Write that speech yourself! - page 2
Does size matter?
With theme and purpose clear in your mind your next step is to decide how long the speech will be. In some cases, of course, you’ll be given a specific amount of time but in others you’ll be free to dictate the length of your speech yourself. Your first thought will be that you can get it over with as quickly as possible or, conversely, that you have so much to say you’ll be able to talk for a long time.
Now, there was a time when standards of education, the closure of the chariot track for temporary repairs, and the possession of slaves to do all menial tasks meant that there was time to attend the forum and listen to a speech of many hours. The Roman Empire then collapsed.
The optimum time for a speech in our more frenetic age is between twenty and thirty minutes. More than that and you risk losing your audience, however well-disposed they are towards you. Less than that and they’ll think you’re a bit of a lightweight. (This latter point does not apply at awards ceremonies.)
So, twenty to thirty minutes. (See sidebar for how to deal with longer speeches.) But what does that mean in terms of words on a page? How much do you have to write? At a normal speaking rate most of us get through about 100 words every minute. That means a speech of 30 minutes is going to need about 3000 words. When you type out your speech double-spaced in a good-sized font you’re going to have ten or eleven pages in your hand.
You now have the two most crucial pieces of information you need for writing your speech: ‘why?’ and ‘how long?’. I’ve taken it for granted that you know who your audience will be and that you know the most appropriate tone to take with them. You're probably thinking it must be time to start writing. Not yet.
Give it legs.
I mentioned the spine earlier. Now it's the time to give a little thought to splitting the speech up into sections. Giving it a structure, if you will. It is the structure that will keep the speech moving along, each component following on logically from what went before. This gives the speech an internal impetus that has the added benefit of making the audience feel there is some logic to what you're saying.
The structure is nothing more than this:
- A beginning
- A middle
- An ending
Straightforward, I know. It makes a big difference when it comes to start writing the speech, however, if you have a sense of the time each section will take and how to use it to its best advantage.
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