Writing a speech for someone else is one of the most demanding forms of copywriting.
A speech must communicate the right message and serve the occasion. At the same time, it must sound completely natural coming from the person delivering it. The audience should never feel that the speaker is reciting somebody else's words.
Over the years, I have found that the quality of a speech depends on much more than the writer's command of language. It also depends on the quality of the briefing, the client's involvement and the process followed between the first conversation and the final delivery.
Here are the elements that I believe matter most.
Start with the outcome, not the content
Clients often begin by sending me a large collection of background materials. These may include corporate profiles, event rundowns, previous speeches, presentation decks or biographies.
All of this can be useful. However, it does not answer the most important question: what should the audience think or do after hearing the speech?
A ceremonial address may need to make guests feel welcomed. A leadership speech may need to reassure employees during a period of change. A keynote may need to introduce an idea or inspire action.
Until the desired outcome is clear, it is impossible to determine which information belongs in the speech and which should be left out.
Let the speechwriter hear the speaker
A well-written speech should not sound like the speechwriter. It should sound like the speaker on their best day.
This is why previous speeches and written materials are helpful, but they are rarely enough. Formal corporate documents may reveal very little about how someone actually speaks. Whenever possible, I prefer to speak directly with the person delivering the address, even if the conversation lasts only 20 minutes.
I listen for vocabulary, rhythm, humour and sentence length. Some speakers favour concise, decisive statements. Others are natural storytellers. Some are warm and conversational, while others feel more comfortable with a measured and formal style.
The objective is not to manufacture a new personality. It is to strengthen the speaker's existing voice.
Define the audience properly
"The general public" or "industry guests" is not a sufficient audience description.
I need to know who will actually be in the room, what they already understand and what relationship they have with the speaker. A message for employees requires a different approach from one intended for investors or government representatives.
The occasion matters too. The same speaker may need to sound visionary at a conference, personal at an anniversary dinner or reassuring at an internal meeting.
A speech becomes more engaging when it speaks to the particular people present, rather than addressing an imaginary universal audience.
Remember that speeches are heard, not read
One of the most common problems I encounter is a draft that looks impressive on the page but becomes unnatural when spoken aloud.
Long sentences, complicated clauses and dense factual passages are difficult for both the speaker and the audience. Listeners cannot return to the previous paragraph or reread a sentence they did not understand.
For this reason, I read every speech aloud while drafting it. Spoken language needs breathing room. It needs clean transitions and sentences that the speaker can deliver comfortably.
Simple language does not mean simplistic thinking. Some of the most powerful ideas are expressed in the clearest words.
Resist the temptation to include everything
Many clients worry that omitting information will make a speech appear less substantial. The opposite is often true.
A speech overloaded with corporate achievements, statistics or acknowledgements leaves the audience with very little to remember. Every additional point competes with the central message.
My role as a speechwriter is therefore partly editorial. I identify the strongest material, establish a clear narrative and remove content that dilutes the speech. A focused speech will usually make the speaker appear more confident and authoritative than one that attempts to cover every possible subject.
Leave time for rehearsal
The final draft is not necessarily the final speech.
Once the speaker rehearses it, certain phrases may feel unnatural or sections may run longer than expected. These are not failures in the writing process. They are part of it.
The best results come when the speechwriter remains involved through rehearsal and makes final adjustments based on how the words sound in the speaker's mouth.
Ultimately, successful speechwriting is a collaboration. The client provides the purpose and personality. The speechwriter turns those elements into a message that can be delivered naturally, understood immediately and remembered after the speaker leaves the stage.
A speech should never sound written. It should sound like the speaker on their best day.
Karbon Copy is a bilingual copywriting agency in Hong Kong, working across Chinese and English. Our copywriters research before they write, then craft speeches that sound like the person delivering them. Start a conversation on WhatsApp at +852 9854 1689.