What's the difference between Writing a Speech and Saying a Speech?
When you write a speech, the emphasis is on writing and reading. You are conscious of grammar and spelling. If something doesn't read right, you have time to re-read it until you do understand it. You can improve a written document so that it reads well. The emphasis is on reading, not saying.
And reading versus hearing is the dilemma a speaker must face. You can write a wonderful speech but it can sound stilted when you say it.
When you say a written speech, you become aware of the combination of words that don't work. They just don't sound right. You know it, you feel it. Thoughts that seemed easy to understand, when you read them, are not so clear when you say them. Saying your speech is a great way to know what your audience will hear.
What are the steps to writing a speech that sounds good?
Decide on a topic that you enjoy or know a lot about. When you are enthusiastic about your topic, it transfers to your audience. They pick up your excitement and share it with you.
Research your topic to have lots of material to choose from. Gets facts, examples, short stories, and statistics. Write everything down.
Organise your findings and create a written draft of your speech. Often you can group several findings under one heading.
As you group common mini-topics, use a short word or 'keyword' that summarises the group. You want keywords that you can easily remember and mean something to you.
You should now have a rough, written draft of what you want to say. Each point you want to make can be summarised in a keyword.
Start saying your speech. You will usually find there are some ideas that need re-working. They may not make sense when you say it. Now is the time to change your words or combination of sentences. Keep re-working your draft until it sounds natural and is easy to understand.
Rehearse and rehearse your speech until you are almost speaking without looking at the written draft.
Write your Keywords, that summarised your main ideas, on a card. Try speaking from the card and your keywords. Soon you can forget the draft and work from your keywords.
You are now ready to present a dynamic speech and receive the applause you deserve.
Conclusion
Preparing a spoken speech needs a lot more work than just writing it. Your audience does not have time to go over anything you have said. You must be crystal clear immediately. Go over your written words, make them easier to say and remember.
Group your findings into mini-topics and give these chunks a keyword. Practice from your keywords. Soon, you will be giving your speech, and be able to remember everything you wanted to say, from your keywords. Every success.
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