What is Speech Writing? Speech writing is the process of creating a spoken message that is meant to be delivered to an audience. Unlike ordinary writing, speech writing focuses on how words sound, how ideas flow, and how the message connects emotionally with listeners. It aims to inform, persuade, entertain, or inspire people through spoken language. Purpose of Speech Writing Speech writing is done to achieve various goals: 1. To Inform The speaker explains a topic clearly. Example: A student reporting about climate change. 2. To Persuade The speaker convinces the audience to agree or take action. Example: A speech encouraging people to save electricity. 3. To Entertain The speech makes people laugh, relax, or enjoy. Example: A humorous anecdote during a school event. 4. To Inspire or Motivate The speaker delivers a message that uplifts or encourages listeners. Example: A graduation speech about determination. Characteristics of an Effective Speech ⭐ 1. Clear and Focused The central idea is easy to understand. The speech does not jump from one topic to another. ⭐ 2. Audience-Centered The writer considers the age, background, and interest of the audience. ⭐ 3. Organized The speech has a beginning, middle, and end. Each part flows smoothly. ⭐ 4. Conversational Tone Unlike essays, speeches feel more like talking to someone. Sentences are shorter and simpler. ⭐ 5. Emotional Connection Good speeches create feelings—hope, concern, excitement, or empathy. ⭐ 6. Strong Delivery Cues Pauses, emphasis, and repetition are used to highlight important points.

1. Speech writing
Speech writing
A guide to speech writing and
A guide to speech writing and
great speech writers.
great speech writers.
Christchurch primary school 2006
Christchurch primary school 2006

2.  Today you will be writing your own speech.
 To help you do this we are going to look at two
things in this presentation.
 Firstly we are going to look at how to structure a
good speech.
 Then we are going to look at two excellent speech
writers from the twentieth century.
 We will look at how they made their speeches so
effective.
 We will try to use what we learn when we write our
own speeches.

3. So how do I structure my speech?
So how do I structure my speech?
 Firstly, introduce yourself – people need
Firstly, introduce yourself – people need
to know how is talking to them
to know how is talking to them
 Then ask for their attention – you are
Then ask for their attention – you are
trying to convince people of something.
trying to convince people of something.
Be polite!
Be polite!
 Then state your position. What do you
Then state your position. What do you
believe?
believe?

4.  Now make a point – then ELABORATE
Now make a point – then ELABORATE
on it. Saying what you believe is not
on it. Saying what you believe is not
enough. You must say WHY you believe
enough. You must say WHY you believe
it and WHY other people should believe
it and WHY other people should believe
it.
it.
 Make as many points as you can. The
Make as many points as you can. The
more points you make the more
more points you make the more
convincing you become.
convincing you become.
 In a speech you should try to give
In a speech you should try to give
COUNTER ARGUMENTS, we will look at
COUNTER ARGUMENTS, we will look at
this later in the presentation.
this later in the presentation.

5. How should I order my
How should I order my
speech?
speech?
 You need to grab your audience. Do
You need to grab your audience. Do
this by:
this by:
 Making your best argument first. This
Making your best argument first. This
will get people’s attention.
will get people’s attention.
 Save your second best argument for
Save your second best argument for
last – people will remember this.
last – people will remember this.
 Give the rest of your arguments in
Give the rest of your arguments in
order; second best to least best.
order; second best to least best.

6. Now lets look at an example!!
Now lets look at an example!!

7. Meet Mr William Shakespeare
He lived about 400 years ago
He wrote many many plays
In his plays there were many
great speeches
We’ll now look briefly at one to
see if it follows our structure
This is the speech given by
Mark Anthony after the death of
Julius Caesar in the play Julius
Caesar

8. Brief outline of the plot
Brief outline of the plot
 The characters Brutus and Marc Antony were
The characters Brutus and Marc Antony were
involved in the assassination of the leader of
involved in the assassination of the leader of
the Holy Roman Empire, Julius Caesar.
the Holy Roman Empire, Julius Caesar.
 Marc Antony is now doing the dirty on Brutus.
Marc Antony is now doing the dirty on Brutus.
Marc Antony and Brutus were friends and
Marc Antony and Brutus were friends and
they had a plan together.
they had a plan together.
 Brutus has just given a speech essentially
Brutus has just given a speech essentially
saying the Julius Caesar had to be killed for
saying the Julius Caesar had to be killed for
the good of Rome.
the good of Rome.
 Marc Antony is now going to try to turn the
Marc Antony is now going to try to turn the
people against Brutus with his speech.
people against Brutus with his speech.

