Any piece of writing will go through stages. A speech is no different, except in one respect. A speech has to be spoken out loud. It will take a lot of work at first to refine your speech into a piece that is the right length and that can be read comfortably. Therefore two things to pay attention to are sentences that are too long, and the overall length of the speech. A good estimate is that 180 words will take one minute to say. That means a speech that lasts ten minutes will be 1,800 words long. As a rule of thumb keep your sentences short – 10 words or less.

Every speech is spoken out loud to an audience. To get that audience interested in what will follow it is essential that you make an ‘attention getter’. That should be a fact or statement that will grab the audience as something that is interesting or that needs their attention. That might be a startling statistic, or it might be a question to get them thinking. It might even be a humorous remark that will break the ice and encourage people to listen to what you have to tell them.

There are many types of speeches but they all have one thing in common. That is to communicate a piece of information, an opinion or a viewpoint. You might communicate what you know about tax to the people in your own department at work. You might give your opinion to the Residents Association about the new highway or you might tell the guests at a birthday party just how much your daughter means to you. It is all about communication. That means your speech needs to tell the audience something about you and how you feel about something. There is an old saying that rings true for many speeches and it is this: Tell them what you are going to say, tell them by actually saying and then tell them what you have just told them! A speech that is simple and straight to the point is far better than one that rambles on without form

In my next blog we will look at the actual message of the speech.

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Sometimes you have to speak about a subject you consider boring or about which you know little or nothing. That is a real challenge. So if that is the case you should try to take the topic from an unusual angle. For instance if you have to write about finance perhaps you could take the topic from the angle that we used bartering as a payment long before coinage and that shells were one of the items used before coins were invented. Alternatively, you might find out who or what is shown on coins throughout the world and that should be a history lesson in itself and could be very interesting.

The next step is to research and find out as much as you can about your subject. This is essential. . You may think you know everything, but it is surprising what you can find out through inquiry. For many types of speeches, you need to find out facts. You will include some of these facts in the speech, making note of your references. After all, in a business or public setting, somebody might ask a question from the audience and you want to be able to show you know what you are talking about. In a social setting having the facts at hand shows that you have bothered to do your homework and people will be impressed.

Those facts will be the framework of the speech. They will back up and underline what you are trying to say or explain. If you know nothing about your subject, it is time to get informed. Collect your facts and interesting “tit bits”, keep them in a notebook or file. Ask people what they think about your subject and you will be amazed at their different opinions. It will also give you an indication of how wide your speech must be to capture the imagination of an audience of perhaps hundreds. Now it is time to write your first draft.

In my next blog I will tell you how to start actually writing your speech.

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I am going to give you some advice on writing a speech. I believe this will be useful again and again in your lifetime. It will serve you well on birthdays and anniversaries. It may help me in class and it could help you socially. It could help you in your career and all in all it is no weight to carry.

It is advice that will help you develop self confidence and self esteem. I believe it is a valuable skill to have. I cannot promise to take your nerves away, but I believe that with a well written speech you will feel more confident facing the world. That can only be a good thing.

The first thing to consider when writing a speech is the topic. What subject are you going to talk about? That will depend upon the occasion and most importantly, it will depend upon the audience. You may have a choice in subject matter or you may not. In some respects I think being given a choice makes it harder.

Whatever you choose I recommend that you write your speech about something that interests you or in a topic in which you have knowledge or expertise. The reason for this is simple. It will make it easier to find something interesting to say about a subject that you enjoy. Secondly your passion and enthusiasm will communicate itself with your audience.

In my next blog I will show you the importance of a good framework for your speech.

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The key to giving a good speech is to write a good speech. It is skill that we will all need at various times throughout our lives. Sometimes the speech will only be entertaining. At other times we are communicating important information. In such a case it is vital that anything we say we say is accurate and informative. Obviously if it is entertaining as well as accurate and informative it will be even better.
Writing a sound speech is a skill that can be learned and gets better with practise. The basic rule is that you put yourself in the position of the audience. It means understanding that you must capture their attention and make them want to hear more. Obviously too it means communicating what you have to say clearly and concisely.
It is an astounding fact that many people say the fear of public speaking is worse than death. Giving a speech certainly is a nerve wracking experience. Some of those nerves are necessary. Many of the worries about giving a speech are in fact about the content of that speech. If you have written it well, you will be familiar with what you are going to say and you will be more relaxed..
If you are sharing information that is interesting and relevant, people will be more interested in your speech. That enthusiasm will connect with the audience and make your job easier.
In my next blog I will tell you how to go about it.

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There are hundreds on wonderful charities and no shortage of fundraising events. If you want to grab the attention of your audience you should speak from the heart and from your own personal experience. Say what it’s like to be in hospital for months. Tell people what a difference a special hospital unit would make to the children in your area. .Explain how difficult it is to drive miles for treatment. Wring their hearts and their purse strings.

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Speaking to children is an art in itself. It’s worth remembering that they have a very short attention span. Long words confuse them and the very best way to get their attention is to tell a story. Children love humour too so if you can make it a funny story all the better. It will really grab their attention if you make your speech interactive by asking them questions about what you have been saying or asking for comments. You might even find that their comments say it all even better than your own speech!

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The rally driver was thrilled to have his race but afraid that he would have to say a few words when presented with his prize. “I drive cars, I don’t make speeches” was his comment. I suggested that he began by saying the award was really a team award and to dedicate it to his crew and what they do for him. He should mention too how much it meant to him to be a winner. I mentioned the fact that there was a bad crash during the race and that he should wish his fellow rally driver well in hospital. I suggested he ended by saying that his speeches were over as fast as his races.

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“Help” said the customer. “It’s my sister’s diamond wedding anniversary and I have been asked to give a toast. I haven’t a clue what to say.” He was delighted when I suggested that such a speech should be very short and sincere. Basically he should say he is expressing the good wishes of their family and friends on such a special day and mention just how much they mean to those present. He should compliment them on their long and happy marriage saying it was an example of constancy and faithfulness. He should end by wishing them many more years of marriage and ask those present to join him with an appropriate toast.

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Today I was asked to write an appreciation of staff speech. Obviously you cannot mention everyone individually but some deserve mention for some outstanding contribution. It’s a delicate balance and you have to be very careful not to keep saying “And I would like to thank” because that makes the speech boring. It’s always good too to add in a personal story to illustrate the fact that the company is about people rather then merely profit. This kind of speech should leave the all the staff feeling appreciated and motivated.

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A politician can gain kudos by being honest. Many of them make the mistake of avoiding issues in their speeches. It is far better for them to admit that they cannot see the possibility of a new hospital in the area than to pretend that its going to be built. They can sweeten the pill by giving the good news that there is a new fleet of ambulances or a helicopter service to bring patients further away. People prefer you to be straight with them. They like to know where they stand.

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