Writing a good speech is an art. Even presidents have hired speech writers who take the ideas and formulate a cohesive and fluid speech for their president. They are essay writers who trim down large amounts of information and make it succinct. It is evident when the president goes off the script and ad-libs, often disrupting the otherwise seamless flow.
How to Write a Good Speech
Each speech consists of three parts: introduction, main body, and conclusion. Let’s take a deeper look at those three to gain a better understanding of what makes a good speech.
How to Write a Speech Introduction
The first part is the introduction. State your name clearly and inform the audience why you are giving this speech. "Hello, I am ______, and I am an alum, the best man, or a friend of the decease." Now that the audience is aware of who you are and why you are in front of the microphone, you must keep their attention. You do not have long before you lose their attention, so you need to have a hook that brings them into your speech.
How to Write a Hook for a Speech
Many occasions lend themselves to humor. Keep the humor relevant to the group hearing the speech. Engage with them through your openness, eye contact, and body language. Smile to elicit a warm feeling from the audience.
At a Basic Law Enforcement Graduation, my friend was the Keynote speaker. These graduations are about honoring the graduates and preparing them for the challenges of their chosen field. In the speech, she told them, "You don't have to be perfect, just sincere, honest, and have a sense of humor." The year before, she was tasked with introducing the newest Chief of Police in the County. Like everyone, she gets a little nervous when behind a podium and in front of a microphone. She introduced the Chief as the Piece of Cha-leaf. It was a reversal of the Chief of Police. She never missed a beat, welcomed the Chief to the stage, and looked out at a stunned audience who were doubting what they heard. She smiled, paused for a moment, and told them that was how she got invited to be the keynote this year, she had done such a good job last year. Her audience was hooked.
The hook can be a real-life story that you have experienced, one that pertains to the reason you are giving the speech. Be careful when using a joke for your hook or introduction. I am reminded of the man who decided to start with a joke and told a "pollock" joke, and wondered why it landed on deaf ears at the plumbing convention. The convention was for the Polish Plumbers Association. So, knowing your audience is vital.
Humor is great, but jokes are risky.
How to Write the Body of a Speech
The second part is the body of the speech. Now that you have them hooked, make sure that you use the time you have been given in a meaningful way. There is no need to drone on and on in a speech. In November 1863, Edward Everett, the former Governor of New Jersey, gave the opening speech for Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. He spoke for 2 hours! Lincoln ascended to the podium and spoke for 2 minutes. I believe we know whose speech we remember. This illustrates that brevity can be beautiful.
You know the audience, you know the type of speech you are tasked with giving, and you know the event, so now is the time to make an outline. Start with an outline that makes sense and revise it. What is it that I want everyone to know about my friend who has passed away? I might have started with a humorous story about her, but then, I want the audience to know what this person meant to me. How do I express this in my limited time? This is where the outline will help you include and narrow down what you want to convey. If we were childhood friends, I might want to highlight some aspects of that time of our life, or as adults, if we drove cross-country, or that she was a generous and caring person with everyone she met. Don't be afraid to edit the outline. More is not better; less and more impactful is better.
How to Write a Conclusion for a Speech
Wrap-up or conclusion – reiterate the takeaway from your speech. What is it that you want the audience to remember? Here is where you say it again. Drive your point home and finish strong. You can use a quote, if appropriate, or even a call to action. Just make sure that the person you use the quote from is someone everyone knows or is a socially/politically neutral party. You can end the speech with, "I want to leave you with this," or "in conclusion." This signals to the audience that you are wrapping up and you have a key point to leave with them.
An Example of a Good Speech
So, what defines a good speech? It is one that you deliver from your heart. It must be authentic. If you are enthusiastic about what you are talking about, that is even better. Know your audience. Whether you are making a graduation speech or delivering a eulogy, knowing your audience and, most importantly, your topic will help you make that vital connection with the audience.
