Delivering an original speech for a class, event, or business presentation can be nerve-wracking. However, writing an effective speech can help you increase your self-esteem. With the right planning and a good eye for detail, you can write a speech that informs, motivates, persuades or entertains the audience! Give yourself plenty of time to write the speech and practice several times for best results.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Write an Effective Speech
Step 1. Research the topic
If you are writing a speech aimed at informing or convincing the public, you need to do thorough research! This will help you be more credible and make your arguments much more convincing. Search academic resources, such as books, journals, articles, and government websites to find information to support your thesis.
If you are writing a speech for the school, be sure to ask your teacher about the number and type of acceptable sources
Step 2. Create a draft that includes your main argument
Sorting your ideas and research into a draft is a great way to check that your speech is complete and fluent before you begin. Generally speaking, speeches should have an introduction, 5 main points with supporting evidence (such as statistics, quotes, examples and anecdotes) and a conclusion. Use a numbered structure or simply create a draft of your speech with a bulleted list.
If you need to write a speech to inform or convince an audience, adopt a structure with a problem and a solution. Start by talking about what's wrong, then explain how to fix it in the second part
advise: Keep in mind that you can always refine your draft later as you write your speech. Include any information that seems relevant to you at the moment, with the prospect of cutting out some later.
Step 3. Choose a phrase that immediately catches the audience's attention
The first sentence of a speech is probably the most important, because that's when the listener will decide whether to continue doing it. Depending on the topic and goals of your speech, you can start by saying something funny, sad, scary, or shocking to engage those in front of you.
- For example, if you are writing a motivational speech about weight loss, you can say something like, "Five years ago I couldn't climb a flight of stairs without catching a breath halfway."
- If you're hoping to get the public to cut down on fossil fuel use, you can start with "Petrol vehicles are why global warming threatens to destroy our planet."
Step 4. Relate your topic to a larger scale problem for more information
Depending on the scope of the topic you are talking about, the listener may not understand its importance without an explanation. This step is crucial, because if the topic seems irrelevant, no one will pay attention to you. Think about the overview and what impact the topic you are dealing with will have. Why should people who listen to you care about what you say?
For example, if you are giving a speech about the need to increase funding for Alzheimer's research, it might be helpful to provide information on how common this disease is and how it affects patients' families. You could achieve your goal with a combination of stats and an anecdote
Advise:
avoid writing more than one introduction paragraph or double-spaced page. This allows you not to waste too much time on context and background information before getting to the gist of your argument.
Step 5. Treat each main point in a logical order
Once you've introduced the topic and explained the context, move on to the main points right away. List them clearly and add other information, evidence, facts, and statistics that better explain them. Try to devote about a paragraph to each point.
For example, in a speech calling for an end to animal testing in the cosmetics industry, you might start by explaining how cruel these tests are. He goes on to say that they are not necessary, and finally he talks about the alternatives that make this practice obsolete
Step 6. Introduce new topics and summarize the material you have already covered
Another way to help the audience understand what you are saying is to provide a brief overview of 1 or 2 sentences before moving on to a new topic, then summarize the material in 1 or 2 sentences once you are done explaining it. Write previews and summaries in simple, easy-to-understand terms so your arguments come clear to the audience.
For example, if you want to talk about delayed onset muscle soreness (also known as DOMS, Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), explain what it is in a nutshell, then add more details about it and how it relates to it. your idea, finally ends that section of the speech with a brief summary of the concept you are trying to express
Step 7. Include transitions to guide the audience through the speech
These sections improve the fluency of speech and help readers understand how the points are connected. You may not notice the transitions when you read or write something, but if you don't include them your text would seem jagged and unnatural, so be sure to use them. Some of the expressions you can use are:
- Then.
- Furthermore.
- Before.
- After.
- First of all.
- Secondly.
- In that moment.
- Next week.
Step 8. Conclude the talk with a call to action
As you approach the end of the speech, the audience should be energized by the topic you have covered and ready to act. Encourage your listeners to learn more and participate in solving the problem you described by explaining what each person can do. This is a great opportunity to share resources with the people who listen to you and tell them how they can participate.
