How to write a great speech

Examples of such speeches are: "The Beatitude" of Christ, and Martin Luther King Jr-- "I have a dream".

It is important to realize that great speeches can be delivered by anyone. There are no constraints. Begin by striking a point; understand the structure of what you’re talking about, and find a beautiful way to be memorable.

So, perhaps, you are expected to speak at a corporate gathering or social event, and to be sure of being prepared, you need planning and text preparation.

Here are five steps to help you plan and write a great speech.

1. The right tone is key

There are questions you need to ask yourself before writing. Who is my audience? Why are they here? And what do they want? Those are questions you must answer before you proceed.

Writing a speech involves meeting the expectations of others, and to do this, you must adopt the right tone.

Go through your message. Does it fit with the spirit of the event? Will it draw out the best in people? Continue to ask yourself these questions until you're convinced.

2 .Utilize the opening

Start off with a strong introduction when you write. Open with a big statement that will grab the attention of the audience. Surprise them with an interesting line.

This will make you more approachable and your speech more relatable. It will draw your audience in and keep them captivated.

Come out swinging by asking a question or sharing a shocking fact and you will get your listeners engaged.

However, you must remember to keep the preliminaries short.

3. Build a structure

When writing a speech, you must come to realize that audiences expect two things from a speaker: A path and a destination. They want to know where you’re going and why.

Structure the body of your speech. This part should contain the main points of the issue and support for each one. Try to narrow it down to the most convincing three when you do; and as you write and revise, focus on simplifying.

Take out anything that’s contradictory, or confusing. Do not hesitate to drop it if it doesn't help you get your core message across.

Note: It is very important to start off with your strongest point. Put your weakest argument in the middle. End with your second strongest argument.

4. Check for clarity

Often times, there's a much easier way to say the exact things we've written. Go over your work with an eye for this. Take each sentence as it stands-- is it possible to make it clearer?

Make use of transitions to bring in clarity. Because, sometimes, audiences won’t recognize what’s important. That’s why you use transitional phrases to signal intent.

Lastly, ensure your tone is constant and appropriate. Don’t let it sound like three different people wrote it because that will be difficult to follow. And if your audience can't follow you, how will they find your speech?

5. End strong

Bear this truth in mind: your close is what your audience will remember. So recap your biggest takeaway. Tie everything together.

And you can do this by sharing a success or tragic story. Don’t hold anything back. Make the ending a topic for your audience to talk about when they head for the door.

Tips to remember

Remember to keep it Short

Trying to do too much is the worst sin of public speaking. Your audience’s attention will naturally wane after a few minutes; and when this happens, nothing will make sense anymore.

As a matter of fact, you stand the risk of making them lose the vital things you’ve succeeded in pointing out initially.

Deliver it to someone

Deliver it to someone that's as similar to your audience as possible. There's a better chance of them having the same impression if they have a similar background.

Bear in mind that this will be the most beneficial thing you can possibly do.

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