Don’t pretend to be what you are not. If you are a middle aged writer and your audience is full of teens, it is tempting to try to use their language when writing a speech. You will have the same result as an elderly lady trying to wear the latest gear. It just doesn’t work.
So be yourself and say it your way. As long as your writing is clear and your topic appeals it will be understood by any generation.

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“I have no trouble public speaking� he said. “In fact I could talk for hours.� The question is would anyone want to listen to him? There are, of course, excellent orators who can hold an audience in the palms of their hands. Most of them, though, are too modest to boast about it. Those who claim they can speak for hours often just like the sound of themselves. They judge a speech on length rather than content. Usually they are just plain boring.

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When a client says “I have been asked to speak but I don’t know what to say” my immediate response is to ask about the audience. If you are speaking to engineers your topic might suitably be called, “Building bridgesâ€�. If you are speaking to miners it might be one on “Digging deepâ€�. A general audience is more tricky but choosing a topical subject, something in the headlines means that mot of them will know what you are talking about at least. They’ll probably have a view on it too so you might want to give both sides of the argument or alternatively, make them remember you and your views with interest or even with loathing. At least though you will have made them think!

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It still amazes me to find so many people dread speaking in public. The fear, such as it is, is rarely to do with the speech. Remove yourself from the focus and stop worrying about how bad you’ll look. This is not about you. If it was about you, there’d be posters advertising your amazing personal appearance. Then you might have a point. You might even have to learn a song or two. It’s about the message. Always the message and only about the message.

Worry about that instead.

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Eulogies inspire? I don’t think so.Ok, I admit it. It’s difficult to see how a eulogy could inspire. But if you think about it, that person’s life, years and years of it amounted to something. The reason you are here is because that person meant something to you. They brought something into your life. They gave you something precious, from genes to love, example and beyond. It is a gift you will always have. Your challenge is to turn it into something even better. It’s the reason you are here. How inspiring a thought is that?

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ALL SPEECHES SHOULD ASPIRE TO INSPIRE

I think that every speech whether it is a eulogy, a wedding speech, a persuasive speech in fact pretty much any speech, should have one thing in common. That thing is inspiration. You must inspire the audience. You may look back at the past, and here you make reference to the ‘best of’.

You may look to the future. Here you can really inspire, because the future hasn’t (in most people’s opinions anyway) happened yet. In theory anything is possible. So, it is up to you to paint the most inspiring scenario of what is possible.

And what audience would fail to respond to that?

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Give credit in speeches, where it’s due. That’s right, I owe a lot of people. In fact the list is ‘this’ long. How am I going to fit it into this acceptance speech? I’ll do it alphabetically. Perhaps chronologically would be better. We’ll all be here till doomsday or at least until I have lost your attention and sympathy. But I have do it, otherwise I’ll be causing offence. Ok, I might just say ‘to those of you I haven’t already had a chance to thank personally’. Or what about, ‘to everyone who has helped me’? Or ‘for everyone who has worked so hard, inpsired me and encouraged me, I thank you all’. You could dedicate the award to them, or why not give them the award altogther?

Now, that’s going too far.

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Recently, in the guise of researching motivational speeches, I came across some great info on integrity and speaking your truth. This is a little more than speaking your mind, for the more emphatic of you out there. Integrity it seems comes from the inside and is smelted right in the core. As a result ‘being true to thy self’, means not only do you mean what you say, but that people will actually believe you. I think for the public speaker, there can be no better foundation. Quite something in this cynical day and age. In case you are worried, it is entirely possible to regain your integrity. That’s a bit of a relief then, eh? Our motivational speech on doing just that will shortly be available on speechwriters.com

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Actions and the words that inpsire them. If actions speak louder than words, then how come Marcel Marceau is not fondly remembered as a wonderful public speaker?
The truth is we need words, directions, ideas and inspiration to spur us onto action. This is why a good speech is so important. You really have to use words and good words to motivate people to do things. Indeed it is the ‘doing’ that counts, but it is your words that start the ball rolling. Inspire, inspire, inspire! Go set the world on fire.

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Words tumblin’ down like hail. Hot tip. Had to listen to another undecipherable mutton soup of a speech last night. Listen people, words are like waves, slow and steady, let them wash up on that beach of an audience. Slow and pace your speech delivery. Let the words come out one by one with pauses, and breaks. Always always slower than you think. Project what you are saying clearly, making each baby gem count.

DONTJUMBLETHEMALLTOGETHERITSCONFUSING. Too many waves together equals tidal wave. Words are like snowflakes (not really but go with me on this one) softly (but audibly) falling, steadily building up, settling down and sinking in. Too many snowflakes bundled on top on one another equals avalanche.

Those are your words, this is your speech. Make it count. Nobody likes getting drowned.

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