Regardless of whether you are a communication professional, a human resources manager, a public speaker or a speechwriter looking for a well-paid job, there will come a time when you need to write a speech. When that time comes, your career may depend on your success. That’s why I have created this guide dedicated to young people (or not so young) and aspiring speechwriters, which will significantly help you start creating original, interesting, and, most importantly, effective texts that can engage your audience. Let’s begin with this.

Know Your Audience

Learn as much as possible about your audience and the event. This will help you target the information, experience, or knowledge you have, and which this group wants or needs:

• Why has the audience gathered?
• What do they have in common?
• How large is the audience expected to be?
• What do they already know and what do they need to know?
• Are they expecting discussions on a specific topic, and if so, which one?
• What is the audience’s attitude and knowledge 0f your topic?
• How do they perceive you as an orator?
• Why are they interested in your topic?

Choose Your Key Message

To write the most effective speech, you must have substantial knowledge of your topic, a genuine passion for it, and a desire to talk about it. Focus on the message that matters to your target audience and remember: your audience needs substance. If you provide too little content, your audience may see you as superficial. If you provide too many ideas, they may struggle to understand what’s most important to you.

Research and Organize

Research until your hands ache (figuratively). Here, you gather information, combine ideas, and gain insights that make your speech “fresh.” It’s easier if you collect more information than you need. Organize your research and notes into general categories and leave space between them. Then come back and rearrange them. Piece together related details like a puzzle. If it doesn’t fit, “trim” the puzzle pieces creatively – there’s no prohibition against that.

Structure and Organize

First, consider whether your goal is to inform, persuade, motivate, or entertain. Then outline your speech and fill in the details:

• Introduction – The first minutes of your speech are crucial for building trust and likability. Personal anecdotes (real stories, not recycled jokes) often help start the conversation. Here, you also outline your key points.

• Main body – Address the issues you intend to solve, limiting them to no more than five points. Then reinforce these points with illustrations, evidence, and stories. Be passionate; your conviction and active engagement can be as persuasive as your ideas.

• Conclusion – Summarize everything with emotion and facts. End on an optimistic note to inspire your audience. You want to leave your audience uplifted, not exhausted. In our fast-paced era, people typically listen attentively for about 20-25 minutes, and the further we go, the less time is needed, and the more facts are expected. Nowadays, most people are willing to actively listen for no more than 10-15 minutes.

Add “Spice” (Creativity)

Once you have the main structure of your speech, it’s time to add variety and interest. Give your audience something unexpected; it’s like organizing surprise parties – provide them with something they don’t expect. Remember that a good speech is more like a conversation than a formal business meeting. It’s free form, but without slang, incomplete thoughts, or interruptions. So, the main embellishments for a speech are:

• Good language has tempo and flows like music – effortlessly.
• Use short sentences. Occasionally, use long ones to keep the audience on their toes, as short sentences can sound simplistic and make your speech appear rudimentary.
• Avoid passive sentences. Active language makes your statements stronger because it implies control.
• Repeat key words and points. Besides aiding memory, repetition enhances understanding of central ideas or themes.
• Pose rhetorical questions to grab your audience’s attention.
• Personal experiences and anecdotes strengthen your ideas and help you connect with your audience.
• Good quotes work on multiple levels, making the audience contemplate. Ensure your quotes are clearly attributed to someone your audience will likely recognize.
• Be judicious in applying these techniques to your speeches. Overuse can make the language seem excessive. When used sparingly, they help propel your speech and deliver your message engagingly and persuasively.

A great speech has the power to change the world, shape public opinion, or resolve longstanding conflicts. Or at the very least, it can ignite your audience’s imagination, lead your business to success or earn you top marks in school or university. In any case, a speech has power, but that power lies with the speechwriter and orator – the power to influence and captivate.