Writing a speech is not a hard as it sounds. If you stick to the rules provided in this guide you will know in the end how to write a speech that captures your audience and leads to the desired outcome.

Instructions

Step 1

Do a brainstorming session. Write down everything that comes into your mind when thinking about your speech topic. Limit yourself to 10 minutes. Write down everything no matter how useless it seems at the moment. Remember to use ethos, pathos, and logos to persuade your audience. Use a good vocabulary, but not one that causes you to lose your connection with your audience.

Step 2

Do some research on your topic. Use libraries, experts, friends & family, magazines and – of yours – the Internet. Use a good vocabulary, but not one that causes you to lose your connection with your audience.

Step 3

Get your material into order. Most of the times the structure of your speech evolves out of it. Which arguments are forming? Is there some kind of pattern like past-present or current state-desired outcome? In other words, feel passionately about your topic.

Step 4

Structure your speech. The easiest way to do this is what we all learned in school: Introduction, main part, ending.

Step 5

Try to capture your audience’s interest with the first or second sentence of your introduction. Build clear and sensible transitions (segues) from one thought to the next. The biggest mistake speakers and writers make is to assume people will follow their leaps of logic. Spell out to the audience when you are taking a turn in your thoughts with phrases like: “As an example of this” or “This brings us to the larger problem of,” and so forth.

Step 6

Put your arguments in the main part. Even if you have lots of arguments you should choose the three or four strongest ones. More could ask too much of your audience. Even if you have a definite attitude towards your topic try to implement the other side’s arguments in your speech. Start with them first and later invalidate them with your own arguments.

Step 7

The ending is equally important as the other two parts. Don’t end your speech half-heartedly. The last impression your audience gets from you is the one that will stick. Try to envision a goal that you want to reach with your speech. If you want your audience to do something end with a call to action. If you want your audience to remember the speech as a funny one end with a joke.

Your words should clearly show that this is the end. There’s nothing more embarrassing than an audience who doesn’t know if to clap or not.

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