Mastering the Art of Speechwriting

You've just been asked to make a presentation on a topic you know well. There should be nothing to it, but you find yourself staring at a blank computer screen wondering how to get started. There may be a certain art to speechwriting, but it is a very learnable skill. Let's break the process down into two parts - pre-writing and the speechwriting itself.

Pre-Writing

1. Identify your audience.
   This is a crucial element of planning a presentation. Adapt your remarks to fit the occasion, the makeup of the audience, and the audience's attitudes, interests and knowledge.
2. Focus your topic.
   You can't include everything you'd like to say in one speech. Identify the two or three key points you want to get across and focus on them.
   
3. Research your topic.
   Even if you are extremely knowledgeable about your subject, your presentation will be more interesting if you do a little homework. You could uncover interesting anecdotes, arresting statistics, or humorous stories that could make the difference between a dry, straightforward lecture and an enjoyable, witty presentation.

The Speechwriting

1. Outline your talk.
   Start with those main points you've identified and outline them according to topics, subtopics and supporting material. That material will constitute the body of your talk, the bulk of your presentation. In addition, an effective speech will also have an introduction to get the audience's attention and give them a reason to listen to you. The conclusion serves to summarize your points and bring the talk to a definitive end.
2. Give your speech a catchy title.
   People will be more interested in hearing about something if it sounds like fun. Which would you rather listen to? "General Remarks on Meeting the Challenges in the Coming Decade"? Or "The Superman Challenge: We're Changing Faster than Clark Kent in a Phone Booth"?
3. Write for the ear, not the eye.
   Remember that your audience can't go back and re-read something that's not clear. Make your speechwriting simple and easy to understand. Write like you talk.

Avoid jargon and euphemisms. Use simple words, short sentences. Be conversational. In summary: keep it simple, keep it short.