How to Write a Campaign Speech
Speak slowly., Talk to the audience like you're having a conversation., Keep your words simple and direct., Read it aloud to see how it sounds.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Speak slowly.
Remember the audience is hearing the speech and not reading it.
When you write a campaign speech, it's very important to keep in mind that how you write for listeners is going to be much different from how you would write for readers.A lot of people get nervous when they give a speech, and when people get nervous they talk fast.
But fast talkers seem untrustworthy.
So if you get nervous, space out your words (literally, put five spaces in between each word on the page) to keep your speech measured. , Even though you're not actually having a conversation with someone, it should sound like you are.
Don't worry about eliminating contractions, splitting infinitives, or leaving modifiers dangling.Don't go overboard with informality.
You're asking to lead your peers, so they need to trust you can do that.
Most people can't lead well, so to convince them you can lead well, your speech should also reflect that you're more capable than an average person.
You need to strike a balance.
Speak at a level just above the level of a typical conversation. , Student audiences have especially short attention spans and limited vocabularies.
As a good rule of thumb, keep all of your sentences at fifteen words or less.
Instead of: "We need to address the way we schedule our lunch breaks in a reasonable but fair way, because the way we do it now isn't fair to anyone." Try: "We have people eating lunch at 10:30 am.
They're still serving breakfast at Burger King at 10:30! It doesn't make sense! By the time 2:00 rolls around, the early lunch kids are starving.
There is a better way.
We all know it."
People may only hear your speech once.
Read your speech aloud exactly as you want it to sound when you’re giving it.
You’ll probably find words and phrases that sound clunky to the ear or trip up your tongue.
Rephrase them.For even more focused practice, try speaking in front of a mirror or in front of a camera. -
Step 2: Talk to the audience like you're having a conversation.
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Step 3: Keep your words simple and direct.
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Step 4: Read it aloud to see how it sounds.
Detailed Guide
Remember the audience is hearing the speech and not reading it.
When you write a campaign speech, it's very important to keep in mind that how you write for listeners is going to be much different from how you would write for readers.A lot of people get nervous when they give a speech, and when people get nervous they talk fast.
But fast talkers seem untrustworthy.
So if you get nervous, space out your words (literally, put five spaces in between each word on the page) to keep your speech measured. , Even though you're not actually having a conversation with someone, it should sound like you are.
Don't worry about eliminating contractions, splitting infinitives, or leaving modifiers dangling.Don't go overboard with informality.
You're asking to lead your peers, so they need to trust you can do that.
Most people can't lead well, so to convince them you can lead well, your speech should also reflect that you're more capable than an average person.
You need to strike a balance.
Speak at a level just above the level of a typical conversation. , Student audiences have especially short attention spans and limited vocabularies.
As a good rule of thumb, keep all of your sentences at fifteen words or less.
Instead of: "We need to address the way we schedule our lunch breaks in a reasonable but fair way, because the way we do it now isn't fair to anyone." Try: "We have people eating lunch at 10:30 am.
They're still serving breakfast at Burger King at 10:30! It doesn't make sense! By the time 2:00 rolls around, the early lunch kids are starving.
There is a better way.
We all know it."
People may only hear your speech once.
Read your speech aloud exactly as you want it to sound when you’re giving it.
You’ll probably find words and phrases that sound clunky to the ear or trip up your tongue.
Rephrase them.For even more focused practice, try speaking in front of a mirror or in front of a camera.
About the Author
Daniel Howard
Daniel Howard specializes in education and learning and has been creating helpful content for over 8 years. Daniel is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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