You need to engage with the audience by using your eyes and body language. There will be times when you cannot see your audience due to a spotlight, but still use engaging body language. When you can see the audience, make good eye contact.
Make sure you have rehearsed your speech, preferably in front of a person who will be honest with you on your delivery. Is everyone nervous before giving a speech? Yes. It is called glossophobia and is extremely common. Practice helps overcome the most common fears. This is why rehearsal is so important. You might find that while rehearsing, you need to change the words or the order of the words so that it feels more natural. You also need to practice the delivery to show your enthusiasm and work on your breathing so that you don't sound breathless.
Do not try to memorize the speech. Most people use talking points or note cards so that important parts of the speech are not forgotten. They also use these for timing. You do not want to talk too long on a point simply because you have forgotten what comes next in the speech. Notecards can easily solve that problem.
Great speeches do not just happen. The number one most memorable speech is one given by Martin Luther King, Jr. His "I Have a Dream" has captured the hearts and minds of people for decades. This speech is noted for its impact and power. It is also noted for the repetition of the theme of "I have a dream." This phrase will forever be in our history. Other impactful speeches from history are John F. Kennedy's Inaugural speech and Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. All were enthusiastic, well-delivered, and authentic.
But these impressive speeches were not just delivered "off the cuff." The words were carefully chosen; the cadence and repetition were purposeful. These are the keys to great speeches. They were practiced.
You must practice your speech as well. If you can practice in the venue where you are giving the speech, all the better. This is especially important if you are in front of a microphone, behind a podium, or using a clip-on microphone. You should avoid straying from the podium or microphone, as this can be frustrating for the audience. If you have a clip-on microphone, practice with the placement. Too close to the mouth, too far, or somewhere you might bump it can reverberate in the speakers and startle your audience. If you can, use your phone to record your practice. While we never seem to enjoy hearing our own voice, it helps us remember to check our flow, verbiage, and cadence. Are we speaking too slowly or too quickly? Usually, we make the mistake of talking too fast.
How to Write a Speech for School
Admittedly, you are not writing a presidential speech, but one for school; however, that does not mean the steps are not the same. For school, you may have been given a topic to present. For students, it is important to relax, gather their nerves, and prepare. If possible, use visuals. Think about being at the receiving end of a PowerPoint. There is a reason it is called "Death by PowerPoint." Balance your time with an interesting slide or two, but not so many that they interfere with the flow of your speech. Remember, you are giving the speech, not PowerPoint. If you are not using PowerPoint, consider having something as a visual aid.
My junior year in college, our class had to give speeches on something that people go through. We had one day to prepare. I had just had a root canal the previous week, so that topic was still on my mind. I gathered props, went to the dental lab, got a giant tooth, and during my speech, I drew a tooth on the board with the root and demonstrated how a root canal is performed. It was visible, engaging, and informative.
How to Write a Graduation Speech
While all the previous tips apply, this one includes a special mention of brevity. Remember that the graduates will rarely remember your speech unless you are famous or give a great bit of wisdom in a short amount of time. If applicable, use shared experiences, especially if you are an alum. Otherwise, choose a theme to build your message around and include humor where possible. Often used themes are the future, the graduates' potential, and the job market. It is also good to share your journey with graduates, especially if they know who you are. Graduates want to know how successful people achieved their success. Sharing that success story is inspirational. The conclusion of the speech can be a call to action for the graduates to follow their dreams.
Tips for Writing Other Speech Types
How to Write a Speech About Yourself
This type of speech gives the audience an insight into who you are. If you are famous or asked to give a speech to students or the community, then you will want to highlight those aspects of your life that are of interest to the audience. Is this speech about your career, your life, or overcoming an insurmountable challenge? One such inspirational speech was delivered by former Louisiana state trooper Bobby Smith, who was blinded by a shotgun blast from a fleeing suspect. He lost his career, his wife, and still rose above it to remake himself. He earned a PhD in Psychology and began counseling others. He toured and spoke to thousands about overcoming adversity.
