Everything begins with a pen and paper. This is the first and foremost, you should remember. In order to deliver a good speech and become a good public speaker, you should first learn how to write a speech.

How to write a speech?

Step 1: Pen and Paper

You must have a pen and some papers. You can use any pen and any paper as long as you can read what you write.

You will need a lot of paper because the first one will always be your draft. Use white paper or any paper that is clean and not many artistic decorations on it.

Step 2: Topic

After having a pen and paper, all you need to do is think. Think of a topic that you are interested in then list it down on your paper.

Step 3: Gather some data

Now that you have a topic, it’s time to gather some information about it. Go to the library and research for the topic you listed on your paper. Gather as much information as you could.

Also, you can research online, but be careful not to be drowned by too much information. Just pick some information about your topic and stick to it.

Step 4: Read

After gathering some information about your topic, the next thing you should do is read trying to understand it. It is necessary to read your notes in order for you to understand it. Read repeatedly and if necessary, use a dictionary to look up for some difficult words.

Step 5: Write your first draft

At this point, it’s time to write your first draft. The question is how much information should you write?

All you need are three paragraphs of information; you don’t have to write all that you have researched.

1st paragraph: Write your greetings and introduction to your topic.

You can say the usual greetings like;

“Ladies and gentlemen, good morning/afternoon/evening

Or you can quote some famous lines like; “when in Rome, do what the Romans do then proceed.

2nd paragraph: Write the main ideas about your topic. Only the main ideas are needed in this part, no need for other unnecessary topics. You only need at least 3 main points. More than three would be too much for the listeners to listen to and also for you as the presenter. Make it simple and easy.

3rd paragraph: Make a brief summary of your message and close it with some final words, quotation or a question.

Avoid the expressions “That’s all and “my speech is over

Simply say “Thank you and nothing more. When you say thank you, it signifies that your speech is over; you don’t have to say the word “that’s all or “my speech is over.

The audience knows it’s over when you say thank you. The simpler, the better as others say, less talk, fewer mistakes.

Step 6: Review, edit, and rewrite

After writing down your speech, it’s time to review and edit it for some typographical and grammatical errors. Don’t depend on your first draft, it may seem ok, but it’s always good to review it. You’ll always find some errors on it.

Ask a friend to proofread it to ensure that it is error-free. There is nothing more embarrassing than delivering a speech full of error.

Rewrite your speech on a clean and easy to understand manner. It is very important to do this so that your eye will be free from errors.

Finally, if you are confident that your speech is error-free, you are now ready for the next level. Memorize and Practice!