Speech Writers Academy (SWA)

Duration: 2 Days. Course Fee: ₦101,575 (click here to register)

Also referred to as “Speech-Craft,” this programme is designed to create successful speech writing outcomes for corporate, business, academic, political and social professional contexts. The key benefit for attending this special programme is that this course equips participants to write the sort of speech that audiences like to hear and the kind of speeches that speakers or principals such as CEOs, Senior Corporate Executives, Governors, Ministers, Directors, Politicians, etc, like to give thereby creating a win-win for the speaker and audience relationship.

WHY A SPEECH WRITING COURSE? It is obvious that making speeches is one of the most common but undervalued activities of VIPs, both in the private and public sectors. CEOs and other top executives make speeches at AGMs, at board meetings, at company events, at dinners, and many times at invitations from outside the organization.

Frequently, these speeches are focused on the company or organization or institution. At other times, the subject matter is anything from social to political issues. For politicians, the occasions for making speeches are even more, and frequently, more momentous. Hence the need to equip speech writers with the skills to do a good job of preparing their written addresses through “Speech-Craft “

Class Size: In order to allow for adequate group discussion and exercises, and also to facilitate a timely turnaround of speech evaluations and revisions, the class size is limited to 10 participants.

Who Should Attend? This course is designed for anyone who writes speeches – Communications professionals at all levels whose role includes writing speeches for both themselves and their principals. Persons such as Communications Professionals, Presidential Assistants, Personal Assistants to Governors, Ministerial Assistants, Executive Assistants to CEOs of major corporations, Corporate Affairs/Communication Managers, Senior Managers, Public/Media Relations Managers, Executive Directors, Professional Speakers, HR Professionals, Business Owners and Anyone who writes, edits, contributes to or delivers speeches!

Nature of Programme: This course is designed as small group size with a very personal methodology in terms of training delivery. It will provide a combination of theory and practice in a non-threatening learning environment rich in constructive facilitator feedback for the benefit of delegates.

Objectives: In this two-day, interactive workshop, delegates will learn the secrets that successful speechwriters use to churn out excellent speeches.  And be able to pick up and brush up their speech-writing skills to the level where they can also deliver same for themselves and their principals. Additionally, this course is poised to:

  • To train participants in the entire scope of speech and speech writing
  • To enhance the skills of participants in the general business of speech writing
  • To highlight and advocate the ethical principles critical to good speech craftsmanship
  • To impart the fundamentals of functional & contextual rhetoric in speech preparation
  • To imbibe best practice in the arrangement of content for written addresses
  • To infuse techniques for making speeches interesting and appropriate to all stakeholders

Course Content

MODULE 1: THEMATIC FOCUS

  1. Assignment 1: List at least 5 of the many different topics covered by John F. Kennedy in his Inaugural Address. And establish the overall central gist of his message.
  2. Assignment 2: Determine the central theme of Winston Churchill’s Message and pinpoint all the theme reinforces in his address.
  3. Assignment 3: You have been invited to address the graduating class of your department of your Alma Mata on Life after School, outline your objective, choose / develop a resonating theme and craft a speech that would linger in their lives.

MODULE 2: HOW TO WRITE A SPEECH -THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF SPEECH WRITING

  1. Choose an interesting
  2. Develop your supporting (body) – In Writing
  3. Write an exciting opening. – In Writing
  4. Create a compelling closing. – In Writing
  5. Read and rewrite.
  6. Practice (Personally or with your Principal)

MODULE 3: THE SPEECH CREATION TEMPLATE (THE MECHANICS OF SPEECH WRITING)

  1. Taking the High Road -Truth, Ethics and Morality in speech writing and speech making
  2. Cutting through the Clutter (Editing)– Eliminating bogus material and unnecessary information that compounds your speech and confuses your audience.
  3. Tailoring speeches for audiences – Conducting a thorough audience analysis that will give your speech a laser-beam focus.
  4. Video-Watch – Study the great speeches of the past to find inspiration

MODULE 5: RHETORICAL DEVICES

  • Is any use of language that creates a literary effect (but often without regard for literal significance)
  • Rhetoric: principles and practice; Rhetorical devices & techniques in speech composition designed for maintaining attention and interest.
  • Language and Style & Modes of Delivery in speech composition – The power of Spoken language
  • Paint word pictures, use thought-provoking statements, employ catchy phrases, vivify boring statistics, and infuse suitable humour into your speeches.
  • The Creative Input – Rhetorical Devices in Use – See the opening of MLK’s I’ve been to the mountaintop, Anaphora in “I have a Dream” (Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses); use of questions or rhetorical questions, etc.

MODULE 4: TOOLS FOR THE TRADE

  1. Understanding the various Types of Speech
  2. Speech writing VS speech making – Understanding the difference (The key differences between writing for readers and writing for hearers and the importance of learning to ‘write with one’s ear’.)
  3. The Research Imperative – Because it is speech writing, we must understand the duty of due diligence.
    • Consulting with your Principal – yourself or a 3rd party
    • Clarifying the speech objective & determining the Message.
    • Collecting the speech content.
  4. Crafting & Phrasing – Collating the speech material in deliverable format
  • Structuring a speech outline and sequencing of generated ideas
  • Componentizing & Transitioning (Components and transitions)
  • Introductions – Devising captivating openings that grab audience attention and create the momentum needed to get your speech off the ground.
  • Propositions – Consolidating the heart and substance of your message by by utilizing smooth, seamless transitions that neatly tie points together and advance the speech at a comfortable pace for the audience.
  • Conclusions – Developing purposeful closing remarks that move your audiences to respond to your message.

NOTE: All delegates must attend with laptops for practical work.

Practice Session – There will be a series of practical exercises, in which delegates prepare short scripts and receive feedback and comment on the results from the facilitator. For the practical sessions, participants should come prepared to work on writing speeches using the techniques that will be described during the workshop. Delegates are encouraged to bring along any speeches they feel could have been better written, or notes for ones planned for the near future.

Click here to Register For This Course