Your voice matters more than ever—use it!
SPEAK
Speech Writing
Writing a powerful speech takes as much passion and focus as delivering it. From addressing the audience’s needs to engaging, inspiring, and motivating them to act, your responsibility as a speech writer is an intense undertaking. Dive into some of our favorite resources to learn how to analyze your audience, craft authentic stories, and organize your messages so you, too, can write (and deliver) powerful speeches.
3 Quick Tips
01.
Know your audience to connect authentically. Consider audience beliefs and values, biases and prejudices prior to writing. Anticipate and prepare for opposition. Get clear on potential ethical consequences of your calls to action.
02.
Craft vivid, real stories that resonate. What relevant cultural reference points can you share with your audience to engage them right away? What personal histories can you draw upon that most folks can relate to?
03.
Structure your core messages to encourage action. Organize your speech in a basic, easy-to-follow structure to include an impactful opening, a narrative arc throughout the body, and a conclusion culminating in a realizable call to action.
Speech Writing 101
Learn some easy-to-follow basics from a corporate coach and career columnist focused on helping pros hone their speech writing (and speech making) skills. From audience and topic assessment to structure and phrasing, gain some keen insights quickly, and then put them to use.
Tips, Public Affairs Council
Free
Congressional Staffer Speech Writing Resources
This fact sheet from the Congressional Research Service (CSR), compiled by Reference Librarian Audrey Celeste Crane-Hirsch, is a list of resources used by Congressional staffers to help them with the speechwriting process.
PDF, Congressional Research Service
Free
Speech Writing: 27 Key Tips
This list offers a great roundup of terrific tips, resources, and helpful examples as you think about, craft, and deliver your most effective and powerful speeches. Take some time with this article, dive into the related links, and put it all to good use!
Blog Post, Speak & Conquer
Free