9.  Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it.
And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest--
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest--
For Brutus is an honourable man;
For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all, all honourable men--
So are they all, all honourable men--
Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.
Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
And Brutus is an honourable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome
He hath brought many captives home to Rome
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honourable man.
And, sure, he is an honourable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause:
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?
What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.
And I must pause till it come back to me.
ASKING PEOPLE TO LISTEN
FIRST POINT _ VERY
STRONG
LOTS OF COUNTER
ARGUMENT. HE IS VERY
CLEVERLY AND POLITELY
DISAGREEING WITH
EVERYTHING BRUTUS SAID
THE KEY TO THIS SPEECH
IS REPETITION AGAIN AND
AGAIN ANTONY SAYS “AND
BRUTUS IS AN
HONOURABLE MAN”
WHAT EFFECT DOES THIS
HAVE?

10. What have we learnt?
What have we learnt?
 Repetition works well in speeches. (we
Repetition works well in speeches. (we
will look at this more in a bit)
will look at this more in a bit)
 A really good trick to convince people is
A really good trick to convince people is
to sound like you are on the other side
to sound like you are on the other side
of the debate. Have your speech
of the debate. Have your speech
convince yourself. It shows people how
convince yourself. It shows people how
they could be convinced.
they could be convinced.

11. Who shall we look at now?
Who shall we look at now?

12. Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. argued for
equal rights for all Americans.
At the time in America black people
were treated as second class
citizens.
On August 28th
1963 King gave the
most famous speech of the 20th
century. It changed many people’s
lives.
King was a powerful public speaker
who lived for his beliefs. He was
assassinated on April 4th
1968 as
he stood to give a speech.

13. Lets look at a part of his
Lets look at a part of his
speech
speech
 I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and
live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these
live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these
truths to be self-evident: that all men are created
truths to be self-evident: that all men are created
equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of
equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of
Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of
Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of
former slaveowners will be able to sit down together
former slaveowners will be able to sit down together
at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day
at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day
even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering
even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering
with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be
with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be
transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I
transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I
have a dream that my four children will one day live in
have a dream that my four children will one day live in
a nation where they will not be judged by the color of
a nation where they will not be judged by the color of
their skin but by the content of their character. I have
their skin but by the content of their character. I have
a dream today.
a dream today.

14. What makes it great?
What makes it great?
 The repetition of a very powerful
The repetition of a very powerful
phrase: “I have a dream”
phrase: “I have a dream”
 Use repetition in your speeches
Use repetition in your speeches
 Create a powerful phrase
Create a powerful phrase
 Repeat it again and again
Repeat it again and again
 It makes a speech POWERFUL
It makes a speech POWERFUL

15. Who next?
Who next?
Harold McMillan was Prime
Harold McMillan was Prime
Minister of the United Kingdom.
Minister of the United Kingdom.
He gave a speech in South Africa
He gave a speech in South Africa
about giving African people
about giving African people
the right to govern themselves
the right to govern themselves
The extract we will look at is taken from a
The extract we will look at is taken from a
speech made on 3
speech made on 3rd
rd
February 1960.
February 1960.

16. What effect does this have?
What effect does this have?
 The wind of change is blowing through
The wind of change is blowing through
this continent, and whether we like it or
this continent, and whether we like it or
not, this growth of national
not, this growth of national
consciousness is a political fact. We
consciousness is a political fact. We
must all accept it as a fact, and our
must all accept it as a fact, and our
national policies must take account of
national policies must take account of
it.
it.

17. Using metaphors in speeches
Using metaphors in speeches
 The wind of change is a metaphor
The wind of change is a metaphor
 It is used to put a picture in people’s
It is used to put a picture in people’s
minds
minds
 Metaphors are very effective in
Metaphors are very effective in
speeches
speeches
 Can you think of some metaphors?
Can you think of some metaphors?

18. Now you are going to write a
Now you are going to write a
speech about the skate park
speech about the skate park
 Structure, introduce yourself
Structure, introduce yourself
 Ask the audience to listen to you
Ask the audience to listen to you
 State your position
State your position
 Make your best point
Make your best point
 Elaborate on it
Elaborate on it
 Make the rest of your points,
Make the rest of your points,
elaborating on each
elaborating on each

19.  Save your second best point until last
Save your second best point until last
 Summarise your position
Summarise your position
 Give a conclusion
Give a conclusion
 Thank the audience for their attention
Thank the audience for their attention

20. And remember
And remember
 Use repetition
Use repetition
 Convince yourself in your speech
Convince yourself in your speech
 Use metaphors
Use metaphors

21. Finally
Finally
 I will now give you a writing frame to
I will now give you a writing frame to
help you remember all these points.
help you remember all these points.
 Good luck!
Good luck!
 And get writing!
And get writing!