So you have a big performance in the next couple of days. With jittery hands and nerves, you’re probably anxious about what to say and how to frame your speech. If this is the case, an easy way to get past this anxiety is to write your speech beforehand. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, not everyone believes in this golden rule.  When it comes to giving a speech, there are two kinds of people you’d most likely find.

The first type of people would prefer to hire an essay writing service to help them write the speech beforehand. On the other hand, there’s another type of people who would rather wing any big performance they have.   If you belong to this second category, keep reading to find out why you need to pen your ideas down before you give a speech. Even if you already understand the importance of speech writing, you’ll find tips for writing the perfect speech in this article.   Let’s get started, shall we?

Why You Need to Write Your Speech Before a Performance

There are so many reasons to write your speech beforehand, but we’d start with the basic ones:

1. To  give a clearer insight into what you’d be talking about

When it comes to giving speeches, you probably already know the topic or issue you’d be addressing. However, there’s a huge chance that you aren’t sure what to say about the topic. For instance, let’s assume you had to give a speech titled: “The preservation of wild animals”.   Sure, you know what the theme of the speech is all about. But what exactly would you be saying about wildlife preservation?   Would you be talking about measures for wildlife preservation? Or would you focus on the state of wildlife preservation in different countries? What countries or continents will be your case studies?

One mistake most people make is leaving their speech to chance and depending on any previous knowledge or skills they have. However, you just might be setting yourself up for an embarrassing experience if you don’t write your speech ahead of time.  Experts like to think of speech writing as a battle plan. It would help you know what moves to take and which words to say.

2. To facilitate remembrance

Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to give a speech and went completely blank onstage? Well, you’re not alone. Almost everyone who has given a speech before has experienced this cringe-worthy, esteem-deflating scenario.  However, to reduce the chances of you fiddling with your fingers during your performance, it’s advisable to write your speech first. This way, it will be easier for you to take note of and memorise your key points.

3. To make any necessary adjustments

Writing your speech ahead of any performance allows you to edit it and make any necessary adjustments. For instance, you could take note of any derogatory or harmful statements and cut them out immediately.  It equally helps you get rid of any grammatical blunders or errors during your performance.  Drafting your speech ahead of your performance is just like switching off all electrical appliances before leaving the office. No one is saying that something bad could happen but isn’t it better to prevent any ugly scenarios?

4. To modulate how long the speech will last

Let’s assume you had only five minutes to give a speech. How do you know when to stop? It’s simple.  Write the speech outline beforehand and then rehearse it in front of your mirror. This way, you’d be able to tell if it’s too long or too short.

5. To reduce the use of filler words

No one uses filler words as much as an unprepared speaker does. When you draft your speech before your presentation, you do not have to depend on filler words to give your speech substance.

How to Write the Perfect Speech

Wondering how to write a good speech? Writing a speech isn’t as difficult as you probably think. Here are some tips that could make the writing process easier for you:

1. Determine your audience and purpose

The first step to writing the perfect speech is determining who your target audience is. Who exactly are you addressing? If you’re addressing a group of high school students, you definitely wouldn’t address them the same way you’d talk to a group of professors. Your audience determines the language to employ in your speech.  In the same vein, it is important to determine the purpose of your speech just before you hop into the writing process. What are you trying to accomplish? Are you trying to educate or entertain your audience?  The purpose of your speech determines the tone and structure you’d use.

2. Decipher the required length

When addressing any group of people, you don’t want to bore them or leave them hanging. As such, it’s important to set a target length and ensure that your speech doesn’t fall short of your goal.  Sure, determining how long your speech should be can be tricky. However, it all depends on the purpose of the speech. If you’re giving a speech at a wedding, 3-5 minutes is perfect. Just like Goldilocks found the perfect bowl of porridge, you need to determine the duration that’s just right for your speech

3. Outline the structure and draft the main ideas

You’d need to create your speech outline before writing it. The typical speech format contains an introduction, body and conclusion. Depending on the kind of speech you’d be giving, there could be additional parts.  Once you have drawn up the outline of your speech, you can then go on to add the main ideas. At this stage, you don’t necessarily have to worry about finding the right words. Just let it flow and leave editing for later.

4. Edit and polish your draft

Once you’re done drafting the speech, you can then edit and polish it to perfection. Cut out any statement that may offend your audience. You don’t want to stand in front of an angry audience – especially if there are rotten tomatoes nearby.

Don’t forget to practice as many times as possible. This way, you can enthral your audience without breaking a sweat.

Conclusion

When it comes to any big performance, nothing beats being prepared before the big day. Don’t depend solely on the skills or knowledge you had previously. Write your speech beforehand and rehearse constantly until you’re ready to deliver it.

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Amanda Dudley is a seasoned lecturer and writer with years of experience up her sleeves. She has a Ph.D in History from Stanford University and has dedicated over a decade of her life to teaching and helping students be the best versions of themselves.
She currently works as a part-time essay writer at EssayUSA where she churns out flawlessly written research papers.