Speeches about yourself are not about your entire life's story, but about a moment in time that you want to share with others.
How to Write Debate Speeches and Persuasive Speeches
You are taking a side in a debate, so it is imperative to get your point out right away on any debate topic. Debate topics are usually controversial. Start with your arguments and strong points, and present your rebuttal to the other side, effectively dismantling their argument before they even start. Use evidence, statistics, and quotes. Deliver your conclusion. Listen to understand the other side's argument. Look for their logic flaws. They are easier to spot if you have researched the other side of the debate, as if you were going to deliver that side as well. You will deliver a stronger rebuttal.
A persuasive speech starts with a problem that the audience can relate to or needs to know exists. The speaker outlines the problem and the impact that the problem has on the audience or others. While the speech is prepared like a debate, there is a call to action in the persuasive speech.
How to Write a Wedding Speech
The best wedding speeches are the ones the best man and maid/matron of honor give. Again, the key is brevity. Start with the humorous, yet not embarrassing, episodes from your experiences with the bride/groom. This is not a time to humiliate them but to share your love for the person and their new spouse. Funny stories should not drone on and on, but should make people smile. A toast and short speeches are best delivered sober.
How to Write a Funeral Speech
Authenticity is crucial to a memorable funeral speech. It is necessary to offer a reflection on the relationship you had with the person and share a short, yet meaningful story, preferably one that involved both of you.
There are times you might not know the person very well, but because of your status, you are invited to give the speech anyway. Collect information about the person, their accomplishments, and the legacy they have left. A loved one may also have a story they would like to share. In the closing, you are going to offer comfort to the friends and loved ones there. This is not a speech that doesn't need to be stiff and formal, even though the surroundings might feel that way. Like any other speech, make sure you are making eye contact, using your body to express your feelings, and being mindful of the microphone placement.
How to Write a Salutatorian Speech
This speech is a welcome speech from the graduating class to the faculty, families, and guests. This is delivered by the salutatorian, who is the person who academically ranks second in their graduating class. In writing the speech, think of the journey to get to this moment and share that story. It is fine to include one or two stories about your senior class and why this day is so special. This is a speech of thanks.
How to Write a Welcome Speech
A welcome speech is typically a warm-up to another speaker or the keynote address that others have come to hear. This is a brief yet impactful speech that introduces and thanks the event coordinators, VIPs, and guests for their attendance. When writing this speech, it is important to double-check that you have all the names of those you are mentioning and that you can produce their names correctly. It is possible you are welcoming the keynote speaker. In that case, ensure you have a bio of their life and accomplishments, and read it repeatedly before introducing them. This will allow the reading of their bio to flow smoothly, and you will not stumble over words, places, or job positions related to the keynote.
How to Write a Keynote Speech
Individuals giving a keynote speech are expected to be polished, engaging, and interesting. If you are writing a speech to be delivered in a city you have never been to, it is important to get to know the place. Visit the city before giving the speech and explore the surroundings. Find something positive to say about the city. This might be part of your engaging story or a segway into your main topic.
Know why you were selected to deliver a speech. The person engaging you may tell you what they want you to talk about. Sometimes, they assume you will know. The best keynote speeches are the ones that share personal narratives related to the theme of the event or the audience in attendance. Many of those in the audience are looking for something inspirational, and stories of your perseverance resonate with others.
You're Ready to Stand Before Any Audience
When you're assigned to write a speech, it isn't just another task—it's a sign that your voice matters. When someone asks you to speak, they're choosing you because your perspective, experience, or story is meaningful to the listeners.
Now, you know how to structure a speech, hook an audience, and deliver your message with confidence. However, remember that the most important element isn't technique—it's authenticity. Great speeches come from real people speaking from the heart, not just from professionals or world leaders.
So, take a breath and trust yourself.
You're prepared. You've practiced. You're ready.
And if you are looking for additional inspiration, take a look at our article on the 100 best topics for a public speech in college.
