How to Write a Speech

So you wanna write a speech, huh? Well, here are some basic tips to get you on track:

• Think about it.
• Think about it some more.

• Do some minor research and think some more.
• Daydream. Have some conversations on the topic.
• Write.
• Write some more.
• Do more research and more writing. Continually go deeper.
• Trim. Parse. Pick favorites. Pick a theme. Pick a flavor.
• Do a 1st draft — the writing before was not a draft. It was just thinking on paper anyway.
• Daydream.
• Either keep going, or throw it all out and start over. If you keep going, it's time to get serious.
• Read your 1st draft out loud, standing up.
• Do it all again for a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th draft. Each time refine and rework. Throw out any part you don’t feel semi-good about, even if that’s the WHOLE thing.
• Throw out anything that you are TOO attached to. Re-write for clarity in your mind AND the audience’s mind. Don’t forget you are GIVING the speech to some people. Don’t let your ego get attached to the words you’ve written. They don’t belong to you that way.
• Present your speech to as many friends as possible, if possible. One at a minimum. Get feedback from someone, anyone.
• Practice in the car. Practice while cleaning house. Practice some more.
• Take lots and lots of breaks from writing, thinking, and practicing.
• Get to the point where you’ve forgotten what you wrote, but can still remember what to say.
• Then, and only then, will you be able to give a semi-decent, passible speech.
• Just kidding! It’ll probably be great. No speech is “perfect” because speeches evolve. As long as you do the work with integrity, your speech will work.
• Give the speech. Thank the audience. Bask in glory for 𝜋 seconds.
• Congrats! You’ve given a speech. Now embody this as habit and do it all over again.