by J.D.G.

Created on: May 11, 2009

First of all - congratulations! You should be incredibly proud of what you have accomplished. Now it is time to roll up your sleeves and get to work writing a dazzling, inspirational speech. The idea of writing, and delivering, a speech can be a bit scary. However, with a bit of know-how and practice, writing a speech can be a fun and easy project.

Here are 10 easy steps that will help you write and deliver an amazing speech:

Step 1: Know your audience, customize your speech.

My high school was very casual, like a small family; a formal speech would have felt wrong. My nephew, on the other hand, graduated from a formal high school with a large graduating class; in his case, a formal speech was a better fit.

Step 2: Figure out your message.

Many graduates either offer advice for future success or let the graduating class know that each day is a treasure to be enjoyed. I blended the two together, mentioning the excitement of the future, and the best ways that we could reach our goals.

Step 3: Use a few quotes or poems

A few famous quotes are a nice touch and add polish to your speech.

Step 4: Don't go overboard with the quotes.

No one wants to be bored at graduation, and adding too many quotables can make the speech seem long. Aim for 2-3 quotes total, one towards the beginning of the speech, and one during the closing.

Step 5: Use personal experiences and anecdotal stories.

A great way of highlighting key points of your speech is to use stories. Anecdotes will amuse your audience and get your point across without being boring.

Step 6: Don't ramble.

Make it brief - keep your audience interested while keeping your speech fresh. Ask about your allotted speech time and stick to it!

Step 7: Proofread and review.

Now is the time to double check word choices and readability. If you have any tongue-twisters, toss them and find a new way to state your sentence.

Step 8: Read aloud.

Read your speech aloud and get a feel for how it sounds. If you have to speed read to stay within the time limit, it is time to trim the speech.

Step 9: Practice.

Practice your speech daily; get comfortable reading it in front of people; and know the best places to pause for effect. After all that practice, you will breeze through it when the big day finally arrives.

Step 10: Have fun!

Remember - enthusiasm is contagious! Have fun and let your great attitude wow the audience.

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