PRINCIPLES OF SPEECH WRITING

Components of the Speech Writing Process

1. Audience Analysis – entails looking into the profile of your target audience
o Demography – age range, gender, education background and affiliations, nationality,
economic status, academic or corporate designations
o Situation – time, venue, occasion, and size
o Psychology – values, beliefs, attitudes, preferences, cultural and racial ideologies, and needs
2. Purpose
o Inform – seminar/webinar, orientation
o Entertain – comedy talks
o Persuade – speeches during elections
3. Topic
o Focal point/subject matter of the speech
o Choose one that interests you
✓ Narrow down a topic – making the main idea more focused and specific
✓ Data gathering – collect ideas, information, sources, and references
✓ Writing patterns – strategies or structures that will help you organize the ideas and
information that you have and collected
4. Outline – help you see if all the included ideas and information are in line with your main idea
or message
o Introduction – foundation of your speech; determine if the audience will listen to you
GOAL: get the attention of your audience and present the main idea of your speech (failure
to get the attention may go throughout the whole speech)
o Body of speech – provides explanations, examples, or any details that will help you deliver
the purpose and the main idea of your speech
o Conclusion – restates the main idea, provides summary, emphasizes the message and calls
for action; determines if the audience listened to you
GOAL: leave the audience with a memorable statement
START STRONG, BUT END STRONGER
5. Editing/Revising – involves correcting errors
o Edit for focus – ensuring that introduction to conclusion is related to the central message
o Edit for clarity – make all ideas in your speech clear by arranging them in logical order
(Deductive – main idea first then supporting details; Inductive – supporting details first then
main idea)
o Edit for concision – Keep your speech short, simple, and clear. Eliminate unrelated and
unnecessary information, stories, and examples.
o Edit for continuity – add transition words and phrases to keep the flow or presentation
smooth.
o Edit for variety – add spice to your speech by shifting tone and style (from formal to
conversational and vice-versa, moving around the stage, and adding humor.)
o Edit for impact and beauty – make your speech memorable
6. Rehearsing – gives opportunity to identify what works and what does not for you and for the
target audience
Principles of Speech Writing by Ramona S. Flores
o Choosing the topic
o Analyze the audience
o Sourcing the information
o Outlining and organizing the speech content

Guidelines in Speech Writing

o Keep your words short and simple (concision)
o Avoid jargon, acronyms, or technical words
o Make your speech personal
✓ Use personal pronoun, but use “we” to emphasize collectiveness and to feel
included
✓ Avoid stereotyping, generalize the pronouns as much as possible
o Use active verbs and contractions
o Be sensitive and careful
o Use metaphors and other figures of speech
o Manage your time well