HOW TO WRITE A SPEECH. There are three basic parts to any speech, and each section plays a special role in making the overall speech complete. By using the blueprint given below as a guideline, you can easily adapt your speech, regardless of its length, to fill your needs.
THE OPENING. The opening is two-fold. Its purpose is to serve as an introduction, and it can usually be given in one or two short sentences of between 15 and 30 words total.
* Introduce yourself. Say a few words about how or why you came to be in the speaker’spotlight. Or acknowledge your host or hosts, if it is appropriate to do so. Or greet the audience by saying, “Ladies and Gentlemen” or “friends”…
*If there are any special instructions, such as inviting the audience to participate, or asking them not to take pictures or tape record the talk, make your announcement in your introduction.
*If you want your audience to hold its applause, say so now. If there will be a question and answer session following your speech, this is the time to state that. The purpose of the opening is to tell your audience what to expect.
THE MIDDLE. The speaker is like a storyteller who uses the middle portion of his/her speech to tell his/her story. So, once you have made the introduction, get right into the body of your speech. You may use examples and illustrations throughout the body of your talk. Illustrations can be given as lists of data or significant facts and figures that enhance the topic. Visual aids such as whiteboards, printed matter, or videotapes are used by many speakers to add depth to their presentations. If you are up to it, mix dramatic incidents with narrative to keep your audience attentive throughout your speech.
THE ENDING: The ending of your talk, like its opening, should be brief and serve a dual purpose.
* Summarize your talk by stating in a few words what you have been discussing.
*Conclude by recommending that your audience take action, if there is any to be taken. If there is no action to be taken, give your own personal opinion, based on your sincere conviction, about what the future holds for the topic you have discussed, or use an appropriate quotation. When your allotted time is up, thank your listeners for participating, end your presentation.