How does speech writing work. I guess each one of us has our own technique for this. For me speech is simply sharing something with a group of people. I would use the information I have to create a focus. For example my base information is what I collected in my career as a dentist.
If I had to give a speech to entertain, I would probably use the goof ups that occur, the crazy patients, and even crazier faculty their quirks and things like that with a lot of caricaturing imitation thrown in.
If my purpose was to inform or educate then I would go into the scientific information and support it with peer research information. Social causes and life style inputs would also help.
Preventive aspects would call for action thus becoming a speech to persuade.
The courage and fortitude that the patients display on the face of adversity can create an inspiring speech.
Once I know what I want to achieve with the speech, what is it that I want to share the next step would be writing the speech proper. There are times I use paradoxes, sometime quotes but mostly poetry. I give a bland statement I want to share this with you, go through the body, and as a conclusion I would remind them ”hey presto, this is what I shared.”
Somewhere I realized I lost my train of thought and time in establishing a background. So these days, I give my introducer a small write-up on how am I qualified to speak what I do, and what is the background from which my sharing emerges, like if I am talking about Winston Churchill then I would put a little about world war 2 for my introducer.
Just to sum up:
- Think of an idea for you want to share
- Decide the purpose—what will you achieve through this speech
- Create the focus ie maybe my knowledge, my experience, whatever
- Bring my message to a single sentence.
- Draft an outline with an opening-body-conclusion.
- Do the single sentence test
- Write something for the person who introduces you.
You will do just great.
