How To Write A Speech

Rhetoric forms are not only for professional speakers. Even newbies can work those rhetoric devices into their speeches and thus make them way more interesting. For everybody that wants to learn how to write a speech here's a small selection mainly suitable for festive occasions like weddings or birthdays.  Images: Images illustrate abstract issues but they can also be used to build beautiful comparisons.  Comparisons: Comparisons are practical to illustrate numbers. For example you could talk about the numbers of weddings in your town: "450.000 weddings, that's 900.000 people marrying every year! And that's half of the population of..."  Examples: If you want to give tips, in your case maybe on how to make wedlock pleasant, don't give abstract advice but think of an example story: "Margret accuses her husband Rudolph of forgetting their wedding day. Gertrude on the other hand invited her husband for dinner and when he asked why she told him that she wanted to celebrate their wedding day. Who do you think leads a happier marriage?"  If you want to stress one point in your speech the ideal stylistic device is repetition. You can even repeat one word in the same sentence ("I wish you luck, no, I wish you all the luck in the world.") There's also the possibility to use different word when repeating something. That way it doesn't bore the audience while simultaneously being engraved in their minds.  Sometimes it is also a good strategy to use memorable quotes in your speech. But be careful not to use too many quotes. It might sound as if you didn't have any ideas yourself. And important element in every speech should always be surprise. For example you could choose a quote that doesn't fit the occasion at all but then combining that quote with the subject you want to talk about in an unusual way. But your surprising idea should not sound too constructed and it shouldn'tembarrass someone in your audience.   In general your should use your stylistic devices economically. If used too often their power diminishes radically.  Another good strategy is to speak to persons in the audience directly. Include them into your act. You gain much more attention if your audience genuinely feels spoken to.  Humor is also very important. Try to make your audience laugh. This will make your speech more memorable.  Now please don't try to incorporate all these stylistic devices in your speech. That's not necessary. Your presentation should not feel bloated. If you present one greatrhetoric idea after the other the highlights in your speech won't get noticed. The art in how to write a speech is to find a way between suspense and relief.