Speechwriting: A Professional Step by Step Guide for Executives

By Edward H. McCarthy

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0930255011
• ISBN13: 9780930255015
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: Executive Speaker
• Length: 121 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.

Customer Reviews

How to Write and Effective Speech

Edward McCarthy's Speechwriting is a step by step guide on how to write a speech. The book is very detailed and includes great examples on how to write an effective speech for a speaker. McCarthy starts the book with planning the speech. In chapter one he gives tips on how to analyze the audience and occasion. Much like the Public Speaking Handbook, he stresses how crucial it is to know who the speaker will be speaking to and why? Chapter two covers the first meeting between the speaker and writer. During this meeting the writer should develop an outline with the speaker. Also, the writer should take note of the speaker's anecdotes, speaking style, and thought process. The book then moves on to gathering supporting materials. McCarthy tells how to test supporting material to see if it's valid information to be used in the speech. The second meeting with the speaker occurs after the supporting details are produced. This meeting should reconfirm the purpose of the speech and also allow the speaker to add or delete any details to the speech. The second part of the book, starting with chapter five, informs you on how to now write the speech after preparation is complete. Chapter five talks about writing the body of the speech to be heard, not read. It describes the wrong way to write a speech and also gives the correct way so the audience is not lost. Chapter six actually goes backward and details ways to write the introduction. It also gives examples of literary devises that can be used to have the most effective speech. The book jumps back down and covers writing the conclusion of the speech. The speech should end with what the speaker wants the audience to leave knowing (also known as the specific purpose in the Public Speaking Handbook). Now the speech is written the last meeting with the writer and speaker occur. Tweaks are worked out and the writer leaves the meeting ready to write the final draft. As the writer writes the final draft he should consider his transitions as well as humor in the speech. Transitions give the speech the correct flow and humor keeps the crowd interested. The speech is given to the speaker and he should give it the ok and begin to rehearse. Speechwriting is a very well put together book that doesn't have a lot of useless info just to fill pages. To the normal person, this book can be extremely valuable because they may not have had the opportunity to learn these skills in a formal class setting.

Great for Leaders in any field

This is a simply written book on writing a speech. It is short and easy to read. It includes large margins for adding personal notes for later reference. The book is primarily written for new speechwriters but is a great refresher for seasoned speechwriters. McCarthy has divided the book into two parts-- planning and writing. He states it is necessary to start with good planning rather than jump right into writing. Following his easy steps will make any speech or oral presentation much easier.It should be in the personal library of any leader or future leader.