- For example, if you just described the effects of global warming on the polar bear population, finish the talk by talking to the audience about nonprofits that work to protect the environment and polar bears in particular.
- If you've just shared your personal weight loss story to motivate your listeners, explain what each of them can do to start losing weight and mention the resources you find most helpful.
Method 2 of 2: Make a Speech More Engaging
Step 1. Use simple words and short sentences
Avoid choosing difficult words when you can express the same meaning with simpler ones, otherwise you risk alienating the audience. Similarly, long, complex sentences can be confusing and make your argument less clear. Adopt simple language for the body of your speech. Use complex sentences or words only if there is no other way to express your ideas.
- For example, instead of saying "Obtaining and maintaining a healthy weight is the pinnacle of human existence because it allows you to perform physical feats that fuel self-esteem and give a sense of satisfaction", you should say: "Staying in a healthy weight allows you to do more physical activity and makes you happier ".
- Remember that it is also important to vary the structure of the sentences. You can include a sentence once or twice per page to make your speech more varied. Just avoid using a lot of long sentences.
Step 2. Use more nouns than pronouns, to be clearer
It's not bad to use a pronoun from time to time, especially if it allows you to avoid repeating yourself many times. However, using too many pronouns can make it difficult for the audience to follow your argument and understand what you are talking about. Use proper names (of places, people and things) when you can and avoid abusing pronouns. The most common pronouns include:
- It.
- He.
- She.
- They.
- We.
- That.
- Those.
Step 3. Repeat a word or phrase a couple of times during your speech
Repetition is a powerful means of oratory art. While excessive repetition can distract the listener, repeating a word or phrase a couple of times in a speech can help you explain your argument better and keep the audience engaged.
- For example, if you are delivering a speech for your company's sales team trying to increase sales of a new product called "Sinergia", you can repeat a simple sentence to achieve your goal, such as "Talk to your customers about Sinergia. ". Alternatively, you can simply repeat "Synergy" a few times during the speech, so that the listener remembers the product.
- If you are writing a motivational speech explaining how running can help people overcome emotional obstacles, you can repeat a phrase in your speech to give this idea more relevance, such as "Run through the pain."
Step 4. Limit the use of statistics and citations to avoid burdening the audience
You might think that providing a lot of statistics and expert quotes is a surefire way to come up with a compelling argument, but it often has the opposite effect. Limit yourself to 1 or 2 stats or quotes per point and include only really relevant evidence.
- For example, if you are giving a talk about moose mating habits, 2 numbers showing moose population decline over a 50-year period can be a very effective addition to your talk. Conversely, sharing a complex set of moose population statistics would be less compelling and likely confuse the audience.
- Choose quotes that are easy to understand and be sure to explain why they support your thesis. Try to use only quotes in simple language and that do not take up more than 2 lines per page.
Step 5. Maintain an appropriate tone throughout the speech
Tone is the general style of speech; it can range from serious to cheerful, ironic or alarmed. The choice of words and the way you pronounce them influence the tone of the speech.
For example, when you describe your love of food in a motivational talk about becoming a chef, you may decide to make a joke or say something like: "I've always wanted to be a chef, ever since I was little and I found that I am pastry chefs to make donuts and do not fall from the sky"
Step 6. If you can, use visual aids
A PowerPoint presentation isn't a prerequisite for a good speech, but it can help your audience follow you, especially if you have to come up with complex ideas. You can also use slides to provide a visual representation of the main points, for example by projecting images, graphics and quotes.
Avoid relying too much on images when writing a speech. You still need to speak in a way that engages the audience. Use the slides only as a complement to your words
Step 7. Experiment and look for weaknesses to improve
Once you have finished your speech, read it several times to try it out and identify the parts to perfect. If you have a time limit, time yourself.
Make sure you read your speech aloud when correcting it! This will help you figure out if it feels natural and if there are cumbersome sections that you can eliminate, make it smoother, or add clearer explanations
advise: Ask a friend or relative to listen to you as you deliver the speech and tell you what they think before introducing it to the audience.
