The Art of Speeches and Presentations: The Secrets of Making People Remember What You Say

The Art of Speeches and Presentations: The Secrets of Making People Remember What You Say

Released May 2012
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9780470711958

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Book description

Be memorable.

Whether you like it or loathe it, public speaking is something many of us have to do. Be it presentations to colleagues or speeches to a room full of near strangers, we all want to shine...or at least get through it with our dignity intact. Luckily Philip Collins, former Chief Speech Writer to Tony Blair, knows exactly what's needed to give a storming speech.

The secret, according to Philip, is content. Too many of us focus on how we're presenting, and don't spend enough time thinking about what we're presenting. The secret to memorable, polished speeches is to think more about the material you're sharing – to pay attention to detail and choose your works carefully. Speech writing is and art – and art we can all learn.

When the content's right, the confidence will follow.

In The Art of Speeches and Presentations Philip Collins provides you with a concise set of tools, preparing you for any speaking occasion. Ranging from the ancient history of rhetoric to what makes Barack Obama such a good speaker, it's packed with practical examples and tips to teach you the craft of speaking well and making people remember what to say.

"Does Phil Collins know what he is talking about? Here's the answer – he isn't just good, he is the best. It's as simple as that. I spent years writing speeches for major politicians and I now speak publicly myself all the time, and yet there is so much that I can pick up from him and anyone who re4ads this book will too."—Daniel Finkelstein, Executive Editor, The Times and former speech writer to William Hague

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. PROLOGUE
  3. Title page
  4. Copyright page
  5. DEDICATION
  6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  7. INTRODUCTION: ATTENTION TO DETAIL
    1. Strange Isolation
    2. Speeches Still Matter
    3. The Importance of Not Being Barack Obama
    4. SThe Purpose of this Bookn
    5. The Rule of Writing: Attention to Detail
    6. The Structure of the Book
    7. Conclusion
  8. CHAPTER ONE: AUDIENCE
    1. Before You Begin
    2. How Do I Get to Know My Audience?
    3. What Do I Need to Know About My Audience?
    4. Conclusion: You Know Who You Are Talking To
  9. CHAPTER TWO: EXPECTATIONS
    1. The Three Functions of a Speech
    2. The Combination of Elements
    3. FDR’s Inauguration Speech, 1933
    4. Winston Churchill, House of Commons, 1940
    5. Writing a Statement of Intent
    6. Why Persuasion is Best
    7. Are You Still with Me?
  10. CHAPTER THREE: TOPIC
    1. The Main Argument
    2. Speeches With No Topic
    3. Reading Before Writing
    4. Where Do I Put My Topic?
    5. The Five Steps Towards the Topic
    6. Not Just Another Brick in the Wall
  11. CHAPTER FOUR: LANGUAGE
    1. How Writers Write
    2. Starting Near the End
    3. Writer’s Block
    4. That Speech in Full
    5. The Importance of Editing
    6. Mind Your Language
    7. The Abyss of Jargon
    8. A Dozen Dreadful Jargon Terms, Dead Metaphors, Terrible Clichés and Assorted Horrors
    9. Conclusion: Above All Else Be Clear
  12. CHAPTER FIVE: INDIVIDUAL
    1. Not Just a Speech But Your Speech
    2. The Character of Your Speech
    3. From Being a Character to Playing a Character
    4. Speeches Without Words
    5. Writing for Someone Else
    6. What is Your Character?
    7. Your Character as a Speaker
    8. Your Life in a Venn Diagram
    9. Are You Still There?
  13. CHAPTER SIX: DELIVERY
    1. So You Don’t Have to
    2. Rehearsing is Good Editing
    3. How to Speak
    4. First Tip: Find Out Who Will Introduce You
    5. Second Tip: Don’t Ditch the Script
    6. Third Tip: Beginning, Muddle and End
    7. Fourth Tip: Don’t Just Read it Out
    8. Fifth Tip: If Autocue is an Option, Take it
    9. Sixth Tip: Turn Your Speech into Notes
    10. Seventh Tip: How to Use the Cards
    11. Eighth Tip: Stand Tall and Speak Up
    12. Ninth Tip: Ask Yourself if You Really are Funny
    13. Tenth Tip: Would Anyone Like More Slides?
    14. Conclusion
  14. CONCLUSION
    1. Attention to Detail
    2. The Difficulty of Speaking Well
    3. Lack of Pathos
    4. The Educated Audience
    5. Channels of Speech
    6. A Word in Favour of the Speech Writer
  15. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
  16. GLOSSARY – THE MAIN RHETORICAL TERMS
  17. BIBLIOGRAPHY
  18. Index

Product information

  • Title: The Art of Speeches and Presentations: The Secrets of Making People Remember What You Say
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: May 2012
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470711958