Should You Write Your Own Speeches?

Is it right or safe to let others author your speech or talk for you? Or is it better to do it yourself? Of course, you can use speech writing service , but I offer potentially useful ideas and perspectives - based on personal experience, and studies of the works of accomplished speakers.

Should Good Speakers Use Speech Writers?

Some years ago, I read a very interesting article written by Michael Angier in which he seriously questioned the use of speech writers by modern day politicians and public office holders.

Among other things, he lamented the growing preference among the above mentioned groups, for the services of speech writers. Michael pointed out the fact that it had become more difficult to determine if the words any of them spoke were theirs or those of their speech writers.

In addition, he raised questions about the sincerity of the messages in those speeches, which he noted - and quite rightly too - could be crafted by speech writers more for "political correctness" than as an expression of the true feelings of the speaker!

Before ending the piece, Michael Angier recalled earlier generations of political leaders who habitually wrote their own speeches. Back then, he observed, one could be reasonably certain that a speaker actually believed (and thought up) the words and messages s/he delivered to audiences.

If it has eluded you up till now, the point I am trying to make by referring to Michael Angier's article is that to be truly authentic, history teaches us that public speakers should speak based on their convictions.

In order to be authentic, you must speak your own thoughts on your subject. Thinking up the message for your speech is therefore not likely to be something you want to leave to a speech writer - no matter how gifted s/he may be.

No, I do not think speech writers are bad, but I do believe strongly that any speaker worth his/her salt will not let anyone think for him/her. And this is the important distinction to be made. People want to know what you think.

They want your view or take on the subject of their interest. You cannot leave the articulation of your ideas and thoughts to a speech writer.

It of course follows that you might need help with refining your original thoughts, and articulating them in better order for delivery. A speech writer would be helpful in doing that. But deciding what to say, what message to deliver should be yours.

The Speaker As A Writer

History attests to the fact that good speakers are invariably good writers. To develop yourself into a competent speaker therefore, you will need to cultivate good writing skills. I doubt that your progress will be helped by a dependence on a speech writer.

You could answer, using awareness of today's technology, that voice/video recordings offer a viable alternative. The truth however remains that even that medium often gets used based on material written by the speaker.

Indeed, great speakers reportedly kept notepads (or scraps of paper) in which they periodically scribbled ideas that came to them as they went through each day. Then at night they would stay up to arrange, and revise their scribbles, until the body of their speech took the shape and form they wanted.

Your ideas and thoughts have to be put down in some written form, then refined, arranged and polished until you are satisfied that your intended meaning is fully captured. With your speech PapersOwl Australia can helps you, or services like this. Your ability to do this will depend greatly on your writing skill. So, develop it.

Summary - VOICE YOUR ORIGINAL THOUGHTS!

Get into the habit of coming up with your own ideas/perspectives, to be blended with what you learn via studying and research. Then take great pains to weave your findings into a speech that your audience will appreciate and applaud you for.

It goes without saying that you can solicit the help of a speech writer or other useful resources, in putting your thoughts together. But I strongly believe those thoughts should remain your thoughts and not become those of your helper.

Neglecting to do this will effectively make you a copy of whoever else's thoughts you choose to voice. This would effectively amount to insulting the intelligence of your audience - which might not be lost on all of them.