Principles of Speechwriting
Principles of Speechwriting
Principles of Speechwriting
A speechwriter who prepares a text for public address should first consider whether he
or she is going to deliver the speech personally and should be careful to select a topic
which the potential audience will not strongly oppose. From the introduction of a speech
to its conclusion, a speechwriter should have definite goals, present an appropriate
discussion of the topic, and maintain an awareness of the personal characteristics of the
speaker. To evaluate a speech, a public address critic should examine the use of five
supporting elements of the text: (1) illustration; (2) definition; (3) analogies; (4) statistics;
and (5) language. In essence, effective speechwriters will assume a role: to some
extent they must be able to impart confidence and to sense the character of an
audience. (NKA)
Bring the topic home to your listeners. They will be more likely to be interested if the
topic relates to their personal lives.
State the Importance of Your Topic
Show your audience why your topic is important. Using statistics would be useful in
this area, if you have them
Startle Your Audience
Sharing a shocking statistic or making a bold statement will grab the attention of your
audience as well as introduce them to your topic.
Arouse the Curiosity of the Audience
Draw your audience into your speech with several statements that pique their
curiosity.
Question the Audience
Asking a rhetorical question or a series of questions is another way to get the attention
of your listeners.
Begin with a Quotation
Beginning with a quote from a famous writer, from the Bible or other book, from a
poem or song, from a television show or movie is another way to arouse the interest of
your listeners.
Tell a Story
We all love stories and they work well in your introduction. Be sure that your story
relates to your topic and you are not just telling it for a laugh.
* Reveal the Topic
In the process of gaining attention, be sure to state clearly the topic of your speech. If
you do not, your listeners will be confused. And once they are confused, your chances
of getting them absorbed in the speech are almost nil. This is so basic, that it seems
silly to have to mention it, but many speakers fail to do this .
*Establish Good Will and Credibility
The last objective in the introduction is to establish your credibility, why you're
qualified to speak on this subject. Give your audience some reasons to believe that
you know what you are talking about.
Establishing good will is essential if you are speaking to a hostile audience. You must
make an effort to ensure that at your audience will at least consider your point of view.
Ending your speech gracefully is an art. Your final impression will probably linger
longer in the minds of your audience. The conclusion has two functions:
To let the audience know you are ending the speech.
To reinforce the audience's understanding of , or commitment to, the central
idea.
*Signal the End
It may seem obvious that you should let the audience know that you have come to the
end of your speech, but some speakers end so abruptly that the audience in taken by
surprise.
How do you end? One way is by using phrases like, "In conclusion," "In closing,"
"Let me end by saying," "My purpose has been," or words to that effect. You can also
let your audience know by the manner of your delivery, building to a climax.
*Reinforce the Central Idea
Here are several ways to reinforce your central idea:
Summarize your Speech
Restate the main points in different words.
End with a quotation
Make a dramatic statement
Refer to the introduction
Circle back to end where you began
10. 11. The Body of Your Argument Use specific examples to support your thesis that your
audience will understand Raise and lower your voice to show emphasis Repeat certain catch
phrases (I have a dream) Move about the front of the room Look around the room as your
speak Ask questions of the audience to keep them interested and paying attention
11. 12. Speech Structure Intro: get attention and interest of audience, reveal the topic of the
speech, establish credibility Body: Cite two to three main reasons that support your thesis
and provide examples for each. Address the opposition and counter their claims with your
own evidence Conclusion: Signal the end, reinforce the central idea, restate main points
13. Thesis Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 example fact Detail/commentary example fact
counterargument fact example example
12. 14. Ending Your Speech Gracefully Signal the end: Speakers who abruptly walk off the stage
take the audience by surprise Use the phrases like: in conclusion, ultimately, In closing, Let
me end by saying, My purpose has been.. Signal the end: in your body language and tone
13. 15. Reinforce the Central Idea Summarize the outline of your speech Restate the main points
in different words
14. 16. Finally, leave them thinking, passionate, and motivated End with a quotation Make a
dramatic statement Refer back to the introduction (especially if you began with a story
themes within your speech. Not only will this make your speech slicker, but it will also make it more memorable; both
for you and for your audience.
