempt to reach a dialogue of minds. The advice can be in the form of body language and eye contact. Stand up if you can. This gives you a wider presence. Move slightly to either side of the stage. Overcome your fears. Face the audience. Speak happily. To convey your message, use hand gestures, expressions, and move from one side of the stage to the other. Use the right pitch. For example, raise your pitch to ask a question. Try not to be monotonous. Keep the pace on.

Once the content is done, there are a few things to remember to deliver an effective speech. Organize your thoughts in sequences and it is essential to practice. Record yourself and listen to it. Practicing will make sure you do not forget your lines. Most importantly, don’t read from a script, know your content and practice for it.