{"id":64362,"date":"2022-04-18T13:32:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-18T17:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=64362"},"modified":"2026-01-22T14:55:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T18:55:53","slug":"how-to-plan-a-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-plan-a-speech\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Plan a Speech: Scripting and Rehearsing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you have an important speech coming up? How do you plan a speech for maximum impact and effectiveness?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of planning, all speeches fall into one of four categories: 1) scripted and memorized, 2) scripted and read, 3) unscripted but planned out, and 4) unscripted and winged. You should never come unprepared, otherwise, you run the risk of your speech not being high-quality\u2014and even if it is, your lack of preparation is disrespectful to the audience\u2019s time and attention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn how to plan a speech based on its style, the pitfalls you should avoid, and the best way to rehearse. We’ll also cover tips on how to open and close your speech<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Category 1: Scripted and Memorized<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Benefits:<\/strong> You can ensure that there\u2019s time for everything you want to say; you can choose your words carefully; and you can practice your speech on other people, which allows for feedback and improvement. (Shortform note: For people who suffer from an intense fear of public speaking<\/a> (glossophobia<\/a>), scripting and memorizing is the favored option because it gives a feeling of control and preparation.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Risks:<\/strong> Memorized speeches can come across as dry and unengaging. Even though your audience knows that your thoughts are scripted in one way or another, they like to feel as if they\u2019re part of the moment as it unfolds naturally. Anderson explains that this is similar to how people prefer to watch sports live rather than recorded\u2014they want to believe that they\u2019re part of the action. (Shortform note: While inspiring your audience is the ideal result, those with the most severe forms of glossophobia<\/a> might be trying to just make it through the speech without panicking or feeling humiliated. If this is you, getting through the speech is more important than avoiding the risks Anderson mentions here.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rehearsal: <\/strong>If you decide to memorize your speech<\/a>, Anderson says you have to really commit. In the beginning of rehearsal, the speech will come out passionately but not super smooth. Once you reach the memorization point, the speech will come out smoothly\u2014so smoothly in fact, that it will lack character. It will be flat and without passion. This is where most people stop practicing, which Anderson says is a mistake. If you push past this stage of memorization and continue<\/em> to practice, you\u2019ll eventually get to a point where you know the speech so well that you\u2019re no longer concentrating on the words and the passion will return to your voice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bottom line: Don\u2019t stop practicing your speech once you\u2019ve memorized it\u2014keep going until you have fully embodied it. Anderson says you\u2019ll know you\u2019re ready when you can recite your entire speech while doing another cognitively demanding task (solving math problems, for example). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Proponents of this method include  Jill Bolte Taylor, Bren\u00e9 Brown, and Amanda Palmer. Bolte Taylor says she rehearsed her TED talk over 200 times<\/a>, and Palmer says she practiced over a period of four months.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Category 2: Scripted and Read<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Benefits: <\/strong>Anderson says there are two occasions when reading your speech works well: First, if the speech is paired with gorgeous imagery and your audience\u2019s eyes are on your images instead of you. Second, if you\u2019re a gifted writer and the audience understands that they\u2019re hearing a piece of written work. (Shortform note: With the right tools (such as a teleprompter) and lots of practice, you can master reading without drawing attention to yourself. We discuss these tools in Part 5.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Risks: <\/strong>There are three major risks if you choose to read your speech: First, your audience might not trust your authenticity. Second, they might perceive you to be unprepared. Third, your audience might become so bored that they tune you out or leave. (Shortform note: Despite these risks, reading a speech might be the better option if you don\u2019t have time to memorize it, especially in situations where your authenticity isn\u2019t going to be doubted\u2014for example, eulogies at funerals are usually read, not memorized.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rehearsal: <\/strong>If you\u2019re a writer reading a written work (such as a poem), Anderson recommends you still know your speech well enough that you can look up at your audience from time to time and so your voice will sound natural. He adds that with read speeches, it can be especially impactful if you stand up at the end and deliver your last paragraph without reading. (Shortform note: Amanda Gorman balanced reading and looking up at the audience\u2014to great effect\u2014while reading her poem, \u201cThe Hill We Climb<\/a>,\u201d at President Biden\u2019s inauguration ceremony.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Category 3: Unscripted (But Planned Out)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Benefits: <\/strong>The speech is passionate, fresh, and in the moment. Anderson says the audience feels your authenticity and wants to go on the journey with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Risks: <\/strong>With this much flexibility in your wording, you risk using too much jargon, not fully explaining difficult concepts, rambling, and running out of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to prepare: <\/strong>Even with an unscripted speech, rehearsing is crucial. While you aren\u2019t planning out exact words to use, you do need a structure to keep you on track. Start by identifying the point you\u2019re trying to make (your \u201cbig idea\u201d), then decide how you\u2019ll get there. (Shortform note: Those who don\u2019t want to write a script might prefer a graphic organizer instead. A \u201cmind map\u201d is a visual representation<\/a> of where you\u2019re starting, where you want to go, and the stops you\u2019ll need to make along the way. Draw it out like a literal map with your opening and closing statements, your big idea, and the concepts that lead to your idea.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To keep your words spontaneous but still be fully prepared, Anderson recommends you do the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n