3. Use real examples when highlighting a point in your speech. If your speech is formal, such as at a company
launch, use examples to highlight sweeping statements about how creative the company is, or how it is built on a
culture of education and further learning. Don't just use wide, sweeping statements; make them personal to keep the
speech as entertaining as possible. The same is true for informal speeches. Wedding guests want to hear funny
stories about the bride and groom, birthday parties want to hear embarrassing moments that the guest of honour has
experienced, and wedding anniversary parties want to hear about why and how the couple have been so successful
in staying together for such a long time. To keep your guests happy and entertained, interweave in some examples
that highlight those two key ideas you are putting forward in your speech.
4. Write a speech in the way that you (or the person you are writing it for) speak(s)! This will make it easier for the
speech to be well delivered; as it will flow naturally off of the tongue. Similarly, if you write a speech out quite formally,
you'll end up delivering it this way, and so you may not successfully capture the tone that the event demands. The
more conversational a speech sounds, the better the listeners will respond to it. A few tips to help you write down your
speech in a conversational manner include:
- Keep your sentences short, snappy and simple
- Use contractions as you would in speech, such as 'I'm' and 'we're'
- Keep the language style in line with how you usually speak. Don't use over complicated words to try to 'sound'
sophisticated or clever. You may find that you end up stumbling on them.
- Read each iteration of your speech out loud so that you can really hear how it sounds each time you go to edit it.
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SPEECHWRITING GUIDE
This guide is intended to help you, who for the first time has heard these
frightening words: "Here, write a speech for the boss." Resist fear. Avoid
being glum. Abandon anxiety. The task may be far simpler than imagined.
Speechwriting, as the experts note, is a talent that uses certain basic
principles. When these principles are followed, the result can be satisfying for
everyone: the speaker, the audience and you, the writer. When a speech hits
the mark, the Air Force benefits by gaining the understanding and support of
the listener, the American taxpayer. The following is meant to be a practical
how-to guide. Obviously there are many ways to tackle the speechwriting
challenge. Our intent is to provide some basic building blocks. The polish and
trim will depend on your own artistic ideas and your efforts.
SPEECHWRITER
A speechwriter's job is twofold: (1) formulate the message and (2) write it in
such a way that the speaker can achieve a winning delivery. The successful
speechwriter brings the audience and speaker together. The speechwriters
written "message" must reflect what the speaker wants to say, coupled with
the interests and needs of the audience. Most importantly, the speechwriter
must take advantage of this opportunity to restate corporate messages that
have broad reaching implications for the United States Air Force. While
corporate and local messages must compliment each other, significant
attention must be given to elimination of any contradictions from what is
being said nationally or internationally and what the speech writer provides
to his boss to say at the local level. Not unexpectedly, the speechwriter
performs many functions in the process of preparing a speech. You will be a
researcher, a coordinator of ideas, an innovator, an advisor and a wordsmith.
An evaluation step closes the loo.
Rule 2: Know the conversational style of the speaker. You don't have to
know everything regarding his or her speaking pattern, but getting the
language "in the ball park" will make things easier. Does he, or she, prefer
bullet speeches or full text? Will the speaker "read" the speech, or just refer
to it? The speaker should personalize the words. Try if you can, to "hear" the
speaker's voice in your "mind's ear." Keep pacing, phrasing, tone and word
choice in mind as you write and revise.
audience and crucial to the understanding of what the Air Force is all about.
Remember Air Force senior leadership speak all the time about where the Air
Force is and where it is going. By using their key messages, your speaker
gains a heads-up advantage in delivering current and important details to
the audience. All words and phrasing must assist in conveying this message.
If the writer holds more concern for format than content, the heart of the
matter will be missed.
RULE5: The "KISS" rule applies. Keep it short and simple. This applies to
sentence structure as well as time. Today, most experts say the optimum
speech length is 12-14 minutes and 20 minutes is tops. In some settings, an
additional 10 minutes for questions and answers may also be acceptable.
Rule 7: Use technology to the fullest. The Air Force world-wide website,
Air Force Link (http://www.af.mil) and commanders .mil restricted access
sites such as the Issues Page (http://www.issues.af.mil) are great assets
when searching for topics or looking for material to support your speakers
ideas. The Defense Departments Defense Link (http://www.defenselink.mil)
provides a vast amount of DOD and JCS information that can be used to
flesh-out your speakers ideas.