Writing a speech is a distinctive craft that not many people are able to master, as it is closely connected to the domain of public speaking. Roger Wolfson mentions that in order to write a good speech, one needs to know their audience, the core purpose or topic of the event, as well as the overall length of the speech. No matter if a person is giving a speech at a wedding or at a political rally, certain elements remain constant through various forms of speech writing. Wolfson has served as a full time speechwriter for various sitting US Senators. Over the years, he has written and revised stump speeches, national party convention speeches, and policy announcements.
One of the most nerve-wracking factors of writing speeches is that if one writes and delivers a speech that does not go too well with the audience, they will be getting negative feedback in real time. They may have their audience start talking with each-other, doze off, or even walk out of the event. Hence, it is crucial that people learn how to give powerful speeches that hold the audience’s attention from experts like Roger Wolfson. Being a professional speechwriter, Wolfson believes that each chance to address a public audience is a sacred trust. With his skills and dedication, he manages to bring a level of involvement in both politics and entertainment that is matched by very few.
His years of experience in the domain of speechwriting have made Roger Wolfson a perfect candidate to talk about how to write good speeches. The following pointers highlight aspects of good speech writing skills:
- As per research, most people remember very little from speeches, and hence it would be prudent to give them just one or two core ideas to hang onto. Putting too many thoughts, ideas, and issues in a single speech might confuse the audience.
- While sitting down to write the speech, one must primarily remember what they desire to accomplish with it. Speeches can be written to inspire, entertain, educate, or even argue. The goals of a speech would dictate its structure and tone, and can invariably end up producing dramatically different outcomes.
- All speeches must be tailored for the audience, both in terms of its language and ideas. Whether a speech is being written for a wedding or a political rally, the writer must have a good knowledge of the target audience, their vocabulary, believes and culture, and use those details to enrich their speech.
- To end up with the perfect speech, revision and practice are extremely crucial. None of the great speeches have been written in a day, including MLK’s “I Have a Dream.” People must give themselves time to practice the material and work through multiple drafts, to ultimately have the perfect speech ready.
In addition to being a speechwriter, Roger Wolfson is a writing instructor as well. He has over the years assisted many to improve their speech writing skills.
