Wake up your audience by turning up the contrast
Even the most interesting topic can be rendered inert by the simple application of a dull speech. Audiences are human, and they crave a little drama along with their intellectual content.Nobody knows drama better than Nancy Duarte, famous for her concept of the STAR...
May I have your attention, please
In an ideal world, you’d have the audience in the palm of your hand from “CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY” to “Thank you; you’ve been lovely; tip your servers.”But the world of public speaking isn’t ideal. Audiences have a limitless supply of distractions to choose from:...A free webinar on how speechwriters can engage audiences
You won’t find anyone much more experienced at speechwriting than Colin Moorhouse, and on September 10, he’s sharing some of his immense store of speechwriting wisdom in a free webinar.Better yet, he’s tackling one of the most fundamental (yet...
Why the conventional wisdom will kill your speech dead (and why it can still help)
Tell your friends and family you’re about to write your first speech, and you’ll get a lot of well-intentioned, well-worn advice.“Start with a joke.”“Tell them what you’re going to say, say it, and then tell them what you’ve said.”“If you can’t convince them with...
Save the beached whales! (Or, Your job isn’t done when the speech is)
Speechwriter and speechwriting trainer par excellence Colin Moorhouse writes about Beached Whale Syndrome: comparing the romantic complaint about men who roll over and fall asleep immediately after an amorous encounter (or, not to put it too delicately, their half of...
Why, yes — I’d LOVE to speak at your event
Public speaking and speechwriting: the essential guides
Looking for advice on public speaking, speechwriting and leadership communications? Here are some of my most comprehensive posts, on topics that people ask me about most often.
